X is for Xtra

Today is X day in the 2015 Blogging from A to Z Challenge. As an English major, it truly hurts me to use "xtra" in place of "extra", but I got desperate. If it helps, it's better than the x-cessories that I could have used instead. Also, technically this will fit for the term xilinous, but I used that last year. So... you get what you get and you don't throw a fit.

Today's project is a set of accessories for the little kitchen that I made for my eldest niece. The original set was pot holders, oven mitts, and a chef's hat, but for some reason I failed to take any pictures at all of the hat. I'm really batting 1000 today.

The best part is that both of these projects are ones that can be made from scraps. Yay scrap stash!!

Let's start with some pot holders...

I made a set of two pot holders from some leftover denim and a little bit of patterned fabric. Just remember, these are play accessories, so they aren't really designed to protect from actual oven heat. Do I need to spell that out more plainly? Don't grab hot crap with these. There. That ought to do it.

Start with four squares of denim. Mine were 4" squares. Iron them flat and sew two wrong sides together, stitching around the edges. This doesn't have to look pretty, the stitches get covered up.

Piece together your edges by using some homemade bias tape. I had some leftover from when I made some jean aprons. I wanted this to have a bit of a scrappy look, so I cut the bias tape in short sections and pinned it all together.

Zigzag stitch around the inside edges, extending through the bias tape at the corners. Surge or stitch to close the outside open edges of the tape.

Stitch on a little ribbon loop for hanging and you're all set.

Add some oven mitts...

These ones are little more realistic in terms of construction for use, but still...no grabbing hot crap. Seriously, don't do it.

I made a pattern out of some white fleece using my kiddo's hand as a guide for size.

Cut out four pieces to make two mitts.

Cut out four more pieces in your outside pattern. I added an extra quarter inch to mine for some unknown reason. You don't have to do that. It just makes things more bulky and your thumbs come out funky on the outsides because you haven't made them distinct enough from the hand section...you'll see. (And this is how you know I'm not a professional...I show you all of my mistakes. With any luck, you'll learn from them.)

Layer and pin. From the top you should have: two fleece pieces on top of two pattern pieces with right sides facing each other.

Stitch around the edges, leaving the bottom edge open. Flip inside out so your fleece is the inside lining.

Finish by tucking the bottom edges in and stitching around the opening. This is the only place where that extra 1/4" came in handy. I folded my excess patterned fabric over on itself to get a clean edge and then folded it over the fleece to the inside to leave a hem of color inside of the mitt.

See...funky shaped thumbs on the outside. They're surprisingly fine on the insides, but overall my extra 1/4" was just a pain.

Now your little chef is all ready to cook in his or her (not hot) kitchen. Just a little something "x-tra" to make their play time fun.


Only two days left! Can you believe it? This month has gone crazy fast.

Tomorrow is Y day. I'll tell you a little secret...I have no idea what the post will be. It'll be a surprise. As of right now, there is no Y project. It could make for an interesting day today...

Happy Tuesday everyone!!

Miss any of my A to Z posts so far this year? Find them below...

1. A is for Anna (Easy Anna Cape)
2. B is for Bath (Appliqued Bath Mat)
3. C is for Child (Children's Growth Ruler)
4. D is for Denim (Denim Bib)
5. E is for Etch (Etched Casserole Dishes)
6. F is for Felt (Felt Hopscotch Mat)
7. G is for Good Night ("Good Night" Envelope Pillows)
8. H is for Hood (Easy Hooded Towel)
9. I is for Insulated (Insulated Beverage Cozies)
10. J is for Jumper (Embroidered Spring Jumper)
11. K is for Know (Know When to Hold 'Em/Fold 'Em Laundry Sign)
12. L is for Loveseat (Envelope Loveseat Pillows)
13. M is for Mittens (Fleece Baby Mittens)
14. N is for Ninja Turtle (Felt Ninja Turtle)
15. O is for Owl (Owl Stuffies)
16. P is for Princess (Princess Peg Dolls)
17. Q is for Quilt (Moustache Quilt)
18. R is for Reading (Appliqued Reading Pillow)
19. S is for Superheroes (Superhero Peg Dolls)
20. T is for Tumblers (Custom Etched Barware)
21. U is for Upcycled (Little Kitchen)
22. V is for Vinyl (Vinyl Pallet Art)
23. W is for Whipped (Wild Orange Whipped Body Butter)

Are you visiting from A to Z?

Be sure to leave me a comment (including your blog link) so I can come over and return the favor!