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Holding pots far and wide
Somehow making two pot holders as a jokey gift for a party evolved into my biggest crafty project of the year.
I needed a cycling-themed white elephant gift for a party way back on December 2. I had some kinda faux-Tour de France-themed fabric in my quilting stash. The quickest thing I could think of to make with the fabric was pot holders. I figured the gift would be unique if maybe a little odd. That's what white elephant gifts are about, right?
The pot holders proved to be popular at the party, which planted the idea in my head to improve on the design a bit and make more of them to give as holiday gifts. Surely my mom, sister, mother-in-law, aunt, and a few friends would appreciate a set of custom mini-quilts for wrangling their hot stuff.
After fourteen trips to five different fabric stores (including one online and one across the Bay Bridge), and maybe 30 hours of machine- and hand-sewing and cutting and trimming, I had eighteen pot holders (nine pairs) in four different designs to give as gifts. And meanwhile, our dining room table was a craft-tastrophe for about three weeks, becoming home to my sewing maching, cutting mat, and heaps of fabrics and batting and scraps. Bits of thread littered the living room, bedroom, and car, where I had sneaked in time to hand-stitch the edge binding (576 inches in all -- 48 feet of hand-stitching).
Labor of love? You bet. Unfortunately, I didn't make quite enough of them to save a pair for myself. So it looks like I'll be setting up shop in the dining room again. This time I'll try to limit the disaster scene to one day.
January 4, 2009 10:10 PM
Holy moly, those are awesome! I also really like the convergence quilt in your photostream.
The potholders are awesome, although I think I'm especially fond of the sock-monkey quilt! I just have to tell you how much I love coming to your blog to marvel at all the creative things you do. You are everything my imaginary wonder-woman self is: great photographer, jam maker, quilter, spontaneous traveler, and of course ironwoman.
And since I live vicariously through you and your photos I can just stay in my pjs and save myself the effort of actually making jam and quilts and training for races! :)
Have a Happy New Year and please don't ever stop blogging!
They really are beautiful. I can't imagine actually using them, though - what if they got, like, pumpkin guts on them or something?
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, etc.!
having been the proud recipient of both a set of the coveted potholders AND the sock monkey quilt (ok, the quilt belongs to my daughter), i can vouch first-hand for ariel's creative prowess. holy crap, this girl can sew!!
and yeah, i find much inspiration in ariel. she's just one of those kind of peeps. :)