Newest project: Potholders!

This is the first time I've made a potholder, so please bear with me. The inspiration is a "spinning wheel" pattern using two different sized triangles to form the pattern.

First, I cut 8 squares each of a dark blue cotton quilting fabric and an off white fabric - the same canvas or denim cloth that was used in my roll-up crochet case. The colors went well with the focus fabric. Both smaller pieces were cut into 2 1/2" squares and sewn together along one side, allowing for a 1/4" seam. Next, I cut 8 pieces of the larger focus color cloth - 4 1/2" x 2 1/2" rectangle.

Next, I sewed the rectangle long-ways, attaching it to the squares.

One trick that helped since I needed more of a diamond shape was to angle the quilting ruler at a 90 degree angle along the center seam, again giving a 1/4" seam and trimming along the edges.

So far, it seems to be working. After doing the same to the other side, I'm left with a roughly square-ish diamond, for lack of a better way to call it.

And of course, rinse and repeat for all 8 squares. The goal is to have 8 matching blocks, and four will be used for each potholder. Next, the pieces will need to be arranged into the appropriate pattern - I decided after comparing the two to go with one orientation of the pattern and then to reverse the blue and white triangles.

After sewing the blocks together, here is the result. Next, I had to pull out the bias tape maker, and cut a 2" strip of the primary fabric for the edging.

One of the last steps was to also cut a square of fabric as a backing - in this case, after measuring with the quilting ruler the final size worked out to roughly 7" x 7". I cut one for each potholder. Finally, I stacked the cloth together with the backing facing out, and in between is a layer of thin cotton batting, a layer of Insul-Brite thermal batting, and finally the finished quilt block on top and sewed it together along the edges, and trimmed the excess.

Lastly, the bias tape was sewn around the edge, with a small loop to help finish it. They're not the prettiest things in the world, but this is the first set I've ever made, and I'm happy with how they turned out. As I make more there'll be room for improvement in style and stitching, so we'll see how it goes. We'll need to test them, of course, to see whether or not more batting or thermal batting will be needed in the later potholders, but we'll start with these for now!