Hello and welcome to my stop on the Stitch It and Gift It Blog Hop! I am so excited to see all the great ideas that everyone is sharing with us this week, and I hope you enjoy seeing my projects. Thank you Carla for the opportunity to participate! I encourage you all to visit Carla's website by clicking on the image above, and enter into the drawing for a gift certificate to Fat Quarter Shop and be sure to visit the others today too!
Wednesday, November 13th
I created/finished up a couple hotpads that will be gifted on Christmas Eve to an unknown recipient. We do a form of White Elephant gift exchange in our family, the only rule for the item is the item can't cost more than $15. So I am pairing my two potholders with a big bag of monster cookies and apparently my sister has already decided she will fight for these. She actually tried to sneak one out of the room earlier this week, LOL!
This hotpad was actually a 6 year old UFO! It is also the very first thing I ever quilted feathers on, and it was quilted on my Bernina.
This block was really fun to make, so much so that I actually made 2 blocks, but one is going into a future Christmas sampler. (I like to make sample blocks with Christmas fabric when testing a block, eventually I will have a king size Christmas quilt!) This is also the first time I have purchased a book and actually made a block out of it! I had pre-ordered Lori Holt's Farm Girl Vintage 2 from Fat Quarter Shop earlier this year because I felt like I would definitely use it, and see, I was right.
The block in the book is the Evening Star, isn't just amazing how the colors make a block so different? Also, look at how many other blocks I have marked in here, they will all make awesome potholders...
Isn't this little tag super cute? One of our LQS (Stash of Walla Walla) has them and I just love the added little sentiment! Also, I obviously was not going to hand stitch the binding down on this LOL.
You might notice how puffy my hotpad is, I like to use 2 layers of Insulbrite, or one layer of Insulbrite and a layer of cotton or 80/20, which ever is more available at the moment. I also find that I prefer to use the couple of 12 inch hotpads that are in my kitchen drawer over the smaller ones since most of my pans are pretty large, so I figure the bakers in my family will also enjoy larger ones. Or, you know, my sister will, since apparently she is willing to take on the family for these... (I am making extras for her Christmas stocking so she will have some no matter what).
Thomas says to remind you how wonderful and comfy pillows are too. (Football block from Cluck Cluck Sew's Touchdown pattern.)
Belle learned the beauty of a tied fleece blanket this last weekend, so quick and cozy!
And finally I leave you with a little parcel that I am gifting to my longarm quilting clients this year. I am so thankful for the people who are supporting my business (Blue Spool Sewing Room) and look forward to giving them their little gifts! I will share later what I am gifting them, it's not a sewn item and it's a surprise. But I am making the bags to put their gift into! Selina shared some cute bag ideas on Monday, in case you missed them definitely go check her's out.
Thank you so much for visiting today, I hope you all have a wonderful time exploring all these great gift ideas and have fun making gifts for the holidays!
~Brandy
Great hot pads - larger and thicker would certainly appeal to me since I don't want to get burned. Kitties with pillows and fleece are amazing!!
ReplyDeleteSuch great ideas pot holders and I just love bags in any size. Thanks for sharing. Hugs Susie xx
ReplyDeleteGreat selection of gift ideas.
ReplyDeleteLove the hot pads!
ReplyDeletePot holders are always great gifts. I like your designs.
ReplyDeleteGreat gift ideas. Thanks so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of sample block in Christmas fabrics for a future quilt as you make the hot pads. Those are a fantastic idea too. Great post with inspiration galore. Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteThe little tag is such a perfect touch to the pot holder!
ReplyDeleteYour potholders are really beautiful and I love the idea of two layers to make them puffier. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI like the larger pot holders as well. Yet, I still manage to get a burn once in a while... Thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteMelvaLovesScraps(at)NolanQualityCustoms(dot)com
'Love the hotpads and the football pillow. All of the items are very nice.
ReplyDeleteGreat projects! I like your idea of pairing potholders and a bag of cookies. That would be the perfect quick gift. Thank you for the inspiration.
ReplyDeleteThose pot holders are sooooooo cute. I have had my eye on that book from Lori Holt, and I think you've pushed me over the edge! LOL!!
ReplyDeleteWhat lucky long arm customers you have.
Awesome gifts, Brandy! No one can ever have enough hot pads! As a matter of fact, I need some new ones and they are on my list!
ReplyDeleteThe potholders are SO cute! Are you familiar with potholder quilts? These blocks would be the start of a really cute one! I love your quilting in the corners of the first. Great ideas -- thanks for sharing!! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat great gift ideas! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAhhh ... so cute ... I am looking at the cats ... ;) Your hot pads are wonderful gifts. Thanks to you and the kitties for all the great gifting ideas ... :) Pat
ReplyDeleteThe quilting in your hot pads is so lovely. Adorable tags!
ReplyDeleteGreat projects! I like the potholders and your white elefant exchange idea. Think I will suggest that to my growing family. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteBoth potholders are really cute and I find it difficult to decide which I like better. What a super idea to use Christmas fabric to make 'sample' blocks; that's an idea I'm going to incorporate.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've been to your blog before, but I did enjoy my visit. I really like your evening star fabrics - such beauties.
ReplyDeleteLove the idea of hot pads and monster cookies for the White Elephant Gift Exchange. What fun. You’ll have to let us know if your sister wins your prize.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pot holders and I also like your football pillow, blanket and fit bag.
ReplyDeletePretty hotpads. I don't think I have ever made any, but a great idea. Love your Christmas Quilt idea.
ReplyDeleteI love your pretty Christmas pot holders and the little tags are a great idea. So glad your sister appreciates your beautiful gifts. And your first feathers are pretty awesome, girl! I still struggle with feathers, but I am going to work on them! LOL Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletePretty potholders - they'll make great gifts!
ReplyDeleteI am with your sister - I would fight over those too! Great idea - and super handy!!
ReplyDeleteLori Holt designs are so cute. Those hot pads will make an awesome gift.
ReplyDeletePotholders are always a great gift! I love the idea of testing blocks with your Christmas fabrics...I might steal that one! Thanks for sharing all the ideas.
ReplyDeleteGreat projects! Love the feather quilting; I've never attempted it with my sewing maching, but it is my favorite hand-quilting pattern. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteBrandy thanks so much for the shout out. I am so glad to see how ideas fly around during a hop. I agree with you that a bigger hot pas is so much better and using UFO blocks is a brilliant idea. I was gifted a tied fleece blanket many years ago and its still going strong. On occasion I do need to retie after the laundry but otherwise the girls (dogs and I fight over it on a regular basis. It really makes a great gift.
ReplyDeleteGreat projects and great helpers too! Your Belle looks like my Sheen kitty. :)
ReplyDeleteLove your gift ideas! And oh, love that tag!!!! Sooo cute! xx
ReplyDelete