Dish Towel & Potholder Tutorial

I pulled out my sewing machine last weekend.... and worked on a couple of projects....

Here's my old clunker...got it at an auction for $3 a few years ago and it works perfectly...

I was so excited to get a sewing machine and not spend a lot of money..

because I might sew a few times each year...
but how hard can sewing some straight lines be?

Let me show you what I started with for this project...

I went shopping for a kitchen towel and matching potholder...

and got this Paula Dean set...the teapots and colors are cute...

And then because I'm never happy to buy just one of anything...
I got this set in red...love the salt n pepper shakers....

I took the towel and folded in in half...

you'll want to put the right sides together

which is opposite of this picture but I wanted to show you

to fold the towel in half the width of the towel and not the length...

Now it's time to get sewing, no pins needed...

sew a line about an inch from the middle of the towel on the biggest stitch your machine can sew...

possibly a basting stitch? not sure but you get the idea, right?

Make sure to leave plenty of thread on each end of where you sew for gathering later on...

Then sew another line on the other side of the middle of the towel.....

pretty easy!

then start pulling on the threads to gather so that the towel is as

wide as the potholder....

then you'll want to match things up so that the middle of the potholder

is in the middle of the stiching you just did....

this time you'll want to change the setting to a smaller stitch and sew it all together....
remove your basting stiches...

add a fun button and use the loop on the potholder to hang in from your stove...

and here's the other one I made...

super cute and fun to make...

I also did another sewing project which I'm half way done with...

I'll show that off next week...

Not to bad from someone who knows doesn't know much about sewing...

LOL

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Linking to these parties...

Thanks for stopping by!

Rag Towel Tutorial - Snip It Up!

One of my sponsors, Barbara from Snip It Up sells the cutest rag quilts and
sewing projects in her Etsy store!

Let me show you a few of her items
and see if you fall in love with her store as I am...

I love this shabby chis rag quilt...
so perfect to throw over a chair on the deck...
or maybe just snuggle up with it while watching TV....

How cute are these flowers on this rag quilt?
The appliques are so pretty with all the fraying and fringes...



Not all quilts have a feminine touch, this would make such a cute baby gift for that special newborn boy... and how perfect because with each washing, these quilts get softer and more cuddly...

Such a cute summer quilt to take to the beach or pool..
The little girls are just darling in their swimming suits...
the choice of colors works so nicely together, don't they?

Barbara took on another version of the rag quilt by making this rag purse...

Easy directions and all the material is included in this kit..

Just darling...

But today I wanted to show you one of my favorite
more affordable items in her store...
and it's another take on the rag quilt

I love this rag kitchen towel so much!
Barbara can tell you that I've asked so many questions
as to how to make this towel..
because I don't want to buy something to sew if it's going to be too difficult...
and today she's got a tutorial to share...

For each kit you get everything you need

okay maybe not a needle and thread...

each kit will make two towels..

one for you and maybe the other one for someone else?

So let's get started on how to make this hand towel!

Start off by cutting the following pieces of material:

1 pc 3.5” x 15” Printed Fabric

1 pc 2.5” x 15” Printed Fabric

2 pc 3.5” x 15” Muslin

2 pc 2.5” x 15” Muslin

Cut out appliques as shown.

(For each printed fabric you will need 2 pcs of muslin.}

Then cut the Flour Sack into 2 pcs approx 14” x 25”.

Place the layered polka dot fabric (1 pc printed fabric with 2 pcs muslin) on
bottom edge of the flour sack as shown.
Stitch on top using a 1/2” seam.
And then do the same thing with the strawberry print...

Now take the polka dot fabric (1 pc printed fabric with 2 pcs muslin) and place on

bottom edge of the strawberry fabric and stitch 1/2” seam.

You will be stitching 6pcs of fabric so you will want to go slow.

Snip both seams using small snips and try to get as close to the stitch line as possible.

Remember, the smaller the snips, the better the fluff!

Take your pretty yellow flower fabric, flower centers and leaf appliques

(1 printed fabric with 2 pcs muslin) and pin to the flour sack to your liking. 

Stitch around each one using 1/4” seam and snip all edges.

One more step to go...Yippee!
Lay the front on top of the remaining flour sack and trim off the excess which should be approx. 6”. Stitch all around using 1/2” seam and snip.
Repeat for towel #2.

  When completed just toss in wash and dryer and go reward yourself with a nice piece of chocolate!
(heck I was having chocolate while reading how to do this!)

Thanks Barbara for showing how to make this super cute towel...
Remember that Barbara does sell this as a kit...
I hope you'll stop over and take a look at all of her beautiful creations!

My Flannel Rag Quilt

I've have been in love with rag quilts since I first saw this rag quilt that Megan made here..

and then I fell in love with this rag quilt from Northern Cottage
and I went shopping for some flannel material to make my own rag quilt...

I had trouble finding flannel material that wasn't babyish or kiddish...

after I realize that I wouldn't find material to coordinate, I just picked what I liked..

and while I was concerned that it wouldn't look good together..I was so wrong...

let me show you how it turned out and you be the judge...

I followed the directions from Do It Yourself Divas and cut the material....

And got it all put together for sewing...love this project because it's all straight sewing...

and I'm pretty sure anybody can do this...especially if I did this....

This took me longer than someone who sews a lot..but in my defense...

I was watching "The Body Guard" and I love Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston together....

and I stopped sewing more times that not just to watch the movie...

After it was all sewed together, it was time to start making the fringe...

got it all washed and dried...

I didn't bind it because..

well I wasn't sure what binding is...

and I was pretty sure if I tried, I'd ruin the quilt..

so I fringed around the entire edge...

I love how it turned out...

and it's so soft and not super heavy...

For more rag quilts and sewing inspiration,

visit my Pinterest board here...

Don't forget to link up at my party going on too.

Wishing you all a fantastic week!

Who's the Boss in Your Kitchen?

One of my projects this summer has been to recyle this worn out quilt into things for our home.

I love all the different colors and materials which are soft and weathered..

It was hard to cut it up, I felt even guilty about doing it...

 but once these first two pillows were made...

it felt like this quilt was being loved all over again..

and they fit in perfectly with the style of our home...

But theres a lot of quilt...so I decided to make some potholders..

and while it's the same concept as making a pillow,

the potholders were hard to make..

 I think I broke three sewing machine needles making them..

all the layers of the quilt were too heavy..

these were a lot of work..

but they fit in perfectly with this vintage tin that I got many, many years ago

on eBay..

I hung the tin on the side of the refrigerator using some of those 3M removable hooks...

and here's the completed project.....

I'm linking to these parties.....

as well as..

Thrifty Treasures

Metamorphis Monday

Mod Mix Monday

Recycling a Tattered Quilt - part 2

In June, I showed you what I did with a beautiful yet tattered quilt...

The plan was that these pillows were going to be put outside...but I decided I wanted them on our bed...

and besides that, I wanted to see them everyday..

we don't spend much time outside this time of year..

it's either humid or the bugs are so bad..

After making these two pillows there was quite a bit of quilt left over so I made another pillow for our living room.. our living room is slowly being redone..

The dark oak furniture and trim will be going cottage style..

hopefully in the next month or so we'll begin tackling this project..

But for now, let me show you my latest pillow...

This project was virtually free...

I used muslin that I had on hand that I actually bought months ago for a project that I never did..

The stuffing came from an pillow that was outside last year that got faded from being in the sun..

and my tattered quilt..

And my final project...does this say cottage or what?

This turned out to be such a easy project..

I have a couple other ideas on how to use more of this quilt,

but if you know of something a

"wanna be sewer"

can do, please let me know..

I'm linking to these parties...

Thrifty Treasures

Passionately Artistic

Mod Mix Monday

Also come on over and link up at my party, going on here.....

and I adore pinterest, don't you?