Hot stuff!

My Internet buddy Shelli of Needle in a Haystack requested testers to try out her new hot pad tutorial posted over at the You Can Make This website. As Shelli stated, most of the hot pads in our kitchens are worn and we don't usually think to buy new ones for ourselves. It is a great project to use your scrap fabric!

If ya already have batting, then all you need is Insul~Bright/Brite insulation. Just looked at the product website and learned you can use it for cooling insulation as well. Note, if you purchase 1/4 yard of batting and Insul-Bright, you will have enough material to make TWO pads.

The 6 layer stack shifted a lot while sewing so will stabilize with lots of pins for my next attempt. After trimming to straighten the shifted layers, my pad was 8" square, still a very generous size and larger than the tired hot pads in my kitchen.

Shelli's instructions had loop made of cut piece of bias tape but I did my own little loop trick. Shelli said she considered the same thing but it couldn't figure out how to explain it. I tried to write my own explanation just now and understand why Shelli just cut the short piece of tape plus her loop looks neat and tidy.
Take a look at my photos if ya wanna try my loop trick. Otherwise, stick to the instructions on the tutorial OR skip the loop entirely if you don't hang hot pads from a hook.

The fabric store lady told me that she was planning to make some hot pads for family Christmas gifts and will use Christmas fabric. Nooooooooooo, I wanted to tell her not to but kept my big trap shut for once. Hot pads are not seasonal and should not look acceptable for only one month out of the year. They should not be on display anyway.

Skitzo Leezra's elegant style quiz:

• Seasonal finger tip towels in fine linen for your powder room? Yes
• Seasonal hot pads? No
• Seasonal tea towels for your kitchen? Only if you swear to use them only for the appropriate season.
• Gifting any of the above to someone less persnickety than me? No, otherwise, you'll visit their house next summer, see their faded Christmas tea towel on the kitchen counter and you'll feel a little sad inside. You've been warned.