Create a house shaped pot holder with Zazzle fabric ...and make some French cuisine with my Paris Eiffel Tower inspired art on Zazzle fabric

SEWING TUTORIAL ON HOW TO MAKE
A HOUSE SHAPED POT HOLDER
WITH A POCKET FOR YOUR HAND

Here again, I am using the new fabric available for all to buy at Zazzle.com! It's my Paris / Eiffel Tower inspired pointillism art, in a repeat pattern! I took 4 pieces of art, coordinating with each other, one based on elements of the other, a quad, block pattern, great for what quilters call a "cheater quilt" - but we're going to use it to make a house shaped pot holder

I co-designed the house shaped pot holder with my dad, Bill Hubler, who is a real estate agent with Century 21 Alliance, in Mantua, NJ. He wanted me to make something for his customers, and give as Christmas / holiday presents. They also are great for housewarming gifts, mortgage brokers, agents to give to their clients, you can give them to someone who moved into their first place, or a new home. This pot holder has a pocket for the hand - my mother suggested that they'd make great pocket holders for items, to hang them and organize things inside the pockets.

Well, it took me an hour to make it, but I've been doing them for a while lol, so maybe for a first timer, it may take you 1 1/2-2 hrs, tops. My dad asked me to make one on the fly for someone, a few days before Christmas day, and BOOM! One hour later from him asking me, it was done!
This new pattern, will be available to buy in a pdf download for $2, just like the others that I have on Craftsy.com, with both sizes and all pattern panels to make them:

size 8" wide at the "eaves" and 10" long from top of the roof down to the "foundation, or bottom - all 3 of it's patterns will fit within an 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of paper

size 9 1/2" wide at the eaves, and 11" long from roof top to foundation / bottom - 5 print outs onto 8 1/2" x 11" sheets of paper
...and once you print them out, you can transfer them onto ...

1) SHEET PROTECTOR PAGES- 2 taped together for the larger pot holder - buy a 50 sheet pack from Target, Walgreens, Walmart or Staples - and for the download, keep aside 7 or 8, cost you between $3.50 and $5 per pack

2) CLEAR VINYL - thin gauge is fine, buy 1/3 yard, will cost you around $2
Why do I use sheet protectors and clear vinyl, you ask? Well, with paper patterns, even tracing paper patterns, it is hard to see the print beneath them, so how can you figure out how much fabric to buy? ...the fun part :D - and possibly the most expensive part of the project, so you want to plan your pattern layout wisely. :)

And this version is much easier to make, and not as bulky around the edge, as the other house potholders that I made before. I showed my dad, he loved this new way of making them, and we're sticking with it lol

...SOOOO, from now on, all of my house shaped pot holders with pockets will have these fabric panels contained in them:

1 printed fabric house shaped base panel
a) 10 1/2" wide x 12" long for the 9 1/2" x 11" pot holder, with 1/2" seam allowances (SAs) around the pattern
b) 9" wide by 11" long for the 8x10" pot holder, with 1/2" seam allowances (SAs)around the pattern

1 printed fabric pocket panel, print design aligned to that on the house shaped panel below it
a) 9" wide by 7 1/2" long for the finished 8" wide by 6 1/2" long pattern panel for the 9 1/2" wide by 11" long house shaped pot holder
b) 7 1/2" wide by 7 1/2" long for the finished 6 1/2" wide by 6 1/2" long pattern panel for the 8" wide by 10" long house shaped pot holder

UNDERNEATH THOSE 2 DESIGN PRINTED PANELS IS WHAT I CALL "FOUNDATION" PANELS:

1 layer of white cotton
a) 10 1/2" wide by 12" for the 9 1/2" x 11" pot holder
b) 9x11" for the 8x10" pot holder
This goes underneath the front print fabric house shaped panel and pocket panel - it can be white muslin. If you buy muslin, buy more than required, 1/2 yard, and wash the muslin before ironing and sewing, because it shrinks after washing, like up to 30% - learned the hard way :/

2 pieces of ironing board fabric - also called silvercloth - a utility fabric
a) 2 panels each 10 1/2" wide by 12" for the 9 1/2" x 11" pot holder
b) 2 panels each 9x11" for the 8x10" pot holder
One panel goes under the white cotton, with the 2 pieces of Insul Bright sewn to it, the other is on the back, aluminized silver side facing out, with the hanging loop strip attached to it, so the pot holder can hang.

As talked about above, I use 2 pieces insul bright, this really insulates the piece! And it is only in the central, main area, that would touch anything that could be hot.

And finally, the Zazzle fabric - you need at least a fat quarter size. I used their smooth, thicker fibered, combed cotton, which prints nicely, and feels very durable, yet soft.

SUPPLIES NEEDED:
2 rolls of thread - I use Toldi Lock by Gutermann 2500 yard roll for $4, before sale or coupon, at JoAnn Fabric, in these colors:
background print fabric color, in this case, I picked the light blue in the sky of the background of the landscape images in the fabric - you can buy a small roll for $2
silver or light gray, too coordinate with the silvercloth / ironing board fabric

Then you will need to buy:
1/3 yard white cotton / 12" h by 44-45" across, as low as $1/yard - as low as $0.33
1/3 yard of silvercloth / ironing board utility fabric - $9.99/yard - $3 before sale or coupon
1/3 yard of insul bright - $7.99/yard - $2.66 before sale or coupon
up to 8 sheet protector pages OR 1/3 yard or thin gauge clear vinyl - $2 - for clear patterns

take the ironing board fabric, & cut a 2" wide by 6" long strip, fold it in half lengthwise, sew it like a pillow leaving an opening on the longest cut edge side, both ends of that side sewn 1" in from their ends, backstitch at both ends of the openings and the 4 corners, corners snipped at 45 degrees, turn piece inside out, and sew opening shut - this is your finished strip that can be used to make a loop

be attached at one end to the back silvercloth house shaped panel, folded down 3" with a metal, plastic, or wooden ring through it's loop fold, and strip end sewn to itself - not the silvercloth house shaped panel on the back

hanging options: pack of metal key chain rings - $3-$4, before sale or coupon - you could instead use a wooden ring, a plastic ring, OR , fold the ironing board strip, making a loop at the top, both of its ends, one over the other, sewn together, then sewn to the house shaped silvercloth panel facing out on the back

TOOLS NEEDED:

printer paper, up to 8 sheets for patterns, plus any to print the download instructions
pencil, pen (sharpie marker optional - for clear patterns)
scissors: paper and fabric (fabric rotary cutter optional)
self healing mat or protective work area
sewing machine
extra denim weight machine needles
pack of straight pins

INSTRUCTIONS:

1 - Print paper patterns out when you buy them, or when you have enough ink ...or just print the paper patterns to save money :D - again, I provide 2 sizes, 8x10 & 9 1/2" x 11" - the big one takes 2 sheets of paper, taped at center - I'm also going to provide a pocket pattern, for each size. Plus, you'll get a paper pattern, for each size, to print out the 2 insul bright patterns, found at JoAnn Fabrics - it will be a 5 sided pattern, no eaves, fitting inside the house shaped base pattern, about 1/2" in from both vertical sides, and not around the eaves - I found that the less bulk at the sides and eaves, the better all the layers moved through the sewing machine

2 - Transfer your paper pattern to sheet protector(s) OR clear vinyl (not plastic wrap lol)- buy 1/3 yard or use a remnant bigger than the pattern used. Again, you transfer to the clear plastic / sheet protector page / clear vinyl what have you, because you can see through it to figure out how to center your fabric's layout, to center things, motifs, elements in the fabric, Here is a tip: I'll also use straight pins at the vertical and horizontal sides of both bottom corners of the house potholder clear pattern, because I find that doing so marks where the motifs or elements are, and how to find them on an area of the fabric, to make the pocket that goes on top (if you chose to have the pocket) - this will match up the pocket panel's fabric pattern artwork to the pattern artwork on the house shaped fabric base pattern
a) For sheet protector(s) transfer patterns - use 1 for 8x10", use 2 for 9 1/2" x 11" - for bigger potholder - lay 2 sheet protectors vertically, but next to each other, side by side, tape seam vertically.
b) You have 2 ways of transferring and cutting out the pattern:
1 - Place the paper pattern under the clear plastic, pin to each other at the top peak of the "roof", at both sides of the "eaves", and both bottom corners of the "foundation", or bottom left and right corner - you can pin in between those pinning points, if you feel the pattern may shift. Then either cut around the outline of the pattern carefully, or use a sharpie marker and draw around the pattern outline, use a ruler if necessary, then cut out the clear pattern.
2 - Place cut out paper pattern over the clear plastic, pin patterns in place on top of each other, cut around the outer edges, or use a Sharpie marker, and mark around the edge, then cut out.

THE NEXT STEPS WILL BE FOR CUTTING THE FABRIC FOR THE HOUSE SHAPED:
main house shaped base pattern for the design print fabric
white cotton panel, cut 1 piece - BUT NOT INTO A HOUSE SHAPED PANEL - keep it rectangle
silvercloth or ironing board utility fabric, cut 2

3 - Place the clear pattern over your fabric, to determine what you want to show, making sure that you have 1/2" seam allowance all around the pattern. Pin in place over the fabric, and cut around the pattern, leaving the 1/2" seam allowance around the outer edge.

4- For the pocket, if you chose to have one, follow the pattern matching tip in step 2, at the bottom of the 1st paragraph, to find the matching motifs, to align the house shaped base pattern to the pocket's pattern's design elements / motifs. Make a clear pattern version of the pocket pattern, using the guides above, place clear pattern over the area of fabric that would best line up with your house shaped base pattern. Pin in place all over. Cut around the pattern, leaving 1/2" seam allowance on all 4 sides. You will fold the top side down twice, pin double folded top edge in place across, and you will sew a hem.


5 - SEWING STITCH PATTERN LINE AROUND THE CLEAR PATTERNS - DO THIS FOR ALL PATTERNS - EXCEPT the 2 insul bright pattern panels
While clear pattern is still pinned to the house shaped base print fabric that you cut out, sew around the edge of the pattern, making a stitch line pattern to follow - do this for:
1 design print fabric house shaped base pattern panel- use the most receding color in the background as your thread color

2 silvercloth ironing board house shaped patterns - use silver or light gray thread - just fold the 1/3 yard of silvercloth / ironing board fabric in half, selvedge edge to selvedge edge, pin clear pattern in place, cut 1/2" seam allowance around the pattern, remove the clear pattern, separate the 2 house shaped potholder silvercloth panels, re-pin the clear pattern on one fabric panel, sew stitch line around the outer edge of the clear pattern, remover clear pattern, and reposition it on the other silvercloth house shaped panel, and sew a stitch line around the edge of its pattern

*For pocket, only sew around the 2 vertical sides and bottom, leave the top open from having a stitch edge, because you don't want any thread to show at the top when folded over, along the edge - TIP: when sewing stitch line, turn fabric pocket panel to where the top is to the left, and eyeball the top of the clear pattern, which is now to the left, and start stitching towards the clear pattern, stop, turn the piece so the top is now on top, and sew down the edge of the pattern's right side, turn and sew across the bottom, turn and sew down the left, then turn the piece so the top is to the left again, and sew to the edge of the fabric cut edge - this makes guide stitch lines, to use to fold the top down twice, to these guidelines on the side, without leaving a mark on the top of the fold of the top edge.

FOR THE INSUL BRIGHT PATTERN- CUTTING AND SEWING STITCH LINE PATTERN EDGE - again, you have 2 insul bright pattern panels - cut out paper pattern to Insul Bright, place over the Insul Bright, cut a panel out, and then make another one. Place both, aligned to each other evenly, over one of the silvercloth house shaped panels, aluminized silver side facing UP, with the stitch pattern line sewn. Pin BOTH Insul Bright panels on top of it, within the stitch line pattern, and sew them to the house shaped silvercloth panel, sew close to the edge of the Insul Bright panels, around all 5 sides of them

6- PINNING WHITE COTTON, INSUL BRIGHT, & SILVERCLOTH PATTERNS TOGETHER TO SEW TOGETHER

a) Place the rectangle piece of white cotton in front of you, on top of that, place the layer of ironing board house shaped fabric pattern WITH 2 Insul Bright panels sewn to it, on top of the white cotton - pin in place and sew together, making sure the stitch lines of one match to the other - use the silver thread - just go over your stitch line that you made previously

b) Sew the finished ironing board strip to the remaining house shaped silvercloth panel, with stitch pattern line sewn, centered below the top of the roof point, and centered between the eaves, with the end tip of the strip lined up with the bottom, horizontal edge of the eaves. Make a stitch "box" 1" from the bottom, to attach the strip. Pin down the other end of the strip, but DO NOT sew it to the strip itself ...YET

c) Place this ironing board house shaped silvercloth, with strip for loop attached, on top of the house shaped silvercloth panel with 2 insul bright panels sewn to it, with the white cotton under THAT, pin in place, and sew around the silver stitch pattern line
d) Place a house shaped ironing board silvercloth fabric piece face down, then place the joined double paneled insul bright / ironing board silvercloth / white cotton panels, insul bright side face down on TOP of backside facing up, of silvercloth, which is silver side face down

7 - JOINING THE PRINTED FABRIC HOUSE SHAPED PANEL TO THE POCKET

Sew design printed fabric pocket panel to printed fabric house shaped panel - place pocket panel, with 3 sided stitch line, and top edge hem created already, over the house shaped print fabric panel, stitch over stitch pattern outline created already, making sure the stitch lines match up, and the motifs or elements in the fabric match up. Pin in place, 2 or 3 pins each on the 2 sides and bottom, and just sew the 3 side of the pocket down, backstitching at the beginning, all corners, and the end, leaving the opening at the top for the hand to go through

8 - FINALLY, JOINING THE FRONT PRINT FABRIC PANELS, TO THE BACK FOUNDATION PIECES, FINISHING THE HOUSE SHAPED POTHOLDER WITH POCKET

a) Place the joined layers of white cotton, insul bright, and ironing board fabric, silvercloth side with loop attached facing up
b) Place the joined, sewn house shaped and pocket printed fabric panels face down on top of the silvercloth house shaped side with loop attached
c) Pin in place all around all edges, making sure that the stitch lines of all patterns match up - see photos
d) Turn the pinned panels so that the bottom edge of the joined panels is at the top, and the roof is towards you - you need to make sure that you leave an OPENING to TURN THE WHOLE PIECE INSIDE OUT FOR LATER. Turn the piece so that the top of the roof is to your left, and start sewing all of the panels together, starting 1-2" from the bottom left corner, which should be facing to the bottom right at this point, in front of you. Backstitch at the opening, back stitch at ALL BOTH SIDES of ALL corners. When you get to the bottom edge, which at that point should be facing top right, stop, backstitch at the end, leaving an opening wide enough for your hand to pull the piece inside out.

e) Before turning the piece inside out, you need to cut away excess seam allowances down to 1/4" or even less, ESPECIALLY at the eaves, clipping away at the out facing corners, snipping into inner corners, which are under the eaves - TIP: follow the photos to see that I trimmed away more at all of the corners, inside and outer corners, to take away bulk, so that the corners are nice and crisp, and 90 degree right angles, as much as possible, to resemble a house. :D
f) Turn the piece inside out, making sure that the seams are pushed out, as much as you can push them. Then tuck in the seam allowances at the bottom, and sew across from one corner edge to the other, to sew the bottom opening shut. You can pin and iron the edges to help pull all of the seams and corners out, if you want, before sewing the bottom shut.

FINISHED!

about the art on the fabric:
This art was inspired by my visit to the Paris Las Vegas resort and casino, walking around the shopping area inside, adoring the shop facades. It was also inspired by photos of Paris and the Eiffel Tower - its an amalgamation of images and memory colliding. Now, you may ask, "What is pointillism?" Pointillism is a form of art, a technique, a movement in art, started by the late 19th century French artist, Georges Seurat. He created my favorite piece of art, "La Grande Jatte", the preliminary study piece featured inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. I find the dot technique that he used more free, and less inhibited, like life should be, than his finished piece, a more constrained, technical version of the "La Grande Jatte" ...but that's me lol. The dots, of different colors, are a reflection of the colors bouncing off of each other, object next to each other, people's clothes, skin, hair, buildings, you name - it's called, "color reflection", colors of one object or being with reflect off of each other, and lots of colors from many things around us, will mix, and those tiny dots, when combined, and seen a distance back, will make the whole object, landscape, piece, you name it, as a whole, highlights, shadows, rendered. I created them from a base piece of art, the impressionist version of the Paris Eiffel Tower inspired pointillism cityscape landscape, which was created in the Summer of 2002. The pointillism vignettes in this fabric were created in 2010, for fabric. This specific fabric has sold on Keds sneakers, shower curtains, fabric, blankets, duvet covers, picture frames and more at Cafepress and Zazzle , and in sewing pattern download printable crafts on Craftsy.com and ConnectingThreads.com
Thank you for reading this tutorial! I really appreciate you doing so, and I hope that you try making a house shaped pot holder! Don't forget to check out the fabric on Zazzle at http://zazzle.com/fabric
Hugs!
Kristie Hubler, inventor and owner of http://fabricatedframes.com
Buy sewing pattern download printable crafts at http://craftsy.com/user/2496069/pattern-store , paper patterns, and patterns with my art to print onto June Tailor washable, colorfast inkjet printer fabric sheets available at JoAnn Fabrics
fabricatedframescom@gmail.com