The MANY little tips about sewing...

 In a few days, I will begin writing short posts  ALLLL about the little tips with sewing....that we sometimes take for granted - if we are experienced sewers.  But even then - things change!

New threads...new rulers...new - easier patterns for quick totes and bags, etc. And now that WM and SW are charging for their bags (poor things - have to make more money, right??).  RIGHT.😈

EX: french seams - sound complicated..NOT!  Very easy. durable, professional.

Look forward to some upcoming tips and tricks and 'new stuff' for we little "sewers" to take to our 'sandbox' in the sewing area...and play!

Til then...Happy New Year!  It's gonna be a great one folks!  But then - it won't take much to soar over 2020 nd 2021, eh???!!!

"Good nite George...

                                  Good nite Gracie!"

 

Potholders are nothing new to our culture. Wikipedia explains some historical facts relating to them:

Throughout the pot-holder's lifetime, it has also been used as a representative symbol of various cultural movements. During the United States Abolitionist Movement, they were displayed by women who wanted to show their support for the Abolitionist cause.[1] These provided women with some way to casually identify as part of the Abolitionist Movement without overtly expressing such. Additionally, it is sometimes used by Cajun cultures as part of their Mardi Gras masks.[2] During the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, the interred Japanese created several pot-holders out of various colored fabrics in order to reflect their own culture.[3] This was done to break up the monotony, as the colorful nature of the crafts was in stark contrast to the generally bland surroundings of the camps.

Surfing the web looking for more history on these little gems – though fruitless in that area, brought me to this interesting pinterest site with some absolutely amazing crocheted potholders.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/220183869255628033/

One particular cutie popped out for me; https://www.pinterest.com/pin/435793701449244830/ 

But then, I HAVE been called the 'chicken lady'. I cannot help enjoying my 'girls' as they provide for us daily, with those lovely little green and brown jewels we so Love...in our custards, surrounding our breakfast sausages, embracing the ham and cheese in the quiches we devour...etc. They are truly amazing little dinosaurs! But, I digress...back to potholders.

For those of us with cookware that does NOT have heatproof handles, this neat video I found, shows a unique way to make potholder “handles” for just this need.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXw21bWc-Pg

Another variation of the lowly potholder is the “finger” version. This was new to me. Craft Genie explains the easy construction method for this cute addition to the kitchen collection of handy hand protectors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJaUvE7N2M4

If that wasn't enough variation to the lowly potholder design, enter – the “double knit hot pad”! I'll bet you thought that two potholders worked just peachy for handling those large 9 by 12 sized bake-ware items. Think again. Here's a better way...at least according to “Scrappy Patch”. Very inventive, I say.

If you are the more traditional “oven mitt” type person, Crafty Gemini has a neat tutorial on just this little item. Per her usual upbeat, easy teaching methods, you'll be making these potholder cousins in no time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtS5itzH9tk

There are as many patterns and as many designs as there are imaginations for making the lowly potholder. One can practice their free motion quilting with them, use the 'turn them inside out' method to finish the edges, or bind them like a traditional quilt. One can even leave them ragged on the edges...providing of course that the ragging is short so as not to tempt any nearby open flames near the stove tops. OF COURSE!

Insulbrite or some other form of heat resistant fabric works well in the middle of our hard working potholders – providing they will be used as real workhorses, not the third cousin – twice removed - decorative crocheted variations that began this post. But what is a finished kitchen, if not one with crafty eye candy hung about....

So make sure to hang on to all those fabric scraps and leftover yarns, to make sure you have the necessities to create any amazing forms of the lowly potholder, when you want a little fun time in the sewing or craft room. After all...fun time is something we all need to help us relax our nerves in the INTERESTING TIMES we find ourselves these days.

The lowly potholder; there is always room for one more!

ANGELS AMONG US...

Well folks, it is the 15th of February, 2020, LEAP YEAR as DH reminded me.  And that shawl I so carefully explained and promised - OMG - almost two years ago.....is still IN PROCESS.  Time waits for nothing!  

Noticed that, did 'ya! 

We are sojourning in the heavenly state of Oregon for another month or two before we mosy back to our roots in Colorado.  Oregon is too beautiful folks!  Moss hanging everywhere.  Water running around literally - every corner.  Rain - except for summer = several times a week.  NO WIND!  Well - they CALL it wind here.  Little do they know how SE Colorado WIND behaves.  But that - is for another post.

The soil I am convinced - has steroids in it 'cause...if you put ANYTHING in it - it grows...IN DAYS!  HMMMM...where did I put my dollar bills...

Probably not.

Just renewed this domain so you folks can simply input POTHOLDERSPLUS and it will bring you here, to this BLOGSPOT URL.  A new - expanded website upcoming in a 'few' to include all the OLD posts and pics.

DH still struggling.  Oh my but the trooper, that he is.  We've named our 'guardian angels', his is FRANK.  I talk to Frank -A LOT!  Hope he hears me.  DH can use some UNEARTHLY HEALING.  That too...another story, another day.

So for now - welcome back folks.  I promise to not be away so much.  New projects to create.  Some started - to be finished. Fabric still "follows" me - no matter how much I try to sell and give away. Such a burden.  Yeah - RIGHT!  TRUTH...is subjective, right?  RIGHT!

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I just acquired an early 1970's GOLDEN TOUCH 'n SEW model 750 in a nice, deluxe cabinet, available for sale.  Just had it tuned - "Dane" gave it "thumbs up" - actually charging only half price, it was so clean and well-cared for.  The plastic gears are solid; it's clean; even has a (1970's version) needle threader in it!  The manual is good/readable - simply missing the original cover.

18 extra bobbins.  The amazing auto bobbin winder, a feature that sometimes stops working on these machines - works beautifully.  I have always loved this feature.  Not only do you simply fill the bobbin without the usual fuss and fanfare of removal and cutting of thread and re-threading (ALL THAT UNNECESSARY with this dollbaby) but the bobbin thread gets wound at the same tension every time! Let me know if you want additional information on this.

Couple extra feet, 3 different feed dog plates - even one for darning/free-motion quilting etc., to cover feed dogs. AND...a bunch of fashion discs including FLEXI-STITCH ones.

"Angel wings" sent to you all.  We can all use a little...off the ground time - so to speak.

Some special Angel wishes:

-My dear Son is moving; can use some UPLIFT for improved health and increased strength thru his journey ahead
- Pastor Kent and his wife Lora are retiring soon, and moving. All that stress...can use some "intervention".
-Special CO friend with financial roadblocks; Angel strength and power wished her way.
-Some homeless folks - in particular, an elderly couple in poor health here in Oakridge, needing some INTERVENTION as well as so VERY many homeless folks across our nation - and the world.
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Looking for a particular type of potholder?  Or a unique pillow case pattern?

Jenny Doan at Missouri Star Quilt Company has a neat video on a quick, almost magic method for a darling pillowcase.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrYWCma9wgM

Mr. Domestic shows the same method...with a few giggles to boot!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LOfWHrlccE

Yoan has a magical way of smiling her words across that makes her sewing seem - well...magical! Beautiful work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7-cLQFQjNw

Scrappy Patch youtube has a unique and utilitarian way to make potholders that are easy to hold - and strong. Gotta love denim!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2tdS9zY7wY

Guys, gals - no matter! DH has sewn too..."back in the day".  ANYONE can enjoy their creative juices with small projects like potholders.

If you want to see a special pattern for a potholder or any other small sewing project, please let us know here at POTHOLDERSPLUS. We'll 'get r done'!

Please give us your feedback.  We would enjoy hearing all about your sewing experiences.

And as we always say here at Potholdersplus; "There's always room for one more"!

Goodnite George....

Goodnite Gracie.

Thanksgiving to Christmas

Oh my gosh my sewing friends; it's been 4 years since I wrote here.  

I hear the Amtrak tooting its horn in the distance - such a mournful sound; yet...reminiscent of traveling days gone by - places we visited, people shared with....many years, many miles, many wrinkles, too many new generations.  

Life is amazing.  So many memories to cherish, people to recall;  MANY...whose 'footprints' are set in my heart's 'cemented places of freeze-frame memories'.

DH deals with increasing medical issues, but - per his usual unstoppable MO JO, persists in his tenacious handle on life, acceptance, the ultimate capacity to Love...  He is and has always been, and WILL always remain my 'resident angel'...teaching me the art and depth of forgiveness and tenacity. 

 A new 'kitty-kitty' graces our property - a Loving, cuddly, combination of need-to-be-Loved...but scared as well – bundle of creation.  As I sit in the dried up garden, he cavorts in numerous variations of rubbing, snuggling, twisting and turning under my 'petting hand'.. his capacity for Love and closeness...soothed my low mood - reminded me that Love - is the ultimate bond that gathers us all together in an Earth-Recipe that can boggle the mind and fill the senses with awe, wonder, mystery and hardship.

This is by no means an easy life. Neil de Grasse Tyson, the new Captain of the show Cosmos which was originally charted so amazingly by my hero and mentor - Carl Sagan, does a pretty good follow-up job.  When asked if he believed in God, his response was something in the order of..."No Loving God I can imagine would put us on such a dangerous planet!"   And indeed, planet Earth can be an unsafe path to navigate.  When one begins to ponder the numerous manners in which one could 'pass on' even in their own home - well, it's craziness. We are so fragile and yet so strong....all of Creation.  The complexities of life....

I'd rather recall..

-the new chicks crawling out from under Mama's wings.  
-the new-born foal struggling for purchase on brand new, not-so-cooperating, shaky legs
-a new bird cracking through the prison/bassinet of pale blue shell, aching to spread it's wings, taste it's first beak of clear water, yearning for the moment of first flight through the pale blue and white wonder of the space we call...sky.

But this is a sewing blog!  SEWING...it is.

These past few weeks, I am conjuring...you know that creative state of mind where those video - type, constantly moving - 3D mind games, begin to grab images and place them in puzzle-like randomness...as a new 'creation' from the depths of human imagination - begins to slowly merge into a...'creatable' piece of clothing?!  

A new Shawl is coming together in my creative space.  It will be crafted with artisan hand-sewing using #10 crochet thread...placed along the edges of seamed pieces of used, earth-colored (with some brighter pastels) pieces of old sweatshirts.  The SOFTNESS of the double-knit fabric calls me; the slight stretchiness...soothes my rough emotional edges of late.  It will be comfortable, warm and of little stress to my financial reserves.

I'm imagining... some of the lovely embroidery left on older sweatshirts - still intact and lovely...added as patchwork in a few places...   Yes,,,coming soon....

I can find no similar YouTube videos on such uses of these plentiful thrift-shop goodies. This may be something new to pass along......

here...

on POTHOLDERSPLUS.BLOGSPOT.COM.

Stay tuned!

Danielle

Special Tribute: SNOWSHOE Kitty Korner

In memory of our dear LILYLOU, Snowshoe kitty extraordinaire, 18 year friend and companion, I post this tribute to her dear paw-prints that fill my heart...forever.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowshoe_cat

If you would like to read more information on our Lilylou, please find my post here:

http://trailsofnature.blogspot.com/2014/05/trails-of-love-my-lilylou.html

To our Lilylou, Oh so special Snowshoe kitty friend....