Double Oven Mitt

My husband I bought a double oven mitt when we moved to London 15 years ago, and we have used it almost daily ever since.  It is now ragged, charred and in tatters, but I really love it's shape and size.  It's now so worn I am almost sentimental about it, but the time has come to move on... 

I used the old one as a template to make this new one, and it was surprisingly simple to put together - the most time consuming part was cutting the bias binding.  I have always used straight of grain binding and could really use some practice cutting bias strips...   I quilted straight lines on both the main pad and the pockets at 45° to the sides and hand stitched down the binding. 

I am really pleased with the result, but it is just so shiny and new that I hate to dirty it in the kitchen.  For the past week I have continued to use the old mitt and have just been admiring this one - my husband hasn't dared to use it yet either.  Baby steps...

I am linking up to Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story - go check out all the projects...

Blockeadz Bee Blocks

Yesterday I finally finished last month's and this month's Blockheadz Bee  blocks.

Laura chose a variation on the Waterwheel block and is planning a rainbow quilt with this pattern.  Everyone received a different color - obviously mine was green...

Teri chose this quick and easy "E" block.  She sent the bottom floral and asked us to choose a brightly colored scrap from our own stash for the second block.  I didn't have many options to choose from, as heavily saturated, bright prints are not really my style, but I think that the blue floral I chose will coordinate with the rest of her blocks.

outsourced labor

My sister just sent me this picture with the following message :
"here's what 54 flowers looks like...."

She has almost finished her half of our Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt.  All this in two months - unbelievable!  I can't wait to see them, but she is understandably rather scared to mail them, so I will have to wait patiently for her next visit to France.