Friday, July 22, 2011

Christmas in July?

I'm telling you, lately I have to strike when the iron is hot!  My little guy doesn't give me lots of time, so when I get a "fire", I go!  A few weeks ago, I bought some awesome fabric by a local artist, Kim Schaefer, who designs for Andover Fabrics at my LQS.  I thought the flowers would be perfect to add to a solid and make them into pot holders for hostess gifts for the holidays.  

I got out my solids and a bowl (in this case 7 1/2 inches) traced some circles on some solids to match the flowers and started.  I applied steam a seam to the flowers, and ironed them to the middles of the solid circles.  Then, I found the coordinating fabric I bought for the backing, doubled some batting, made the quilt sandwiches and went to town.  I button hole stitched the flowers down, cut the circles and applied bias binding to them and in no time I had 12 done.  Pretty cute too if I do say so myself.  What do you think?

Pretty Potholders

Potholders

The cool part of this whole thing is that I have 10 flowers left.  Anyone want them?  They're up for grabs.  Just tell me what you would do with them and I will pick a winner on Monday!  

81 comments:

  1. OMG-love your pot holders! What a clever idea. I would fuse them on a background with some stems and leaves and make a whole garden! Thanks for sharing these lovelies.

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  2. I love the circle idea, but I would do circular mini quilts and hang them going down in a row by my back door :)

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  3. Love your pot holder idea! These are so cute...I want some...please!

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  4. They are TOO CUTE for words! I would use them, one, three or more at a time to appliqué on the back of a quilt using solid color as a back ground. How much fun would it be to turn the quilt over and see those bright sunny flowers! FUN!

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  5. I would definitely use them for more potholders. Yours are awesome! What a great idea.

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  6. They look fantastic. I would love to make a modern quilt using them as the centres of my flowers.

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  7. Your potholders are beautiful as are all your creations! I would use them in a small quilt or as gifts as you did. Or even as pockets on aprons. Thank you for the opportunity to win them.

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  8. I love the potholder idea. What about a mobile type hanging for a bright & cheerful nursery or even a teenager's room; an applique on a fabric gift bag or tote; runner on a breakfast table with coordinated placemats.
    Beckie in Brentwood, TN

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  9. Perfect for funky pillows for my new FR sofa.

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  10. Those are soooo cute! I would definitely make a couple pot holders like yours and then I think they would look fantastic on some placemats for the kitchen table. Thank you so much for the chance to win these. They are amazing and so are you!

    Ursula

    uschbear at gmail dot com

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  11. Those are super-cute!! I might applique them onto the backing of a kaleidoscope quilt I'm making!

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  12. Wow -- you are so generous! I would use a couple of them for pot holders as you have done (living in a tiny condo that could use some sprucing up in the kitchen!) and maybe make a wall-hanging, sort of a checkerboard style, with some log cabins out of coordinating solids.

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  13. Hummmm....dart boards???? seriously, they are so cute!

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  14. Love your potholders - how clever!

    Thank you for your generosity.

    If I had them I would make a couple of coasters, use them on a mug rug and add any that are left to a mixed-media wall hanging.

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  15. Too cute! I'd create a quilt for a little niece who's arriving in August. Thanks for the chance!

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  16. I'll tell you what I think: I need to invite you over during the holidays so I can get a hostess gift! I have no idea what I'd do with those flowers, so don't count me for the giveaway...just wanted to say hi and marvel at your production!

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  17. I would love to use them to create a village! I would put roof tops on them and create roads and trees to go around them. It would be so fun to make houses out of something round. My mind is running with creative ideas right now.
    Love your blog!

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  18. I would make potholders....just like you did....I just love them....

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  19. Oh Carol leave it to you bring summer into our lives all year round..well if I was to choose...I love the yellow one with the wee circles beside the points...love that one..and love the orange gerbera too...well I will be just glad to see what you do with these...all pretty rosie if you ask me lol

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  20. Those pot holders look amazing! I like the idea of round pot holders instead of the normal square ones.

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  21. I think they are perfect as potholders. They also would make a fun table runner or baby quilt.

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  22. These are just so cool! Super idea and love the fabric. I think those 10 lovely flowers need a little quilt garden to grow in - very retro pre-teen quilt.

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  23. I would copy your idea on a table runner.......beautiful!!!

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  24. Oh my goodness. Total cuteness! Love them. I think I'd make placemats - with these gorgeous flowers in the centre... or a fabulous long table runner. So beautiful!

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  25. I would make my 7month old grandaughter a quilt! These are so fun!

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  26. Love these!! I would make pot holders too!

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  27. I think I might combine them with some fabrics from Uganda, that my daughter is bringing me when she finishes her volunteerimg work there,to make her a bright, colourful quilt to donate to the local homeless project.

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  28. What cute fabric! I'd either totally copy your wonderful creations or maybe make a circle garden wall hanging. Love them!

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  29. Sew glad he let you sew some!! You're post holders are absolutely gorgeous as is the fabric. I would pet it a lot, and make some dynamite pincushions. Keep up the good work!

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  30. so cute!! I think Id copy you n do potholders! =) LOVE the idea!!

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  31. Very cute potholders! I would love to make some too. :-) Thanks for the chance!

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  32. In a quilt or potholders,they are very retro!! My pup doesn't clunk out until around 9pm :P

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  33. I love these!!! I think I would have to be a copycat and make pot holders too. Or maybe some really cute pillows! Thanks for the chance!

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  34. Just love the idea! They look fantastic! I would probably do the same as you... potholders or a table runner... It's good to see how people use these types of prints...

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  35. Not only am I jealous that you have this fantastic fabric, and had a fantastic idea but that you have Christmas gifts done! Very impressive! I would love to make some, too, but it would be very hard to give them away! Thanks for the idea, for the chance, and for the nudge to get going on gifts!

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  36. Oh way cute! I would love them.. I would make some potholders.. some for me, my momma, my daughters.. so nice!

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  37. Very Cute! Well done. :)

    God bless and keep you,
    Sonia

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  38. They would be lovely at the center of a pieced sun dial or compass type block. Or you could use one at the center of a medallion type mini.

    How about a floor mat for a doll house. Wouldn't one make a glorious "Persian" rug for some dollies house?

    Spots and pockets on a decorated sweat shirt?

    Love you pot holders.

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  39. Gee Whiz Carol! These are absolutely incredible! I love that fabric and would like to have some of my own! If I had the leftovers I would create a wall hanging to put in my living area. Those flowers would just pop with my green walls. I really like the idea of leaving them circular and hanging them at different levels from an wrought iron, twig shaped rod. Thanks for sharing such a great idea, you are a great inspiration!

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  40. My gosh your potholders are beautiful! If I won I would make a tablerunner with the flowers

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  41. Wow! And here I was thinking what a great idea for a gift and then you are offering the scraps. How can I resist that? Thanks so much for sharing!

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  42. I would make a quilt for Relay for Life to auction off! They are beautiful.

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  43. WOW! These are SO fabulous. It's hard to believe they are so simple. Genius! Potholders ... just like you've done them.

    Or here's what I might do. I'd make the circles the featured centres for dresden plates done with solids. And then I'd do bright coloured embroidery between the dresden petals to coordinate with the circles.

    I have a vision ...

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  45. Your pot holders are wonderful!! I would love some of these fun flowers. Thanks for the chance. It sounds like your little guy is keeping you busy. Our little guy hadve his nails cut and smoothed for the first time. Very scary stuff!

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  46. Tres Adorable!!! You are so freakin creative I am green with envy!! As much as I like to think I would do something with those lovely flowers they would probably end up as part of "the mighty stash" that will one day fall on me and you will hear about it on the news "woman buried under mountain of fabric in her sewing studio" LOL!!

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  47. Altho they are flowers , your potholders make me think of slices of citrus fruits - yummy. Think I would make bright & cheery cushions.(pillows)

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  48. Oh wow Carol, I popped over here when I saw the thumbnail of these potholders - they are so striking - and what a wonderful idea and they look so cool, fresh and bright. Anyway, I'm not really here for a freebie as fabulous as those flowers are but more to admire what I saw in the thumbnail.

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  49. I would hang them in my sewing room and admire them!!

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  50. Wow, the potholders are stunning. I like Heather's idea of dresden plate centres, perhaps on circular pillows.

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  51. For something a little different I'd make a mobile to hang in the sunroom, so even when the sun wasn't shining, they would be a reminder of summer days! (from Suz in cold old Melbourne!)

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  52. That is so 70's!! - they would make a terrific hanging mobile for a funky kids room!

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  53. They remind me of the Twiggy/Beatles/Pop Art/Andy Warhol period too. Really cool, Carol!
    You did a fantastic job of picking just the right background fabric for each one and your black binding is striking.
    Very neat!

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  54. Coaster's for my book club! Each Christmas I make something hand made for each member (12 counting me). Last year mug rugs so coaster's this year would be phenomenal.

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  55. Fabulous idea. I would do the same thing! Thanks for the chance to win.

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  56. They're gorgeous Carol, great idea! I'd do exactly the same thing (only I'd call them trivets so it didn't look like I was copying you ;) )

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  57. Ohh - they are so fun! I could do a few potholders, a few mug rugs, and maybe a pillow or two! Thanks for the inspiration!

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  58. Those are awesome looking flowers. LOVE the potholders too. Gosh, my first thought would be how great those would look made into summer coasters but it's hard to tell just how large they are from the pictures. If too large for coasters then, I think they'd also be super cute dancing around the bottom of a dress for my Granddaughter or as patches on some pants for her.

    Thank you for the chance to have those.

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  59. I have never seen such huge, gorgeous flowers. They would be so striking as appliques on dishtowels, and maybe a coordinating potholder. Your idea is very clever.

    Deanna in AZ

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  60. If I got them I would probably copy you and make some beautiful potholders.
    I love anything you do.
    ~a

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  61. Those potholders are really beautiful, what a great idea.
    In case those gorgeous 10 flowers were mine, I think I will make that baby quilt with circles I'm always procrastinating. I'm in love with circle quilts since the first time I saw them and I've always coveted to make one. But with those flowers, really, I wouldn't have more excuses.
    Btw, I love your colorful world.
    In any case, thanks for the chance to win.

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  62. Oh my word, those flowers are sooo pretty! I would make a vase, add some stems, leaves, and the flowes, and applique them on to a pieced background...

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  63. They are all so uniquely different! I think I would either make mug rugs, or possibly some unique little outfit for my granddaughter with a few of them. I know she would love the pink/purple ones. I love them all!

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  64. I would stitch them together for a really cool table topper! Lisa in Texas

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  65. Those just screamed little girl purses or coin purses, to me! Just beautiful.

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  66. These look fantastic. If I won I'd put the f;owers in the middle of the hexagons I'm making in a Quilt along this summer

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  67. These are just gorgeous!! I'd give them to a good friend of mine who just adores Kim Schaefer's work :) That is if I could actually bear to part with them...

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  68. These are gorgeous! You're ahead of the game for Christmas this year. :)

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  69. I love the potholders, I would also make potholders as gifts but use insulbrite inside them in place of the double batting. what a great giveaway.

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  70. Those pot holders are fabulous, If you pick me I'd blatantly copy you! Those flowers look as though they were created just for you to make pot holders!

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  71. oh man - those are fantastic!! I love the idea of potholders just because they can be displayed in a kitchen AND they're useful! i think they'd also be awesome cut in half and used as pockets on a funky skirt, or as great pillows on my couch!! eeee - I hope you pick me!!

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  72. They are so colorful. They are just great. I think if I were to win I would use them to do the samething you have done. I would make potholders for gifts and keep some for myself.

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  73. Awesome potholders! I love them! I would have to make a quilt with them and hang it on the wall in my bedroom. I have been looking for a makeover idea and these would be great inspiration!

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  74. I would use a few to make cute pillows and I love your potholders. They would also look great on the flap of my purses! I love them!!

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  75. I would use those lovely flowers to make exactly the same pot holders that you made. Why mess with perfection?

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  76. I would continue the generosity by making round pincushions with the circles, & gift them to my quilter friends. I would keep one for myself :)

    brendatexan@hotmail.com

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  77. That fabric looks great! Reminds of the 60ies/70ies. Pot holder is a good idea. Maybe you could use them as centre circles for sitting pillows?
    Bye
    Susanne

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  78. These would make an awesome lap throw for some lucky little girl! Please pick me!

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  79. I'm late, but I'd love to have them!

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  80. Wow! LOVE these flowers! I see a flower/bubble quilt ... Oh DO pick me:-) these are gorgeous!
    Lori

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  81. I'm thinking of a faux drunkards path/new york beauty quilt. To start, I'd applique them as you did to a nice background. Then I'd split them into fourths and resew. It would be fun to play on a design wall and see what happens!
    - Kim / SeeingStars

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Hello dear ones, I just love to see your comments, each one brings me pure JOY!