Tutorial : Oven Mitts Chilli Pepper

First of all I am happy to be back in Spain. We have sunshine and mild temperatures for this time of the year. And imagine, in 2 weeks time we are already in 2012.

Anyway, back to the tutorial. Photo of the finished oven mitts :

Pair of Oven Mitts Chilli Pepper

Materials  – quantity for a pair of oven mitts:

  • 4x pieces of  decoration fabric, size 9,5″ x 10″ (I have opted for solid orange and a chilli pepper pattern fabric)
  • 4x Insul-Bright from the Warm Company or any other heat-resistant batting, size 9,5″ x 10″
  • 4x 100% cotton batting, size 9,5″ x 10
  • 4x cotton muslin or other cotton fabric for backing, size 9,5″ x 10″
  • approx. 1 yard ½ inch (1.27 cm) double fold bias tape for binding and hanging loops
  • coordinating cotton thread for sewing and quilting

Oven mitt pattern – see the proximate size on the cutting board:

1

Press and cut all fabrics and batting.

Making a sandwich: place first the backing fabric, wrong side up. Next cotton batting, than heat-resistant batting (check instructions from producer, which side up), finally the decoration fabric.

2

Baste the layers together and choose color of the quilting thread :

3

Check once more the size and think about the quilting pattern.

4

I have opted for vertical (on the chilli fabric) and horizontal (orange) lines :

5

Square both sandwiches, orange and chilli fabric facing each other on the inside and mark the oven mitt pattern. Bast all layers together :

6

Sew around the marked line, on the thumb side leave approx. 4″ open (no seam yet), trim both mitts.

8

Now take the bias tape and start at the thumb side, where the seam is still open. Fold it and make with it a binding around the mitt. Forgot to make pics – silly me!!

Cut approx 6″ of the bias tape, fold and sew together to make a hanging loop. Pin the loop on the inside of the mitt and finish sewing the still open seam on the thumb side.

Turn around – you have made it !!

9

Bebop, Bebop, Baby Bib

My very first baby bib. I am already looking forward to write a tutorial.

I have still more projects in my head, they want to come out and get a cosy place with a view on the pc screen. First I go to Prague for a week to visit my parents, this year there is no snow there, but a lot of rain and wind the weather forecast.

In the meantime happy sewing, Barbora

Between Windy Beach, Dog Show, Potholders and Oven Mitts

This Saturday we are going to an other exhibition with our dog. This time it is in Alicante, so not far to drive. In the meantime I have been often to the beach with Strubbel. We had to take advantage of the few nice days in November since we have had a lot of rain. Unlikely as the rest of Europe – Germany had the driest November since weather recording and that started way back in 1881.

Strubbel is learning the traffic signs :

Some time ago I bought Insul-Bright and was waiting for the right opportunity to use it. Last week I received a custom order for an oven mit and 2 pot holders. As I am leaving for Prague next week, I decided to make some more pot holders and give them to my mum and aunt.  So I finished all these small projects, learnt a lot about multi layers and have new ideas for an Oven Mitt Tutorial. Following the results of the custom order :

 

As my client got as a present only ONE oven mitt, she thought that this does not make any sense. We do have 2 hands to use and usually a sunday roast is heavy. My first one :

These are for my Mum :

and these are for my Auntie :

The potholders were inspired by Malka Dubrawsky and here book “fresh*quilting”.

I have also finished the “Rock Around the Clock” top and put this aside for the time being. I shall start working on it when I come back from my parents. Still need to think about the backing design. Batik or solid, what shade or color and how to quilt it. There are several good sorted patchwork shops in Prague and I am really looking forward to go there!!

Next post scheduled just before Christmas, when I am back from Prague, provided there are no airline strikes, Barbora

Red Bird Baby Quilt Finished and Started Working on Rock Around the Clock

So one more quilt finished and listed on Etsy and Dawanda. SOLD !!

Baby Quilt

I hope you can see the little red bird that is hidden in the center block.

I am happy with the design: this is also a project that can be done in a “wonky” style. Instead of cutting all the fabrics exactly, you can cut and sew together improvisationally. Just think first about the block size and the finished quilt size, get out your scraps or chosen fabrics and go for it. Cut, piece and trim the blocks to your desired size, sew together, prepare backing, batting and baste. Quilt as desired and bind the quilt to finish.

And now to my new project: I have a stash of red/orange batik fabrics that I bought some time ago, always thinking what to do with them.  Actually my very first big quilt was a sampler with batiks in blue/turquoise/yellow and I made it for my parents :

Whilst working on the Red Bird Quilt I found an interesting pattern on Quilters Newsletter. It is 9 patch block wonky variation of a classical London Stairs Block.

from Quilter Newsletter

Instead of making each 9 patch block in various color combinations, I decided to “rock around the clock”  and use one solid for the entire quilt and a different color for each “circle”. Before starting with the quilt I got on my computer and drawn the design. With 20x nine patch blocks, each of them 9″ square when finished, making the quilt size 36″ x 45″. I found a matching solid fabric in ebony, got out the batiks, cut 3,5″ wide strips and started piecing. Referring to my quilt assembly diagram I arranged the first 6 rows with units on my design wall and sewn them together. After taking a close look on the finished part I decided to add-on each side 2 more units.

In the end this quilt has not only 20x nine patch blocks but also 18 blocks of 2 units x 3 rows and 4 units x 2 rows for the corners. The quilt size is now 48″ x 57″ and has altogether 304 units. each 3,5″ square. On the picture you can see the unit and block distribution.

Wonky London Stairs design

Once more : it is important to cut and piece exactly. Square up your finished units to 3,5″ and the 9 patch blocks to 9,5″. Check your seams if the they are larger or smaller, redo if necessary. Otherwise the blocks may not join properly and your top is out of scale.

More on progress next time, please feel free to leave a comment, Barbora