Leftover Fan Squares=Kitchen Upgrade

Nicely done! What do you use inside to resist heat? I've thought of making some... but batting isn't a good insulator. What do you recommend?

Well those are just wonderful!

Karen, Queen of Squishies

I cut up the clean parts of the ironing board cover. Just remember the more 'quilting' you do thru all the layers the more holes you put into the lining

HTH Butterfly

An older set that I did I used Poly batting and they did not insulate very well. This time I used 100% premium Cotton that was left over from the quilt. I doubled it and on the inside of the pocket on the back I used Poly batting. That makes four layers of cloth, 2 thicknesses of Cotton and one thickness of poly batting. Normally, when using the hot pad with your hand inside the pocket it will handle up to the hottest bowls right out of the oven. For those times that it is just to hot to hold, use the hot pad without your hand in the pocket and just use the whole pad to grasp the item. I imagine you could cut up some old bath towels to use as filler if you are very heat sensitive as that would surely stop the heat transfer..

John

I was wondering the same thing, Kate. My next project is a kitchen set for a friend. Blender cover, tab top hand towels and hot pads. I was going to use some face cloths that have gone raggedy on the edges but still good in the middle, four layers thick since I know most of their cooking is done in cast iron...mucho-hot-O! Would that work? You really do lovely work, John, very nice indeed!

Val

You can buy that silver-colored cloth for insulating (the name is something like 'millium'); seems like the place was Home-Sew. That's what I used to make a cover for my June Tailor pressing board when it became pitiful looking. I also made a really big sort of trivet for protecting the table from large and very hot holiday feast dishes. The cloth is not cheap but it's good stuff. John said he might try appliqué next. John, the next time you're waiting for paint to dry, you might toy with the fine appliqué stitches your Bernina knows how to do. Nobody does it better. Polly

Kate, cotton batting works fine as insulator in pot holders. I have been making and using potholders for years with a couple of layers of cotton batting. You can also use InsulBright, from the Warm Company, which is designed for this type of thing. But you also need to use cotton batting with the InsulBright.

Have fun, Pati, in Phx

Kate G. wrote:

GIwi.47229$Xa3.1185@attbi_s22...

a I traded back for another 1008 mechanical as I just didn't like the way the Activa 220 sewed. Something about the way the machine didn't stop when you took your foot off the pedal. It either continued on to needle up or needle down depending on how it was set. I like a machine to stop, Right Now if I take the power off. Probably comes from having learned on mechanical machines and that was the first computerized one I owned. The number of decorative stitches on the 1008 is rather limited so I will work within the range that it provides. Nothing to over the top at this point. An interesting aside, I went to the local quilt show and saw one of my wifes friends quilt that was made up of squares that had been heavily appliqued. She has a top of the line machine and boy did she strut her stuff. Some of the most complex stuff that I have ever seen. It is nice to see something that is made by somebody that really knows how to opperate the machine. It makes me feel so limited, but she has spent a long time quilting and is very accomplished. The machine just adds another element to her range of skills.

John

I don't blame her, John! Who wouldn't love to get those? :)

Kate, You can buy "special" heat resistant stuff to put inside them too. Kind of spendy though!

John, Nice job! I really like those.

Launie, in Oregon

I do that. I prefer cast iron cookware. Works just fine. Sometimes I use the good parts for backing on potholders too. It is also a most wonderous way to get rid of the horrible ugly towels that Great-Aunt Mergatroide gave you.

I used old towels to back a wooby for a dog once, but he kept turning it over to sleep on the towel side no matter how many times his owner turned the fancy side up. I call it a wooby because that mutt dragged it around with him all over the place. If I ever do such a thing again it is going to be denim or canvas on the back and towels on the front.

NightMist

Just what is it with Ol' Great-Aunt Mergatroide?? The one advantage to living in earthquake country is that all the butt ugly vases, lamps and dust catching "what were you thinking" knick knacks she gives are the ones tragically "broken" during the rumblers. tsk,tsk,tsk ;)

Val

You know all those fancy machine stitches can be done by hand too, right? Debra in VA See my quilts at

Great-Aunt Mergatroide gave us a brass lamp that is too tough to break and too heavy to steal. Any suggestions? Polly

I would swap it to you for the one I got that she won in a bingo game, but alas! it was broken in a move.

NightMist

Perhaps it could be irreparably damaged in a self-defense session against one of the resident 'gators?

boat anchor?

I was thinking that this would be a good project to set up on the quilting frame and delve into the world of hand quilting, rather than machine stitching. We shall see what develops. We are having 22 windows installed next week so quilting is on hold for awhile. After the dust settles I can dive into it. I bought some of the fabric to be used, today, at Joannes, with the coupons I got in the mail and on line.

John