Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Christmas Hot Pot Pads

  Yes, I've been working on Christmas in May. Because of  my bucket list items, I have made some long term plans, one being getting Christmas projects done in the spring and summer.  I've never been able to get  these projects done early, because I couldn't get in the mood to be creative. When Jen asked recently for volunteers to try out her appliques, I thought this was my chance to get 2 things done at once: Help out Jen & get some Christmas projects finished early.  We were asked to come up with ideas and ways to use her applique patterns.  I did some trials on the ball ornament.  Jen has refined the ornament and come up with the best looking pattern.  You can find her patterns published over at  Jen's Faith & Fabric.   Here is how I made those Hot Pot Pads to set my Christmas dishes on.

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*A Tutorial Tuesday*
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While reorganizing and purging, my Christmas fabric box got more full.  
Some of these fabrics came from the 1980s.

A chance to use your heat resistant or cotton batting scraps.
First stitch the applique to one of the fabric squares.
I used my scrap embroidery tear away stabilizer on the back.
Here are my settings for zig-zag applique.
Then place the fabric squares right sides together
 and lay on top of the batting.
Stitch 1/4 inch around the edge except for.....
....leaving an opening which has a length of unstitched thread across the opening. I like the method above when I'm stitching something to turn inside out. The unstitched free thread provides a folding line which helps turn the seam under the right amount to iron and top stitch.
Turn inside out.
I used an Edge Stitching foot
 (Joining Foot or Edge Joining Foot it could be called)
 to top stitch all around.
The top stitching securely closes
 the opening left for turning inside out.
I like the extra quilting motif art resulting on the backside.

 
Another Hot Pot Pad
made experimenting with 
the ornament top 
using the good ole Blanket Stitch.

I also tried straight stitching.  
I wish I could make mine look "folksy" like some do.
 I'm too use to being accurate I guess.
Maybe black thread would have done the "folksy" job?
This is only 1 applique pattern out of 15 that Jen is now offering!
All are sized to fit charm squares. 
Use all of them on a Hot Pot Pad, or
use one of the many other idea suggestions in her packet.
You can find them over at Jen's Faith & Fabric.
Please go check out the rest. 
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possibly used for this post

 Photoscape for downsizing & watermarking photo
PicMonkey creating the icon used on this page



8 comments:

  1. These are really cute and it's very smart of you to start your Christmas gifts from now. I am also part of a blog hop that makes one gift per month so I hopefully will be ready by December!

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  2. Hi there
    Just stopped by to let you know that I featured this on my Round Tuit post this week!
    A Round Tuit 313
    Thanks again for linking up! Hope you have a great week!
    Jill @ Creating my way to Success

    ReplyDelete
  3. Pinned. Very wonderful hot pads. Thanks for the inspiration. Linda

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  4. I could not be that motivated to make Christmas ornaments appliqué in spring... lol Those hotpads will be perfect, though, when the holidays arrive (which is always faster than we think).
    For the "folksy" look, may I suggest the free motion quilting foot? Unless you can expertly make a straight line with this foot too.
    Thank you for participating to my Fabric, Thread and Yarn link party. Have a good weekend!

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  5. So cute! So glad I found this on Sweet Inspirations! I have a friend that can do the applique for me, and I can do the rest. Great Christmas favors! :)

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  6. These are wonderful hot pads!! I like the applique! I'm sure they would make great gifts.

    ReplyDelete

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