Friday, March 25, 2011

"New" Hotpads

 When Ken and I got married (over 12 years ago now!!) we were given oodles of hot pads. If I remember right I think I had counted 19. I gave some away as we obviously didn't need that many and then we put the rest of them to work. It was pretty obvious that they had been put to work when you looked at them. They had stains, raveled edges and had even been scorched. They looked pretty bad no matter how often I washed them.

  It was time to fix them up! I pulled out some old faded curtains (that went with the colors that I am trying to have in the main area of our house) that still had some good sections in them and decided to recover the hot pads. I had pulled out ribbon too which I thought I would use but then decided not to.

  I decided it just made good sense to recover the hot pads as the current hot pads still worked for insulating and I would rather use them again (as long as they looked a little nicer!) then throw them away. So with the old curtain fabric I cut squares/rectangles just a bit bigger then the hot pads them selves. Then I sewed them together like a pillowcase (right sides together and sew around 3 sides) and then turned it right side out and slipped the old (and clean) hot pad in it. Then I pinned the 4th side together, tucking the raw edges in. After pinning I topstiched around all 4 sides and with an X across the middle. That was all there was too it and now my hot pads look much better!
I had thought I should make a loop to hang them as that is how most hot pads are and then realized that was silly since I don't hang them anyway, I keep them in a basket on my counter. It would be easy to add a loop if you needed too.

 This project was quick and simple but also very satisfactory as it makes my kitchen look better while using up old hotpads and old curtains. I love projects like these!


Have you repurposed anything lately?

5 comments:

Patricia @ 9th and Denver said...

Great idea AND! way to save the old--especially since they were still good for handling, just not pretty!
Most people would have just thrown them out.
I like projects like this--
Pat

Sara D said...

I love this idea! I just a couple weeks ago finally broke down and threw out all my stained pot holders and bought more- oh how I wish I wouldn't have done that now! When these new ones get old and tattered, I will definitely use your idea to make them "new" again!

Nola said...

Wow! I would have never thought of that. Mine aren't that bad yet after nearly 7 years...so I guess in a few more years I will use this idea! :)

happy momma said...

Hello Abbi, thanks for stopping by my blog, it's wonderful to have visitors! I'm not sure if the jelly has a violet taste or not, I just know its very good. I really can't tell that a violet has much of a taste. The jelly is kindof delicate in taste and fairly sweet. (with 4 cups of sugar it couldn't help but be sweet:) Hope you try it and like it as much as my family does.

Jackie said...

This is a great idea, Abbi! I am definitely going to have to remember this. I have a hodge podge of hot pads and it would be nice to have them all looking the same without a lot of work. Thanks so much for linking up!!!

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