Thursday, April 22, 2010

potholders

I'm having one of those terribly unproductive days... I really should be working, and I have a big task for work that needs to be done. But the tree people, who were supposed to come next week (nicely timed for when I'd be out of town), decided to show up this morning. So instead of concentrating on coding, I've been doing chores and trying to not go crazy listening to chainsaws and wood chippers and leaf blowers (my least favorite sounds EVER). They finished up not too long ago, and I had about an hour of peace. And then the yard people showed up, with their lawn mowers and MORE leaf blowers. Seriously. Happy Earth Day, have some noise pollution! I know I shouldn't complain - we hired the folks after all! But this just wasn't the productive day I was envisioning this morning!

So, as long as I'm not getting any work done, let me show off a little potholder project I whipped up recently...


This here is a little pile of what I think of as "sheet selvages". They are the bottom hems that aren't really useful for much. I used to throw them away, but then I wondered if I might be able to use them for something. So, I started saving them. During my boring weekly meetings, I trim them by cutting right along the stitching. It's only somewhat quicker than seam-ripping, but a whole lot less messy!



I cut 9" squares of muslin and Insul-Brite, layered them, and then sewed strips on as if they were selvages - the folded edge goes on top, the cut edge gets covered up by the next strip, which is top-stitched down.



I made two like this, trimmed them up, put them back-to-back (rotated one by 90 degrees, not that it really matters), serged the edges and bound it like a quilt. Instead of starting in the middle of one side, I started at a corner, and then made a loop and tucked the binding in at end.



And there you go, one potholder! Cute!



And I'm happy to report that the yard people are done. Thank goodness! Now maybe I can get an hour of work done!

15 comments:

  1. gahhhhhhh!!! evenlyn! those are just gorgeous! thank you so much for sharing! i just love tips on how to use scraps...and using them usefully and beautifully! :) love the way you did that loop! :) oh...i posted the FQs i purchased from you on my flickr account! :) thank you soooo much again! i just love them!

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  2. Oh I hate that noise too. And leaf blowers? Why doesn't anyone use a rake anymore? Anyway, I LOVE the potholders.

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  3. In my book making a potholder like that would be a major achievement! Well done getting something done during all that, they are lovely! Glad the job is over and you have some peace!

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  4. Oh perfect! I was just winding those little hems up tonight and wondering what I was going to do with them. Now I know! :) They turned out so cute, and goodness knows that our kitchen could use some attractive (not stained and disgusting) potholders!

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  5. these are amazing! i love this. it looks so pretty

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  6. These are gorgeous! And I'm glad to know that your sanity hasn't suffered any permanent damage thanks to all the noise. :)

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  7. I love it. Can I copy you and make one?? I like how clever the loop is. Nice job!

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  8. i love this potholder! it's so pretty and such a great way to use up scraps.

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  9. Very cool -- love how you did the loop and must remember InsulBrite.

    I'm with you -- HATE those sounds, I'm convinced if women invented leaf blowers and vacuum cleaners they would purr sweetly like a kitten, only men can love those noises.

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  10. Those sounds = zero fun. But what is amazingly fun are these potholders! I love them! I have about six friends getting married this summer and these would make such cute gifts. Thank you for sharing you lovely blog; keep up the great work!

    www.aqsquiltnews.blogspot.com

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  11. Evelyn, i saw this show up on all things vintage...hooray, that is so exciting.

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  12. What a great potholder!!! Love it!

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