Birthday Gift

So this little trip that I just took happened to closely coincide with my sister's birthday. The sister that I was visiting. So of course I had to bring her a gift.

What I came up with was to dress up my sample square from the Kaffe Quilt as a pot holder for her. She was with me when I picked out the fabric, and her kitchen is bright yellow with an attached orange living room. I thought the red and yellow might fit!

I started with the stitched square:

and just added purchased red binding around the outside. I don't have the pictures to prove it but my mitered corners came out quite nicely, thank you. I did it in my usual way: sew the binding on by machine one side at a time. I end and restart the sewing at each corner, folding the binding for the miter. (The very bottom of this page has directions if you want to see for yourself. Except I don't stop 1/4" from the edge--I pivot at that point and sew at a 45 degree angle to the corner. Works like a charm.)

The other tricky thing with potholder binding is that you have to make a loop for hanging. Why? Well, you just do. All potholders need a loop to hang, even if you keep them in a drawer. I tried a new method that I may have made up and I have to say that it is the best looking loop I've ever seen. No bragging there, just a fact. (Or maybe I don't get out much.)

Back side

Front side

Now tell me that doesn't look good!

I do not have a step-by-step for you, but if you'd like to try it yourself, you may be able to figure it out from this photograph:

Now of course, it won't make any sense unless you have your own piece in front of you and can manipulate the binding until it looks like the above picture. If you have questions while you're doing it, email me and maybe I can help.

And with a little time the night before I left, I finished the hand sewing on the binding and had it ready to go:

She had a perfect little spot for it on the wall where something else had recently come down. See? I told you it needed a hanger!