A sweet little finish

Isn't it amazing how sometimes you have a piece quilted, are attaching the binding, and it just doesn't look quite right?  But, the moment you get the binding finished it all of a sudden looks perfect!  That's how it was with my sweet little finish.  A potholder for someone secret in the Triad Modern Quilt Guild.  We will give them to our secret partner on Tuesday at the meeting.  Part of that exchange is telling of the journey.  That's why I love swaps of smaller items.  They are a great way to stretch your skills, practice ones you have just learned, and try something new. 

This potholder took me on a little journey.  I pulled out one of my Aneela Hoey's Sherbet Pips charm packs and carefully choose some squares to cut up.  One of the things my partner said she liked was red and white so I focused on those prints.  I added the red and gray prints too.  I added some small hst to the corners of two of the squares.  I love these prints! 

Now it was square and didn't look 'right' yet.  So I decided make it round after seeing Sarah's pot holder in the Triad Modern Quilt Guild's flickr pool.

I love the hand stitching she did in the center! 

I have this old metal strainer I throw keeper scraps in when I'm sewing.  I just turned it over and cut around it.  I then had to decide what to put on the back.  This red and white print from Bonnie & Camille's Bliss-another favorite collection- was perfect!

I then used some more of the Free Spirit Dogwood Gray I used to frame the 9 patch on the front as binding.  I also added a little hanging tab with a scrap of Sherbet Pips.  It folds under nicely so you don't see it unless you need it. I really think it turned out cute!  It has two layers of thermal batting which was the only real requirement. 

We had 15 people sign up for this first swap experience.

I can't wait to see all the others! 

Keep dreaming...Colleen



Thanks for the kind words on Cary-cat's passing.