Upcycling

Upcycling is reusing discarded items in such a way as to create a product of a higher quality or value than the original. Well, I decided to upcycle my "Addicted to Scraps" test blocks by making them into hot pads!  Some of the blocks were only 6.5" so I added a border around the block to bring them up to 9 inches which is a good size for a hot pad.

Although I was not fond of trying to match up triangle points in the Ceiling Fan block from Quiltmaker Jan/Feb 2013, they sure do make cute hot pads. Quilt in the ditch around the center pinwheel and along the border strip, then bind. My hot pads use one layer of Insul-Brite and one batting layer between the backing and top. Some of my earlier hot pads used batting above and below Insul-Brite, but it sure does make a thick sandwich and is a bit hard to bind. Now I use the batting just below the top.  

The little stars baby quilt is finished - binding and all. This was a great way to use up scraps and reminisce about each fabric used in my other quilts. You might say this was another upcycle project, turning scraps into something pretty and useful.

In my effort to resist starting another quilt project (one quilter calls this a quilt diet LOL), I am working on hot pads and tissue holders as small Christmas presents. I am also assembling RSC18 blocks. In my last post I had considered an on-point setting. Nope, not for me. And I really didn't want to make any more blocks. So straight set it will be.  This week I began the process of assembling the sashing and hoping that my cat stops trying to rearrange the blocks before I finish the process.

Do you surf the web and find quilts or blocks that pique your interest? I do it all the time! I need to quit because I have so many quilts on my wish list, more than I could ever make in my lifetime. Last week I found an old Quilt magazine (not sure of the date) and saw the neatest trick in making the Gretchen block. The tutorial can be found "here".  Cath at wombatquilts has a pretty orange and blue version "here".

Are you planning to join thousands of quilters participating in Bonnie Hunter's Good Fortune mystery quilt?  I am considering making a small version. The bright crayon colors she announced are ones I keep in my stash anyway, so I am not planning to venture out into other shades. Click on "Good Fortune" to reach her page.

On a higher note, the weather was supremely nice last weekend, so I finally got some time up in my airplane again. My hubby and I spent nearly two hours buzzing around the area and landing at a couple airports I had never visited before. <sigh>  It was awesome to be back up in the air!