Potholder swap (take one)

Explanatory note: I've had this blog post in draft form since early December. I wanted to wait until my partner had received the potholders to publish this post. Sadly, that never happened because the potholders were lost in the mail. I've finally given up hope that they'll resurface, so I've decided to make a second set (I got started at the Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild's inaugural Friday night sew-in last night!). Goodbye lovely potholders, maybe someone found you and you're living a life of luxury in a kitchen somewhere in the Fraser Valley!

I was excited to participate in the VMQG-FVMQG potholder swap this fall as a way to connect with members of our sister guild in the valley. I'm pleased to report that I sent my potholders off to my partner in the Fraser Valley Modern Quilt Guild before the November 30th deadline (less than an hour before the mail was collected, but still before the deadline!). I started this project on November 26th and was hoping to finish them last weekend, but life got in the way, so I spent Tuesday and Wednesday sewing while hanging out with my inlaws who were visiting for my daughter's first ever dance recital. Here are the completed potholders, shown by Sophie who is proud of her gap toothed smile:

I had been wanting to try equilateral triangles for ages, so I thought this would be a perfect time to give them a go. I had the best luck when I pressed my seams open. I was happy with the results and think I'll try them again in a quilt. The triangles were a bit fussy to cut and piece, so I went with a simpler patchwork design for my second potholder (time was getting short and I had to use every minute wisely).

 I tied the two potholders together by using Kona charcoal and an Erin McMorris leaf dot print in both. I love this fabric and used it to back both potholders.

Creating round potholders was very simple. I made an 8.5" diameter circle template out of freezer paper and ironed it onto the quilted square potholders. Then I cut along the edge of the freezer paper, pulled it off, and added some bias binding.

Details:

8.5" diameter circles

Kona charcoal, cactus, grass green, teal, aqua corduroy (scraps from Ellie's baby quilt), Erin McMorris leaf dot in green and teal

Batting: one layer InsulBrite and one layer cotton/bamboo blend