Potholder!

So you know those cool double-layer potholders you see - the ones that are in the shape of a square, but they look like they're done diagonally? I've seen them both knit and crocheted, but I never had a clue how to make them....until I saw this link. And then I thought - hey! That looks really easy! So while watching a movie last night, I made my first:

It's got a scrappy look to it, especially this next side, because while I have ten tons of acrylic yarn, I had barely any cotton yarn. And I definitely didn't have any full skeins of cotton. But it's not terrible-looking, and it'll still work, right?

Talk about easy! I had it done during the movie, and I barely had to look down at it once I was done with the first row. So I bought four skeins of cotton yarn at the store today, and I'm going to be making more potholders for gifts. Cause, hey! Who can't use a double-layer potholder? :)

Pictures!

So I had sewn Thing 1 a Thomas fleece hoodie way back when, and it is still wearable for him. But Thing 2 was a bit jealous. (Go figure!) So I finally sewed him his own.

Same pattern - Butterick 5164 - and I lined the hood with black interlock, bound the hood and hem with black fleece, and this time put some loose elastic into the sleeve ends. This was partly because I wanted them to stay on better, and partly because I was out of black fleece binding and had to wash some more fleece first before cutting and sewing binding. Oops. For this one, I used black fleece to make the kangaroo pocket (also bound in black fleece instead of being turned under) and then satin-stitched a train motif to the center of it. Thing 2 loves it! And now Thing 1 wants a new one, "because mine doesn't have a pocket! It's not fair!"......sigh......

However, Thing 1 needed a new backpack, which was supposed to be his birthday present. (The old one was getting severely ratty, after two years of daily use.) And this ended up being three weeks late, but....oh, well. It's done! And he really likes it!

The SpiderMan fabric was from my stash. I'd bought some for boxers for The Husband as well as pants and shorts for Thing 1. The boxers got done, but the shorts and pants haven't. Not to worry - there's still enough for shorts for Thing 1 and Thing 2, I would think. Anyway, I quilted the outer fabric to Warm&Natural batting, just for more body/stability. On the front piece, I free-hand quilted a spiderweb, which probably doesn't show up much in the picture. For the sides, back, and straps, I quilted curly lines that were inspired by the web shown on the fabric (the lines from which he's swinging). I think it turned out nicely.

This time, I used webbing and buckles with the straps, which are going to be SO much better than the D-rings. I think the straps just weren't thick enough for the D-rings to hold well, because I was constantly having to rethread the straps through the rings. Enough! (When we were going to Denver, I stitched the straps down so that they wouldn't keep coming undone in the airports. That helped a LOT!)

He is very happy with his new backpack, just in time for the end of school. :) Now on to more fleece slippers and the totpack for Thing 2.....

Finally, a picture!

This is a scrub hat from McCall 4116 - it's view G, in a size M. I've made it before, but this time it's for a friend who is graduating from vet school tomorrow. I hope that she likes it! I thought she'd get a kick out of the drinks fabric. This is actually the prototype for the "real" gift - scrub hats made with Beatles fabrics. But I need to be sure that the size M will fit her before I cut out the "real" fabrics. :) In the meantime, this also assured me that the hats for myself will need to be size L to cover all my hair. So it was good to get these done. I can't do any more on her hats until she tries this one on, so I'll work on the backpack for Thing 1 some more and maybe sew up the new seersucker summer pants I cut out for both Things....

Still sewing...but slowly...

Have had a busy last couple of months, so while I have completed items, I haven't taken pictures or bothered to update my blog. But I'm going to try to do a little better. I am now in the middle of sewing a new backpack for Thing 1, because the one I sewed him almost two years ago is now falling apart. The zipper broke last week, and pieces are fraying and falling apart. So it's time - just in time for his birthday! I hope to have it done this weekend. The outer pieces are all cut, quilted, and serge-finished, and I still need to cut the lining. I bought a heavier weight zipper this time, although I suppose that two years was probably pretty good for a regular zipper getting daily use by a toddler. ;)

I am also planning to sew a quick backpack for Thing 2, using the Totpacks pattern from SewBaby. I have some nondescript denim that would be good, and maybe I'll put a train applique or something on the pocket. I'll probably line it, too, because I prefer to do that, but maybe I'll just serge finish the pieces and make it a quick, unlined project.