Showing posts with label potholders. Show all posts
Showing posts with label potholders. Show all posts

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Getting Scrappy

Sheesh, almost an entire month since my last post!  As much as I love summer, I'm very ready for the start of fall, which brings school, routine, and more time to sew!

I have been fitting in small projects here and there.
Canvas and cotton nesting bowls
Cotton and linen potholders

Linen and cotton nesting bowls

Linen and cotton wallets

But my largest project in the works, a queen-sized quilt for my bed, has been at a standstill.  As much as I love making the New York Beauty blocks that I had originally intended to solely use, meandering their way around the quilt, I just don't think it's practical to stick to the original plan if I ever want to actually finish the quilt.

My New York Beauty blocks awaiting some company

That point was reaffirmed this weekend when I found this stack of paper-pieced blocks that I started at least 5 years ago.

Hmmm...maybe these need to become something new...iPad cases? Cosmetics bags?

I had a lightbulb moment the other night regarding the quilt.  My original intent was to make it more modern than traditional.  Starting with the very traditional paper-pieced blocks, I needed to add something much less conventional to achieve the modern look.  I am always inspired by Maureen Cracknell's beautiful projects and color choices, and I remembered some scrappy chevron blocks she shared awhile back.  My new plan is to make strips of scrappy chevrons and mix them in with my New York Beauties and some strips of solid gray.  I'm using the tutorial at Six White Horses for the chevrons.  This scrappy, not-so-planned idea is much more forgiving and fun, even though I do find paper piecing relaxing.  I cut a bunch of strips tonight.  Stay tuned for the results!

Strips ready to get scrappy

Monday, July 2, 2012

Zakka Potholders and Summer To-Dos

A day late and a giveaway entry short, I managed to complete one Zakka Style potholder.  I would have been done on time, despite spending much of the week camping, had my old iron not given out.  Amazingly enough, I managed to find a Rowenta in my local small-town hardware store.  I have 5 more of these potholders in progress.  I love the stripy design and the pockets on the back for gripping hot pots and pans.  I think they will be the beginning of my holiday gift stash.



I have to put the rest of my summer to-do list in print so I don't forget anything!  It is quite full!

- Make two of Anna Maria Horner's Art Student Totes into diaper bags.  In time for the Purse Palooza deadline.  Yikes.

-Finish my New York Beauty quilt from the quilt-along awhile back.

-Restock my Etsy shop.  It has gotten quite empty.

-Begin stashing finished products for the local holiday fair in November.

-Work on hexagons for a quilt for my daughter.  I got a great start while waiting for the kids at swim lessons today.  Six hexagons in 45 minutes.  With a total of 900 minutes of swim lesson time ahead of me (!!!) I could potentially get 120 finished. Hmmm.

-Figure out what to upcycle a whole stack of my hubby's old Coast Guard uniforms into.  Any ideas?