Tea Cozy for Hot Tea

I attended a Tea party with my Aunt Junie, last year.  The hostess of our table had a tea pot I'd never seen before, it was an Insulated Metal covered Teapot with cork stopper, love it!!   Of course I had to have one! With the insulator it keeps your tea hotter longer, that's awesome.   I priced them online, brand new they were $100....

A month later I found this one at a garage sale, $5.  Yes it has cracks in the porcelain, but it does not leak. Even with the insulator on the pot, I would like my tea even hotter.  

Looking in my Mother's cupboards, I came across one of her tea cozy's, it almost fit my pot perfectly except it need to be longer at the top.

I traced it for the pattern, and made my own.

Here's the steps:

Cut 2 fabric for sides and cut 1 for bottom.
Cut 2 lining and cut 1 for bottom.

Sew Velcro on both sides of top of each side piece of lining

Sew 1/4" seam up each side around the top, leaving bottom open.

Cut 2 foam for sides and cut 1 for bottom.
Cut 2 batting for sides and cut 1 for bottom.
Cut 2 heat bond for sides and cut 1 for bottom.

Iron heat bond to batting, iron batting to foam.

Sew across the top 2" down, then in the middle, and on both sides.  See next photo.

Sew both sides.

Pin bottom of sides, right sides together, 2" on one side, 1" on the other side.

For bottom piece
Iron all layers together,
Sew 1/4" around, then zig zag edge.

Pin sides to bottom, Sew 1/4" around, then zig zag edges. 






Insert tea pot!!

Let the tea sipping begin!!

Thank you for joining me,

Happy Sewing!

Also posting on State-line Crafter's.

Parties:  Sunday, Monday, Tuesday: funky polka dot giraffe, Kathe with an E, Wednesday: Handy Man, Crafty Woman, Thursday, Friday, Saturday.

Scads of Scraps

What do I do with scads of scraps from kitchen towels I cut to make my world famous Easy Hanging Towel, well maybe I exaggerate, a little, it's famous.... in the family.

My Sisters, my Kids, my Nieces all just love it.  I make and give them away for almost every holiday.  For Christmas gifts I sat down and whipped out 13 towels quickly, they had to be wrapped and shipped, cause I was going to spend 2 weeks  in Cabo for Christmas (woot woot) ...... anyways, with all of these towels I'd made, I have scads of scrap towels left over.

With the leftovers from these 3 spring towels I just finished, I made 2 hanging dish rags, and 1 potholder. 

For the hanging dish rag, I took the towel piece 15 1/2" x 8 1/2", cut off the top, then folded over and pinned each side, sewed along the edges, adding a  loop in the middle to hang.

For the pot holder I cut the 3 edges, cut it in half, cut a piece,

7 1/2" x 8" of  heat resistant fabric to fit, made my own bias tape from the same fabric on the hanging towel.  Pinned it, sewed the 3 pieces corner to corner then pinned the bias tape around and sewed, leaving 3" at the end to flip under the bias tape for a loop to hang the pot holder.

Wala ........ all 3 match and make a nice gift for someone special.

Thank you for joining me and my

 scads of scraps.

Happy Crafting!

Parties linked to: Wednesday : Handy Man, Crafty Woman , The Melrose Family, 
Friday: Rooted in Thyme, french country cottage

Basket Liner

I love these old bushel baskets. 

Years ago you could purchase liners at your local drug store...... times sure have changed...... 

I’ve been wanting to make this Basket Liner. I had one for years, every time I visit my daughter in CO, oh look, there it is….. anyways, 

          

I wanted one for myself. I found this pattern on Vintage Pattern Market Place.  The pattern is easy to follow, I need more oil clothe to make a few more.
                                          Happy Crafting.

Linked up to: Sunday The Chicken Chick, Tuesday Funky polka dot Giraffe

Hanging Towel with added Flare

Easy Hanging Towel

With my sewing supplies in WI, while I was there I was determined to bring something back with me to Mexico  so I could sew,  (even though I know I have to hand sew.) I went through my sewing bin for all I need to make my Hanging Towel.  I don't have one on my stove here, I miss my towel not falling off when I'm cooking.

While digging I found a finished towel  that was already stamped.

My wonderful sister bought a stamp with my trademark.
Now I have the pattern, the towel (material), the fat-quarters, pins, needles, thread, scissors (forgot a thimble).  I'll heal.....

Easy Carry Picnic Blanket

I saw a beach blanket that had the coolest handle with straps on it.  I was thinking, what an awesome idea for a picnic blanket.  After all, I have that awesome Great Find picnic basket, I want to picnic this summer.....

I stopped at one of our local thrift stores and found this tablecloth.  It was priced at $8.00, but I happened to walk in on half price day (sweet), so $4.
For this project
1 tablecloth (rectangle)
1 package rug binding (white)
4 inches of hook and loop velcro
sewing machine, thread, scissors, pins


Instructions
1. Lay an H on the folded end of the tablecloth, these measurements are 17" for straps and 8" for handle.
2. Pin velcro on both ends of strap; hook up, loop down on the opposite side of the strap, opposite end.  Then sew around all 4 pieces of the velcro to the straps.
3. Double the handle to make it sturdier; sew two 8" pieces together.

4. Take finished pieces and form H onto tablecloth, pinning down, with the Hook side of the velcro straps up.  Leave the loop side (down)unsewn, (you may want to pin them out of your way.)

5.  Sew close to the edge, sewing over the handle, then stopping.  

6.  Sew all the way around the handle end forming a square, then sew corner to corner, to secure the handle. Repeat on the other strap.

Lastly, spray with fabric protector so it will last longer and it's easier to clean up.

Let the picnicing begin.

"pass the tator salad, please"

Happy Sewing!

Thank you for stopping by.

Sharing this Project At The Cozy Home Scenes Picnic Party!!!!

Parties Linked to:  Monday - Eye Heart - Anything Goes Tuesday - Debbie Does Creations - Toot Your Horn - A Stroll Thru Life - Table Top Tuesday -  Kammy's Korner -Trash 2 Treasure  -  I'm Topsy Turvy - Topsy Turvy Tuesday - The D.I.Y. Dreamer - From Dream to Reality -  Reasons to Skip the Housework - Tuesday Time Out - Boerman Ramblings - Tuesday Treasury Link UP  Wednesday Sew Much Ado: We Did It  Wow Me at Ginger Snap Crafts -  Will See It @ Fabric Bows and More  - exodus @ let birds fly - Homemade by you @ Pincushion Creations - Whimsy Wednesday @ The NY Melrose Family - Show & Share @ lil pink pocket - Wicked Awesome @ Handy Man, Crafty Woman - Spicy Link Up @ I's just called Spicy    Thursday - Share Your Cup Thurs @ Have a daily cup from Mrs. Olsen  - Catch a Glimpse @ A Glimpse Inside  Friday  Do something Crafty @ See Vanessa Craft  - Sweet and Simple @ Rooted in Thyme -  BFF Open House @ The Answer is Chocolate  - Flaunt it Friday @ Dotted Line Crafts   Saturday -  Saturday Show Case @ Bowdabra Blog  - Project Party Weekend @ Bubbly Nature Creations

A Gift for Mother

We have a Garden Tea Room here in Calabash, NC.   Across the way they have a little shop where they sell tea accessories.  I love walking through this little shop. The last time I was in there I saw this TIN TEA CUP, I didn't really know what I was going to do with it until I saw this tea cup pincushion at mmmcrafts.  
I did mine a little bit differently. Here's the tutorial.

The tea cup has a lid; nice if you take your pincushion from room to room, or in Mother's case, she just has one in every room.

I want the pinning surface to be stronger then just stuffing.  I bought a package of 2 circular Styrofoam pieces at the dollar store, for $1.
Place the cup slightly over the edge and traced it.  With an exacto knife cut around the traced circle.  Then cut a smaller one to glue to the bottom of the first circle.





Cut a circle from the fabric I was using for the pincushion.
Approx 7" around.

Put a little stuffing and the styrofoam pieces on the fabric.

Sew all the way around the outside of the fabric and pull the string tight. 









Stitch around several times to get it as tight as possible.

Use hot glue to secure the pincushion to the bottom of the tin cup.

Happy Mother's Day!

Thank you for stopping by.

Parties I Linked to:  Sunday-  ...Don't Mess With My Tutus...,  It's so Very Cheri,  Sew Chatty    Monday- be colorful,   Homemaker on a Dime,  Sew Happy Geek,  Cherished Bliss, The House in the Roses Tuesday- Debbie Does Creations, A Stroll Thru Life,  My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia,  The D.I.Y. Dreamer, Claiming Our Space, I'm Topsy Turvy,  It's just called Spicy  Wednesday - Ginger Snap Crafts, Pin Cushion Creations,  The Shady Porch   let birds fly  Thursday -  The Taylor House, Katherines Corner, Have a daily cup from Mrs. Olsen  Friday -  Rooted In Thyme  Saturday - A Vision to Remember Saturday Showcase at Bowdabra Blog

A Match Set

My daughter Deby loved my "Hanging Towel" and asked me to make her one to match her kitchen.  I bought the towel (set of 3) at a Home Goods store. I really didn't notice when I bought them, but the towels are huge.  I cut it and used the leftovers to make a matching potholder.

I pleated this towel so it would lay right. Besides it being a little shorter, I made it exactly like the first one.      For the potholder I used this tutorial found at  Sew WE Quilt and since Deby loves owls, I knew it would a perfect for a match set.

I made the shapes needed for the pattern on MS Publisher.

Cut the shapes out of different fabrics and used heat bond paper on the backs of each. I ironed them on, then stitched around all the pieces. 

After finishing both, I could not wait to give them to her.

She loves them and hung them up right away. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Sewing.

Linked at:

happy hour projects, Simple Home Life, Sassy Sites! Here Comes the Sun, Sew Country Chick, Dotted Line Crafts, Be Different..Act Normal, Katherines Corner, A Glimpse Inside,