Saturday, November 26, 2011

Letting the Patchwork Out

I make little guidelines for my sewing projects because, I guess, it makes a little game to me.

Hotpads:
1.  use only things from my scrap bag - the stuff in my scrap bag is small pieces left from other projects
2.  trim off as little as possible - very little waste
3.  use upcycled things for filler - not going out to purchase special heat resistant batting

And I feel like a sculptor who says that she just chips out the figure that was already in the block of marble, that she didn't impose her will on the raw block.  I like that new angle to my game:  just releasing the patchwork pattern that was already there!


Off to work on buttercream yellow hotpads that my mother commissioned.
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10 comments:

  1. Deanna BethNovember 26, 2011 at 8:42 PM

    My admiration knows no bounds.

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  2. RebeccaNovember 27, 2011 at 7:57 AM

    Hey! That pink and white stripe was a truly fabulous jumpsuit with a matching sash, circa 2nd grade.

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  3. PollyNovember 27, 2011 at 9:31 PM

    Gorgeous!! You are an artist with those fabric scraps. I love it.

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  4. SylviaNovember 28, 2011 at 9:02 AM

    And a very sweet jumpsuit it was! My favorite pot holder filling is the edges of towels that are worn in the center. Too worn to keep, too good to throw away.

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  5. MargoNovember 28, 2011 at 12:54 PM

    Sylvia, precisely. I get my towels from the thrift store. Or sometimes they are stained and no one wants them.

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  6. LisaNovember 28, 2011 at 8:11 PM

    You're a real artist, Margo - they look nice.
    It's funny - I was just looking at an oven mitt pattern yesterday - it mentioned heat resistant batting, and said it was important to use it with the regular cotton batting.

    So, maybe it's not necessary?

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  7. MargoNovember 28, 2011 at 9:32 PM

    Lisa, I have always used a few layers of towels and fabric. I use my hotpads for all my kitchen jobs (including hot cast iron) and have not had a problem unless they get wet and then they conduct heat! So no, in my experience, heat-resistant batting is not necessary. It's also not usually biodegradable or cheap :)

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  8. Christian - Modobject@HomeNovember 29, 2011 at 2:40 PM

    Your hotpads always remind me of Gee's Bend quilts, which I love! Your guidelines are inspiring. Do you make your own bias tape or simply bind them with strips of fabric? That's the part that confounds me.

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  9. MargoNovember 29, 2011 at 9:53 PM

    Christian, I make the bias tape, but it's not technically bias tape because I don't cut it on the bias. I just cut strips. After a lot of trial and error and trying to use commercial bias tape, I make mine 2" wide. My little bias tape maker helps to put the creases in the right place when I iron - I posted on it here: http://thriftathome.blogspot.com/2010/12/stripey-bias-tape.html

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  10. Sarah BarryNovember 30, 2011 at 9:35 PM

    You inspire me. I had a bunch of scraps I was contemplating throwing away. But I'm going to hold on to them now.

    Oh - I just remembered that you had a question about my oranges. My friend scooped out some of the orange flesh --- just enough to make room to hold the greenery and berries.

    I know this is an odd place to answer your question, but it just came to my mind.

    ReplyDelete

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