Mini-Quilts

 Are you a frustrated quilter, never enough time in your day to cut out ALL those little pieces, match them, for all the HOURS it takes to at least complete a throw quilt, if not a bed quilt of varying sizes?

Well folks, onto your frustrated scene marches the lowly potholder.  Only takes an hour or three...can be displayed in your kitchen either on the wall or in/on other spaces.  Not to mention the utility it creates for those hot chores that can aggravate your skin cells as they attempt to navigate your hot pot handles! OUCH.

There are as many ways to quilt a lowly potholder as there are ways to traditionally quilt:

-log cabin

-rail fence

-scrappy

-crazy

and so forth. Allow me to bring to your attention some of these exciting methods, to enhance your quilting skills, add to your kitchen design, pick up and support your color scheme there, use up scraps in your sewing room and maybe most importantly - exercise your creative sewing energies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hfn13KReGCU

Erica from SEW.QUILT.CREATE shows off an easy example of a traditional pattern with her pretty christmas fabrics. Then she adds a traditional quilting finish with a quick binding and a neat way to connect the ends. Presto, now she has a quick holiday item to add to her baking area, or a lovely gift to wrap and add to her holiday giving.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcX-tQhVtbU

Sherri from THE QUILTING LIFE presents an easy, detailed tutorial on a 16 and 20 patch quilted potholder.  She shares several interesting points for making these lovelies.  

-How she does her quilting

-How she adds batting to the Insul-Brite for a thicker potholder

-How she rounds her corners

-How she uses BIAS binding because of the rounded corners - instead of regular binding

-Explains her reasons for HAND STITCHING the binding on the opposite side instead of machine finishing.

-How she includes a little 'hook' to hang the potholder - if desired.

A more detailed tutorial, yet all points are succinctly explained for even a beginning sewer.  Have at it folks: hands down, the lowly potholder is a beautiful way to express your creativity - no matter what your sewing level.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9WNLONQnQo

Becca from SEW BECCA presents a 30 plus minute tutorial on 4  different types of potholders: the last is my fav! So sit back, maybe with your fav drink and be prepared to enjoy. Some parts may be familiar, some not.

RE: the last example: I have also used 4 triangles to make this jewel, your choice.  As well, most people use only 2 choice fabrics.  Be creative - use 4 different fabrics to sparkle up your creation! 4 examples of the lowly potholder...magic again!

One of life's MAGIC ways to reboot...rejuvinate your day, your hours - can be easily achieved by an hour or two - in your sewing area.  Don't think you have an area?  Yes indeeddy you do, your kitchen table!  Get a small plastic tote and fill with your basic sewing necessities...scissors, thread, pins, ruler. Use a small, vintage portable machine and set your "sewing area" up. Eating on your TV trays for a nite or two...won't erase your lifestyle. Change - particularly TEMPORARY change...can stir up your energy, your creativity.  Can't hurt to try.  In a few hours, you will have a new LOWLY POTHOLDER; something YOU created - to adorn your kitchen area. 

The MAGIC of making!

Thankx for sharing.

danielle

The MAGICAL Potholder

 WHAT IS A POTHOLDER? It's 2026, AI is here, so - let's begin with that:

Potholders are essential kitchen textiles, typically 7-9 inch squares, designed to protect hands and surfaces from hot pots, pans, and baking sheets. They are commonly crafted from 100% cotton fabric, cotton batting, and heat-resistant insulating material like Insul-Bright, or made via crochet and knitting. Durable, heat-resistant options include quilted, silicone, or thick terry cloth, often featuring loops for hanging.

IN REALITY... what are the real live BASICS of a potholder? After all, running to the nearest big box store may not be the easiest solution at any given time when a REAL potholder is needed. Lets think about scooting over to your sewing area and putting one of these little jewels together. WHERE TO BEGIN?

-Fabric for the outer parts, front and back, (usually cotton since they will be near hot areas: other types of fabrics (like polyester, nylon, etc.,) can melt, "OUCH"

-"Stuffing" to keep your delicate little (or big) hands safe.  Remember "SAFE"? 2026 folks...we are now ALL about SAFE. 

So...INSULBRITE, if you have some on hand; if not, then cotton batting, cotton felt or cotton flannel (or even several layers of LEAVEDOVER scraps taking up precious space in your sewing area) will suffice. Anything NONMELTABLE so these little guys can do their job - be a SAFE barrier between you - and the heat of whatever you are handling.

In real life....hanging on your wall, next your stove, your counter, etc., let's see how a REAL potholder comes to life. These lowly little beauties may be "just" a utilitarian part of your home, yet - once you get into their creation...can be MAGIC.

-Thread, scissors, a sewing machine OR your willing hand/fingers ready to do a bit of work. (And MAYBE...a thimble, remember those little life-savers?!).

Let's explore some examples:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnCniQeTAiw

Stacy from STACY LEE CREATIVE shows how easy it is to create a simple little potholder.  Simple...little...but OH SO NECESSARY in your kitchen area.

But - is that all there is to a "potholder"?  Oh my gosh, NO! Let's begin a creative journey that may be small...or a 'cross country' ride.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sipzCAflJQ8

Sue, from CRAFT SANITY (a few years ago...) demonstates a more complicated version that OH-SO-EASILY finshes the edge of a potholder with ease and beauty. Sewing magic to behold - in 8 MINUTES!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZPgJQBw89I

Vanessa from THECRAFTYGEMINI demonstrates an easy way to BIND your little potholder without the someimes - more complicated finishes that many quilters use. Again, easy, fast and finished so you can return to your initial KITCHEN project, without the sometimes OUCH that can occur - using a towel or your apron corner for the job more suited to the magical "potholder".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPB8jhQIN_Q

Cheryl (sp?) from THE SEWING ROOM CHANNEL gives a detailed, easy-to-follow video for making a potholder with traditional quilting type binding. This may be a more involved, more  detailed/creative version of our lowly potholder - if you are so called to follow.  I call them..."little quilts in a heartbeat!"  Certainly beats a 3 day quilting effort to express your creative energy.  AND - indeed does create something quickly displayed and USEABLE at the same time.  MAGIC again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPyB4C4jD6k

THE SALT FAIRY nicely gives us another different version of an easy, no edging needed - quickly created "magical" potholder. Different stuffing, secured with criss-cross sticthing to hold everything together with extended use.

And the list goes on. JUST a lowly potholder....me 'tinks NOT.

With the life-business that fills your days (and sometimes nites...), making a little METIME in your sewing corner can not only add beauty and utility to your home...but can - as well, reboot, rewire the YOU that can get slightly LOST as you race through your hectic days.

Be BRAVE! Try a few minutes of creating just ONE...lowly little potholder; see where this little bit of magic takes your being...MAYBE...on an amazing little 'DE-tour' in our life.

THE MAGIC OF MAKING...

Thank you for visiting

 danielle