Potholder Kitchen Set

This is my post for 

FriDaY NighT with FRienDs hosted by Gone Stitchin'.  It's a fun way to spend the first Friday night of each month.  I don't always remember to register but I do sew almost every Friday.  

While I was visiting my son and his wife this Thanksgiving, I noticed that they didn't own any potholders.  I also noticed that their new dishes matched a chicken fabric I bought several years ago and couldn't find a use for it.  That started it all. 

I knew I wanted to do the oblong potholders I designed several years ago but I wanted to add to them for a full set of potholders.  I searched the web and found this site that had a tutorial for Hexagon Potholders.  Since they have a slightly oriental decor I thought they would be perfect. They went together fast and easy.  Here they are after the first round is sewn on. 

Then here they are after the second round and before cut into Hexies.

After the hexie's were completed then I cut them into finished hexie shape.  Then layered the backing, cotton Batting and Insul-Fleece by Pellon, pinning it temporarily. It is recommend by the manufacturer to put the cotton batting between thefabric that will touch the heated object and the Insul-Fleece.  I then turned this layered section over and placed the hexies right sides together with the backing fabric.  Sewed around the edges with the usual 1/4" seam allowance, leaving a 1" opening for turning.  After sewing was finished I cut around the hexies through all layers. Turned them right side out pressed  and topstitched them closed.  Then quilted in the ditch throughout the trivet. This is the final product. Too cute!!!!

I then started with the Oblong Potholders.  They are still available as a free download at Pellon Projects.  I did change how I quilted the fabric. Instead of doing several small sandwiches I made one big one.  It's still small enough to handle easily with a regular sewing machine.  

Here's the finished Oblong Potholders:

I almost finished here, then thought about the Pot Handle Holders I would love to own myself.  I again did a web search and found several ways to make them after measuring your own pans.  I wanted something more universal.  So into the kitchen I went to look at my cast iron pans and my other cooking pans.  I saw that there are some pots with short handles and some with long.  You know what that means.  I needed to make one of each.  I had extra quilted fabric left over from the Oblong Potholders so I used that to make these.  They slip easily onto the pot handles.  This is a very easy way to pick up a hot pot without the usual slipping with a flat pot holder.

Again I almost stopped here.  Then I thought that my Oblong Potholders are great for on the stove and some baking but not so great for large oven roasters or oblong cake dishes.  I hate oven mitts that are two mitts with a long length between the mitts.  It limits the user to size of pots/pans that can be used.  I also can't see the use for the middle section.  So I designed some Oven Mitts that are similar but separate.

I wanted them to be different for the others I had already made but of the same fabrics.  So I started with layering the cotton batting and Insul-fleece over the backing fabric with the ride side down down. For ease of handling I pinned this layer section on the corners.  I cut several widths of the fabrics I had already used and sewing them with a sew and flip method.  This allowed me to quilt as I went along.

I used the finished quilted fabric to cut out the oven mitt pattern. I finished them with binding as with the Oblong Potholders.

Here is the finished product.  I can't wait to make my own to try them out.

Happy Holiday Cooking,