Stitchery Success! Oven Mitts!

So I had a great time yesterday at my sewing class. The oven mitts seemed so simple but there were a lot of steps involved, lots of pieces. It was supposed to be two different materials but I kept it to one pattern since it was busy enough. I thought I was clever, getting crab fabric for oven mitts. Ok, I think it's funny.

Like I said there were many pieces to cut, each mitt was lined and I kept forgetting, duh I need two mitts.

I've used a pattern many times before but my brain was working in slow motion.

Finally after 2 hours of cutting (whew!) we finally get to the sewing part. The girl teaching the class was very sweet and helpful, but seemed a little green in the teaching department. She wasn't giving us the next step to the class (of 3) but explaining it to one person. I would find out what do next, by overhearing it. Stop what you're doing, explain it to the class, then continue helping people individually.

Oh and I am not queen of teaching, she who is without fault. At one point when I was sewing the lining parts together, I stopped and noticed, oh no. One part is facing the wrong way. SIGH! It was nearing 4 pm and I was nowhere near being finished. I was rushing, and didn't know how Bubba was doing. Nice teacher girl was very sweet and ripped out the stitches for me while I worked on another piece. Then I got a text from Cathy saying that Alex was asleep. Wait! What?? Asleep? I tried to text her back when she called. She said he's asleep in the playpen. How? I asked. Man, she really is the baby whisperer, he's NEVER slept in the pack and play. Alrighty, I guess I still have time to work on the mitts. I was starting to think I'd have to go back another day.

I had never worked with quilt batting before, and I was surprised how easy it was. I guess it also helps that it was very nice organic cotton batting and not the usual polyester stuff you see in the stores.

One of the things I enjoyed the most was the quilting on the mitts. We needed to do it to keep the batting in place. Any way we wanted. So much fun, just to be able to play with a sewing machine like that, freehand.

The construction was the easiest part. Poof! Suddenly I made an oven mitt. Then a second one. How cool is that?

Cathy called and asked how the progress was going, almost finished I told her. I didn't hear any screaming in the background. Hmmm. She said Alex was on the balcony hanging out with his cousins, eating cheese. Then I hear him say "chhhhhsssss". Yes, that's right, cheese Cathy said. Wow. Happy baby lasted 5 hours without me.

So I have these oven mitts that make me giggle when ever I look at them, and the thought that maybe I can take a bit more time for myself. Happy mom, happy baby right?

Starting to stitch the batting to the fabric.

Batting, and yummy latte. Did I mention the latte?

So many pieces. Lots of steps for a little pair of mitts.

Quilted fun. Wheeee!

Assembling the pieces together.

You know you're having a good time when you've run out of thread.

Stuffing the lining inside. (I could use a little hand moisturizer).

Almost Done! Just have to stitch the bottom border together.

Et voila! Oven mitts! Pinch pinch!

Hands up in the air!

I can't wait for the reversible bag class in August!