Friday, January 22, 2010

Easy Peasy Pot Holders and a wallet winner!



Happy Friday! Oh my, it's a big day over here at Lola's. There's that promised crafty tutorial and the announcement of the Summer Wallet give away!

First, the Engineer did me a solid and randomly picked a winner from my pretty thrifted pot. And...the wallet goes to Aussie Waffler! Congrats my dear, just email me your address to lolanovainfo@gmail.com and I will pop it in the post right quick!

Now for the crafty part!

If you are at all like me, when it comes to grabbing a potentially sizzling pot handle, you reach for the nearest dish towel and use it to pick up your bubbling gourmet creation. In the little green cottage, this is a potential fire hazard as we have a gas stove, those trailing tails of towel could go up in flame at a whisper. There is also the "wet towel" syndrome, if the towel is at all wet...well, water conducts heat (according to the Engineer) and you get burned. If you are not like me, but instead much more prepared and safety conscious, you own a sufficient number of fire avoiding, burn lessening devices called, "pot holders".

I was reading on someone's blog (and I apologize if it was yours and I forgot where I read it so that I can not give you credit for my big idea), about this blogger wanting to make a pot holder. I thought to myself, "you know Lola, a pot holder or two might just mean the difference between an emergency room visit and not." So, set out to make I did.

Once I did, I thought that since there's a chance that some of you are like me, that you should have some pot holders too. Now, as self appointed safety monitor, I give you the Easy Peasy Pot Holder Tutorial.

I am wishing the photos were a bit brighter but, twas a typically dark and drear January morning. Still, I think you can sort it all out.

The Materials: and this is the cool part, Made from all recycled bits, old clothes and vintagey scraps.
You will need 2 outside pieces and one inside piece (the thick bit) or lining.
I used fabric from an old linen shirt, a tablecloth, some leftover canvas etc. for the outside rectangles (the parts that show). The inside piece needs to be "meaty" enough to take a little heat. I used an old thick towel that was about to be thrown to the rag pile for one pot holder; and pieces of an ancient wool blanket for others. It doesn't matter what the inside piece looks like, no one will see. Lastly, gather yourself some pretty things with which to adorn your pot holders of happiness. For example: lace, fabric patches, ribbon, embroidery thread...


Now for the numbers:
All measurements are in US terms.
Cut 2 outside rectangles and 1 inside rectangle to 6 1/2" inches by 8 1/2" inches.

Take your two outside rectangles and...this is where you get to do as you please and prettify your pot holders. Put on your shiny ( I do not recommend using many buttons, they can melt or get scorching hot - thus negating all safety measures). Pin 'em in place if you need.

Then stitch them on nice and sturdy.

Once you have all your bits in place, it's time to put them together.

Put your inside "meaty" rectangle on the table. Take one outside beauty and lay it on top of the inside piece, making sure the pretty side is winking at you. Now, take your last outside beauty and lay it face down, so that the two pretty pieces are "kissing" each other.

Make sure that all raw edges are even and pin together.

Stitch around the perimeter of the rectangles with a 1/4" inch seam allowance, leaving at least a 2" inch opening for turning. Back stitch at the beginning and ending of your seam.


As always my dears, clip your corners - making sure not to cut through your stitching.

Turn right side out.

Fold under the seam allowance on the opening and carefully press with an iron.
Next, hand stitch the opening closed with whatever stitch you prefer.

Ta Da! You now have a handy dandy and perfectly pretty pot holder of your very own!


Here is a little extra gossip;
*You can make these any shape or size you like, even a roundy one! I chose the
measurements according to what felt comfortable in my hand.
*You can include a little loop if you want to hang them from something, cause they are pretty as well as very useful.
*If you are now thinking that you do indeed need a pot holder of your very own but, do not wish to bother or do not have the time for the making, the two wee cuties at the top of the post will be in my etsy shop next week.

If you have any questions feel free to email me or leave a comment. Have fun stitching!

26 comments:

Serenata said...

Lovely idea... We could always do with pot holders...will put this on my to do list, thank you.

A Bun Can Dance said...

This looks wonderful !
Thank you so much for sharing - and yes I shall be making some and then maybe I won't get my favourite tea towels covered in tomato based sauces and the like! (I am a grabber of tea towels for hot pot handles!)
Happy weekend to you
D x

Aussie-waffler said...

Woo hoo, not that I want to brag or anything, but winners are grinners, and I am grinning, oh yes I am. Thank-you so much, I am thrilled to be the winner of your Summer Wallet giveaway. Oh, and by the way, just love those pot holders, just need to learn to sew and I could be on my way to pot holder perfection :)

Anonymous said...

apparentley you checked with your legal dept. nice disclaimer!

d

Pia K said...

supersweet and as you know i quite love the butterfly one!

i am a sensible (at least in that part) owner of many pot holders, but these would of course make grand gifts.

Unknown said...

Thanks so much for this beautiful and generous tutorial! These would go perfect with the hot pads I swore i would whip up this week and still haven't started. Ahhh procrastination... it's getting the better of me.

crzylady said...

another lovely reason for me to save for a sewing machine! What a wonderful tutorial!

diane said...

LOVE it. and your disclaimer is awesome.

harmony and rosie said...

Ooh I love the tutorial and the very thorough instructions. I shall certainly give it a go at some stage but fear they will surely look too gorgeous to use?!

Mare said...

I love those pot holders, and i think it is so nice of you to share the tutorial too!

Rachel@oneprettything.com said...

Wow, these are really stunning! Thanks so much for adding this to the One Pretty Thing Flickr pool. I'll be linking.

Pippa said...

There was a huge debate in our house over the purchasing of new pots and pans - pots with metal handles that can go in the oven vs pots with plasic handles that don't get hot. The metal won in the end, so pot holders are required! Thanks for the tutorial.

Anne said...

These are SO pretty!! I blogged your tutorial over at Craft Gossip Sewing:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-vintage-inspired-potholders-from-recycled-materials/2010/01/30/

--Anne

Katy said...

I love your creations, you sure are talented. Katy

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Unknown said...

thank you for sharing your beautiful patterns...I love the Easy Peasy Pot Holders. I was planning on making some wool ones but yours are so unusually pretty that I just have to make some. What wonderful gifts they would be, also.
Kay in N.C.

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