Hot Pad mash up

Last November, I participated in a pattern test of a hot pad project for Shelli of Needle in a Haystack, HERE.

The project requires 1/4 yard each of both batting and Insul-Brite which will provide enough material for two hot pads. I cut out two pads but didn't get around to making the second one until last week.

Instead of being under a deadline and following the directions this time, I employed the tips learned from Shelli's instructions and just made up other stuff as I went along. It is easy to forget how fun just playing around can be. I seem to learn more by wondering if things will turn out the way I imagine. Besides, who cares if ya mess up a hot pad?

Paisley and glen plaid prints are upholstery fabric scraps from Chrysanthemum's fall skirt festival. The heavier weight fabrics make sense for protecting your hands when you remove that searing hot cast iron skillet of corn bread from the oven.

Instead of quilting the fabric in the prescribed grids, the paisley pattern provided a road map for an "interpretive" outline.



Here's the reverse side.

Decided bias tape wasn't necessary based on the fact that I didn't have the correct color on hand so made my own. Well, not really. Bias is needed when manipulating around curves. The hot pad is straight so my already small fabric strip was NOT cut at 45 degree bias. It's just a narrow strip of brown gingham fabric ironed in half.

For the leading raw edge, it was folded in at an angle.

And then over at top and pinned.

Checked length of fabric strip to insure it would cover the four sides with mitered corners.

Note: Began stitching about an inch down from beginning of strip so the end of strip could be concealed underneath. That was good thinking on my part, right? But then I messed up by sewing too close to the edge OR making the strip too wide because the border will be wider on one side and narrow on the other. Did I notice? Nope. Did I stop sewing when I realized it? Nah. It's a hot pad mash up. It's how I roll.

Sewed all the way to the corner, backtacked, snipped threads, lifted needle and presser foot. Folded fabric strip away from edge to form miter. (Not sure if this is the correct or best technique but it's the one I tried.) Keep on mashin'.


Mitered fold is underneath the fold.

Turned the pad counterclockwise. Lined up edges and started sewing again. Repeated for each corner. For those of you keeping score at home, we will encounter 4 corners on a square hot pad.


Approaching the origination point. Fabric strip is folded at an angle to reduce bulk.


This is when I realized the gingham border strip could be evened by sewing around the perimeter again with a wider allowance.

Did I correct my too narrow allowance? Nah, gonna see what happens with the wonky border.

Folded it all the way over and ironed it down.
See how narrow it is on the glen plaid side?


As opposed to how wide the gingham border is on the reverse paisley side? It's a blend of kinda groovy and kinda stoopid. Like me.

Topstitched the gingham strip using the left side of the presser foot as a guide.


See that open edge on the mitered corner? Does it bother me enough to hand stitch it closed? Nope.


What I LIKE about this attempt:

• mixing fabrics


• using paisley print as a guide to freeform quilting


• the texture of the quilting


• using fabric scraps


• just sitting at the sewing machine and "playing" with no deadlines or expectations

What I didn't like:

• Nope. Refraining from saying stuff I don't like this week.