Try It! Nifty Nine Patch Disappearing Pot Holder Part 3
August 17, 2009 | By
Now that your potholder tops are complete with borders, it is time to layer, baste, and quilt them!
I hope that you have located the Insul-Bright® that I have mentioned in my last two posts. This specialty batting is made with a layer of metalized film that reflects heat back to its source. There is a right and a wrong side to this material, and before you use it you need to think about the application.
First, for safety, items made with Insul-Bright® should NEVER go in the microwave. I am not speaking from experience, but I do remember that metal and microwaves don't mix. So unless you want to cause an explosion in your house, remember not to put these in the microwave.
The best way to remember which side to use with the Insul-Bright® is to have the metal film facing whatever object is hot or cold that you are insulating. So for potholders, the metal side should face the pot. In the design we have chosen, the disappearing nine patch is the "hand" side, and the solid backing is the "pot" side. So in this case, as we are layering, the metal film side should face down. If you were making a lunch bag, the metal side would face the lining.
Step 1
Let's layer the potholder in this order: backing fabric first, Insul-Bright® with the metal side down on top, a piece of cotton batting next, and then the quilt top. This is a very thick potholder! Because of the thickness, I wouldn't dream of doing a pillowcase binding like we did in the last project - it would just be too thick to turn properly.
Step 2
As we pin baste this, give some thought to how you will quilt this. My idea for quilting is to just quilt both diagonals, and then quilt around the square between the border and the block. Because of that, I don't want to put pins on the diagonals or near the edges where I am quilting. On a small item like this, I just eyeball the diagonal lines for quilting, but if you do not feel confident in your ability to stitch along an invisible line, just mark the quilt top before you baste it.
Step 3
Install the walking foot on your machine. If there were ever a time to have a walking foot, this is it! My walking foot is simply one tool I can't live without for quilting.
Quilt the diagonal lines first, then quilt around the block by stitching in the ditch between the block and the border.
The back of your potholder should look like this:
Step 4
Lengthen your stitch length to a basting stitch, and baste around the edge of the potholder close to the edge (less than 1/4".) If you put pins close to the edge like I did, you will need to remove them before you stitch over them!
Step 5
Once you have basted both potholders, you need to trim them to size. Line up your ruler along the edge of the potholder top and trim off the extra batting, Insul-Bright, and backing fabric. Do this on all four sides for both potholders.
Step 6
Now your potholders are ready for binding, which we will finish up in the next installment!
Photo Credits:
All Photos by Ebony Love
Insul-Bright® is a registered trademark of The Warm Company.
Did you miss an earlier installment of QuiltPossible! in this series? Catch up here!
QuiltPossible! Nifty Nine Patch
Piece It! Nifty Nine Patch Basic Block Assembly
Switch It! Nifty Nine Patch Block Variations
Switch It! Nifty Nine Patch - Disappearing Block
Try It! Nifty Nine Patch Disappearing Pot Holder Part 1
Try It! Nifty Nine Patch Disappearing Pot Holder Part 2
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Each QuiltPossible! series includes:
Feature Article: Serves as the introduction to the series, and explores the origins, history, and modern evolution of the quilt style to be featured.
Piece It!: Provides more detail of a particular block within that series and recommended construction techniques.
Switch It!: Demonstrates variations of a block within that series; different shapes, color ways, and other options to explore beyond the basic techniques.
Try It!: Offers tutorials of specific projects utilizing the blocks featured during the series. Projects are not limited to quilts, and will be geared toward beginning and intermediate crafters.
Bind It!: Presents a variety of finishing techniques (bindings, embellishments, labels, etc.) to add spice and personality to your projects.
Feature articles are typically published once per month, with subsequent articles published every Monday and Thursday.
Ebony is an avid quilter & crafter in the greater Chicago area, and you can see her work via her online portal at LoveBug Studios.
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