This quick and easy baked potato bag for the microwave has been popping up all over the internet and receiving rave reviews for moist and fluffy baked potatoes in minutes!
Here’s our spin on this popular craft; we made ours out of some neat culinary-themed cotton prints and natural cotton batting from http://www.LowPriceFabric.com. This project comes just in time for fall and the holidays, and is an easy-to-make, great gift! And, you can even use it for cooking corn on the cob, sweet potatoes, or warming bread or tortillas!
Before you begin, make sure the finished bag size (10″ x 10″) will fit in your microwave with at least an inch of free space around it. If your microwave has a turn table, make sure that the finished sized will freely rotate. If the bag will not fit with enough free space, adjust the pattern accordingly.
- There have been some reports of microwave fires when people fail to follow instructions, fail to supervise the cooking, or use materials other than 100% cotton. Since some people have had issues with the corner of the bag, our advice is to trim off the bulky corners when you sew it (step #6).
- Don’t use the bag over and over to cook many potatoes, because the bag may overheat and start a fire! Heat it once, then let cool completely before using it again.
- Do not use in conventional or toaster ovens – microwave oven only!
- Be sure to use only 100% Cotton batting & materials, with no metallic threads.
1. What you will need:
100% Natural Cotton Batting: 1 piece 11″ x 22″
100% Cotton outer fabric: 1 piece 11″ x 22″
100% Cotton inner fabric: 1 piece 11″ x 22″
(If you are using the same fabric for both the inside and outside, 1/3 of a yard of 45″ wide 100% cotton will be sufficient.)
*You do not need to prewash the materials; they will be laundered all together once sewing is complete.*
2. Stack the layers of fabrics in the following order, aligning all edges:
- Inner fabric first, right side facing up (bottom of stack)
- Outer fabric next, right side facing down (middle of stack)
- Cotton Batting last (top of stack)
3. Stitch the short (11″) edges with a 1/2″ seam allowance. Iron seams open/flat and turn so right sides of fabric are facing out. Press sewn edges and topstitch 1/2″ from edge.
4. Quilt or tack the three layers, leaving no more than 5″ open or unstitched. (At this stage, you should have the two fabrics facing right sides out with the batting in between.)
5. Surge or zig-zag stitch the raw edges that are the long (22″) sides.
6. Fold the shorter edges into the center, overlapping 1″ and forming a 10″ square. Pin and sew the pre-surged, 22″ edges 1/2″ from edge. Trim any extra bulk from the corners to decrease any chance of fire or scorching.
7. Flip the bag right side out, pressing seams smooth.
8. Machine wash cold and tumble dry warm. Do not use any fabric softeners or laundry treatments other than regular detergent.
9. Bake your first potato! Microwaves will vary, but here is an approximate time calculator:
2 Large Russet Potatoes: 8 minutes
2 Large Red Potatoes: 8 minutes
3 Medium Bread Rolls: 20 seconds
2 Medium Sweet Potatoes: 10 minutes
2 Large Corn Cobs: 6 minutes
Tortillas: times vary
Please use care, common sense, and proper supervision. This is a free tutorial; make these bags and use at your own risk. Using these instructions indicates you have read and understand the written precautions and agree to use prudent and reasonable care when using this potato bag. Thank you, and enjoy!
welcome 
Looks Good
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Thank you very much for this pattern as plan to make these for Xmas presents.
Glad you liked them!
Glad to hear that! Enjoy.
You don’t need a bag at all. Potatos bake just fine on a plate or even in a pyrex bowl. About five minutes per potato, more or less, depending on size. And you won’t catch a pyrex bowl on fire in your microwave….!!! This has been true since the very first Amana Radaranges appeared back in 1967-8 in our Experimental and International Cooking class we had back in high school!!!
True, you don’t have to have a bag but it does make a world of difference. I’ve microwaved potatoes since buying my first oven in the 70s for over $700 and at first just did them on a plate. If you watch them closely and turn them often they turn out good but often still aren’t evenly cooked. I later started wrapping them in paper towels and that was a little better. I next started wrapping an all cotton dish towel over them and they turned out much better. Now, since somebody came up with the bag idea I wouldn’t cook them at all without using one. Much easier to do and the added insulation makes them cook perfectly even throughout with tender skin and no tough or shriveled places. I’m all for the bag!
A pyrex bowl will not bring smiles to the face of the receiver of this bag. The bag keeps potatoes warm until ready to eat. Best of all, I get to sew and give to a friend. I have also made tortilla bags Barb
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Do you clean them after each use? How do you clean them?
Not if it’s the newer Pyrex. I had 2 of them explode taking out of the oven. I had to throw away the dishes and the food. Since they were bought out they changed the glass and it doesn’t do well with temperature changes. Now I have the arcuisine dishes made out of the proper glass for cooking in oven, microwave, etc. the Pyrex I have left I only use to store leftovers in the refrigerator or fruit in the fridge.
I received this as a gift from my neighbor. It really made me smile.