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CraftSanity On TV: A Potato Bag Tutorial For Microwaving Tasty Potatoes On The Fly
I love baked potatoes. But the potato setting on my microwave has failed me so many times, leaving me with shriveled and lifeless potatoes.
Thanks to a fellow Michigan crafter I’ve stopped shriveling potatoes. Gerri Nielsen gave me one of her fabric potato bags and I swear it’s taken the frustration out of rapid potato baking. These fabric bags create a sort of a steam chamber for the potatoes that come out soft and tasty 4 to 8 minutes later. I’ve been so happy with the results that I whipped up a few more bags.
To make your own you will need two 11 x 24-inch pieces of cotton fabric and one piece of cotton quilt batting cut the same size. (I used a print for the outside and muslin for the inside.)
Step 1: Place your your interior fabric right side up. Place the outer fabric on top right side down, followed by the piece of batting. Pin the stack and sew around the perimeter leaving about a 4-inch opening on one of the 11-inch sides for turning.
Step 2: Turn right side out and press with iron. Top stitch across the short side to stitch the opening closed.
Step 3: With the right side facing up, fold the rectangle into the bag shape. First, fold the top down about 3 inches, then fold the other end of the rectangle up to meet the top edge, overlapping the edges by about a half inch. Pin and stitch along each long side.
Step 4: Turn right side out and you’re ready to bake some potatoes.
Baking directions: Wash potatoes and wrap in the paper towel you use to dry them. Do NOT poke holes in the potatoes. Place the potatoes in the bag and microwave for 4 to 8 minutes. Check the potatoes every 2 minutes to be safe and do not leave them unattended.
Buy a potato bag: If you want a potato bag, but would rather not make one yourself. No problem. Gerri Nielsen will make you one for $10. Write her at 14426 U.S. Hwy. 45, Bruce Crossing, MI 49912-8704 to place your order.
Watch the video: Today’s “Take Five” TV segment was a bit off the hook. Watch the clip to see me forge on with my demonstration of the making of a potato bag after I bust my sewing machine on live TV. Fun times, folks.
Posted: January 23rd, 2010 under Baking, Favorite Things, Food, Podcasts, Sewing, TV, Tutorials, Videos.
Comments: 18
Comments
Comment from toni in florida
Time: January 23, 2010, 8:28 am
You’re such a pro! I love it that you keep going without a noticeable pause and had the next “step out” ready. And, man, does that five minutes fly by or what??
Pingback from Tutorial: Potato bag for microwaving baked potatoes · Sewing @ CraftGossip
Time: January 23, 2010, 10:17 am
[...] I’ve recently found out that the secret to perfect baked potatoes in the microwave is to put them in a bag while you cook them. I’d always used a paper sack, but that was until I saw this tutorial by Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood of Craft Sanity. She shows how to make a fabric bag for microwaving your potatoes. Go to the tutorial. [...]
Comment from Anne Weaver
Time: January 23, 2010, 10:19 am
My sister just recently shared that “the secret” of perfect microwaved baked potatoes is to cook them in a bag. She uses a paper sack, but your fabric version is much friendlier to the environment.
I blogged your project on Craft Gossip Sewing:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-potato-bag-for-microwaving-baked-potatoes/2010/01/23/
–Anne
Pingback from I REALLY Want to Make This « Just a glimpse
Time: January 23, 2010, 10:29 am
[...] | In Crafts, cooking, diet, food | Leave a Comment Jennifer, over at CraftSanity, had this really cool microwave potato bag on her website. I need to make this. Hmmm…which of my friends do I get to help [...]
Comment from Kristy Medina
Time: January 23, 2010, 2:08 pm
Thank you!!!! I’ve been wanting to make one of these :)
Comment from Tayla B
Time: January 23, 2010, 4:52 pm
I have seen these before but had no idea they were so easy to make! I guess I always assumed there was some secret to it. lol
Comment from Rachel
Time: January 24, 2010, 4:05 pm
Whoa- that’s super creative! I never thought about anything like that, what a great idea. Thanks so much, I’ll be linking.
Comment from Rachel
Time: January 24, 2010, 10:17 pm
I too was so impressed with how you handled yourself with the broken needle. Very impressive. (C: I’ve seen these before but I hadn’t researched how to make one, thanks for sharing!!
Comment from Syndi
Time: January 25, 2010, 8:43 pm
LOL! :-) What a pro!
LOVE the segment and the actual tutorial. I’ll have to try one of these!
Thanks.
Comment from Sally
Time: January 26, 2010, 10:48 am
Great tutorial. I’ve been making these for a while now and thought I’d share a tip I use. I print the directions for use on Fusible Ink Jet Fabric Sheets, then iron them to the flap of the bag. I saw a site somewhere that had the directions on a piece of laminated cardstock to give with the bag – but – I knew the folks I was giving them to (mostly my graduating high school kids) would end up losing the instructions. With them sewn (I do sew around the patch) that isn’t a problem.
By the way they make great graduation gifts. I’ve put together a little recipe booklet to go with it and sometimes I add a $5-$10 grocery store gift card. Perfect for the dorm.
Comment from molly
Time: January 26, 2010, 4:41 pm
Does it matter what kind of batting you use? It looks like you use a a thin almost wool like batting the thickness of felt. I have lots of thicker synthetic batting that’s been kicking around. Would that work?
Thanks,
Mly
Comment from jennifer
Time: January 26, 2010, 6:26 pm
I used 100 percent cotton quilt batting. Gerri uses polyester batting. The key is to make a sample bag and test it out while carefully monitoring the baking process before making bags for all your relatives and friends. And you can bake the potato in 2-minute bursts just to be safe.
Comment from kat whitten
Time: January 26, 2010, 10:42 pm
i’ve purchased many items from Gerri, of Gerri’s Crafts and Things, over the years and have been pleased with all of them. Amazing the quantity and quality of all that she does! Jennifer, did you get to see her entire stock? Awesome isn’t it! kat
Pingback from Microwave Potato Bag | Sarchix Finds
Time: January 30, 2010, 1:29 pm
[...] over at CraftSanity has posted not only the directions to make “baked” potatoes in the microwave but has [...]
Comment from Marie
Time: May 17, 2010, 3:40 pm
I made a similar bag using a piece of felt for the batting and cotton outside with muslin lining. the bag schorched pretty bad and now I am concerned about the fabric I used. please advise.
Comment from jennifer
Time: May 17, 2010, 6:07 pm
Hi Marie. I think the felt is the problem. I used cotton fabric for the interior and exterior and cotton batting inside. I’ve used the bag loads of times and never had a problem. Also keep in mind that every microwave is different, so you might want to make a new bag using cotton batting and cook the potatoes on shorter bursts. And to be safe, never leave it unattended. I hope this helps. – Jennifer
Comment from Kristina
Time: May 31, 2010, 5:53 pm
I would like to make the small version you mentioned to take to work, do you know what the dimensions are to make the small version of the bake potato bag. I also read using 2 pieces of flannel instead of batting, what is your take on it?
Comment from jennifer
Time: June 18, 2010, 1:23 am
Hi Kristina. The finished mini bag measures 5″x9″.
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