Saturday, September 20, 2008

potholders

One last book for you.

I've always wanted to do a project with Grandma, and when Lark Books sent out a call for submissions for to this potholder book, I figured it was a great opportunity.


A few years ago, Grandma was making potholders using the chenille technique. She was having fun with the layers of fabric, experimenting with the different effects you can get when you change the order of the layers. So I flew out for the weekend and we made a few together, trying a few ideas we both had for making them in different ways.


Grandma and I used to spend a week together every year. Now it's more challenging to find the time. But when Tsia and I visited this summer, she made sure she had a stack of "our" book on hand so we could autograph them. Not usually my cup of tea (or should I say teapot of water?) to sign autographs, but it was fun to do it with her. And it was even more fun to make the potholders together. We always have a lot to discuss, like the best way to attach a binding or which fabrics fray most easily for getting the chenille effect. (Grandma likes the Kona solid-colored cottons because they're a bit more loosely woven than most printed cottons.)


The back of the potholder.



Here is one of Grandma's original chenille potholders paired with some of my very first embroidery, which Mom made into a potholder for Grandma. In case you can't tell, it's a nativity scene. But you knew that, right? Star, manger, Mary...

And that wraps up book week. I've got lots more to show you so let's do it again soon, shall we?

6 comments:

  1. What a fun project to work on with your Grandmother.

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  2. That's so sweet, you signing autographs with you nana! We don't really have time to do things together now either. We must make the time.

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  3. My heart has a yearning gladness... reading about you and your grandma spending sewing time together. I can only imagine how much she must beam with delight over what you are doing with your sewing endeavors.

    Your embroidery was precious - and priceless to still behold.

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  4. Looks like a nice book

    Love the nativity scene

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  5. I purchased the book last month and I have to say your project was the shining start of the collection. I'm very much looking forward to trying out the chenille technique. Thanks for sharing the story behind it.

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  6. About your early work...I thought it was a saying in Chinese...I was thinking...oooh how hip, I wonder what that means...

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