My First Leaf Potholder

There is a quilt on the longarm, the design wall if FULL of blocks that need to be sewn together for two quilts–plus some Glitter blocks in process. There are ropes waiting for me to make trivets and baskets, the “play” with Tara Faughnan’s first block class this season (Hourglass block) is ongoing, and the leftover fabrics from Prickly Pear are waiting for me to use them to try out an alternative block or two and maybe make a lap quilt…

So in the midst of all that chaos, yesterday I couldn’t resist this leaf potholder–and it took me all afternoon as, for me, there was a learning curve–starting with when I cut the two slabs separately on the diagonal and the joined rows didn’t line up. Probably I didn’t cut each on the same diagonal angle. Add into the learning curve that that I cannot easily cut the leaf shape on the slabs free hand. I needed a freezer paper template, LOL. And that it worked better to cut out the leaf with scissors. That meant two more slabs to make. But who cares? It is a learning curve. You do need TWO slabs so each half of the front and back is different from the other side on the front and back. (That is also true of the little Hourglass half-square rectangles I’ve been making. You need two half-square rectangles to make the 4 colors.)

I also didn’t cut binding wide enough to manage two slabs, a batting layer, and a layer of fluffy Insul-Brite–next time, 2.75 wide binding I think. AND, this little potholder DOES need bias binding for all the curves. I managed with straight binding, but it was tricky. A walking foot is absolutely necessary.

BUT, it is so darn cute! I can see it in scrappy reds, in winter blues, in spring greens, etc. And like most learning curves, once you’ve “gotten” something, it all goes much, much faster.

A reminder, this idea was created by Amira Ameruddin, and there is a video on Instagram: amira__littlemushroomcap. Her video made it look easy and fast, and maybe it is…now. You really DO have to quilt all the layers before cutting out the leaf. Amira only uses one batting layer, but I don’t think that would really protect with a potholder.

Also, if the binding process goes faster next time, maybe I will try this binding zig zag method from Stitched In Color. I think it would be a nice addition–if I can do it as nicely as Rachel Hauser does. She makes this method look very elegant.

https://www.stitchedincolor.com/blog//2011/11/zigzag-binding-tutorial.html

Another learning curve yesterday was making FACING for one of the 18-inch square Hourglass half-square rectangle little quilts, and that went well. I do like the “clean” look of that method. BUT, putting on a hanging sleeve would mean putting it on after the facing is done. Just noting. I don’t intend to hang this little quilt. The bright one will be hand quilted next.

Here they are side by side before I faced the one on the left. I do really like this block: big or little! I will try it out big for my quilt series on the half-square rectangle using Latifah Saafir’s Hurty ruler.

Today, I’ll–RIGHT NOW–go upstairs and do at least ONE row on the longarm quilt. Then I’ll walk. I don’t have to cook today, so the rest of the day will be mine to play upstairs.