It's Time For Pie! Tool & Technique Tuesday Pie Potholder

It's that time of the year, a time for fruit to ripen, markets to be open and plentiful sources of fruits and vegetables available.  

This very cute pot holder is inspired by the fruits of summer, picnics, potlucks and family get togethers. 

It's  raspberry pie time!

​mmmm my favourite was the pie at Stone Crock in St Jacobs!  


What you will need make this "Raspberry Pie":

1. ​A 8 1/2" round diameter template or plate
2. One piece of fabric ( cut 8 1/2" round) for the top to fit the template, think...... raspberry, blueberry, apple, peach, lemon or pumpkin pie.  Yumm!!  There are fruit fabrics available at many of the local quilt shops.
3. A piece of fabric for the backing cut 8 1/2" round
4. A 8 1/2" round piece of Insul-Bright insulated lining  (wonderful stuff to keep the heat off your fingers and table) designed for pot holders  oven mitts etc.
5. A 5" x 2" piece of pie fabric for hanging tab.
6. A 1/2" bias tape maker
7. Best Press or spray starch
8. 2 strips width of fabric (40" approx) of ivory fabric (cut straight of grain  7/8" wide) for lattice on the pie or purchased bias tape
9. 30" approximately of white or ivory rick rack 1/2" width
10. A tea bag to dye the rick rack if it is white
11. Grey fabric cut on the 45 degree bias - approximately 27" x 2 1/2" for the binding/pie plate edge.
12. Cream coloured thread and thread to match your fabric.
13. A fabric glue stick (optional but useful)
14. Scissors, pins a sewing machine, rotary cutter, cutting mat etc.

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How to make it:

1. Cut out all your fabric ahead of time as per cutting instructions above. Tea dye your rick rack if necessary with 1 tea bag in a cup of hot water for about 15 minutes, take it out and towel dry it.
   
2. Make your bias tape for the lattice using the instructions for your bias tape maker. I cut my  fabric on a point -see below to feed it through the bias tape maker, spray with Best Press and press with an Iron as I pull the handle.

     3.  Audition your lattice by cutting 8- 10" lengths and weaving them on your pie fabric. Weave them under and over each other. Glue them in place with a dab of fabric glue.

I know it doesn't look great yet!

      4. Lay all 3 layers of fabric, the top, Insul-Bright and Backing together as if its a quilt and pin to baste and hold together.

      5.  Top stitch about 1/8" in on all sides of the lattice with cream coloured threads through all layers. Trim around the edge of your pie.

​      6.  Make a hanging tab by pressing your 5" x 2" piece of fabric in 1/4" on the long sides and then fold it in half encasing the raw edges. Top stitch this to close the finished edge.

      7. Press the hanging tab in half and place the raw edges against the edge of the front of your pie where you think it looks best, sew it 1/8" from the edge to secure through all layers. leave the loop laying against the pie top
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      8. Press your grey binding/pie plate edge fabric in 1/2 to make binding  as you would a quilt and sew it slowly​ to the front edge of your pie.  Finger press to the back of your pie and hand stitch in place.

      9. Sew on your rick rack by placing the valley of the rick rack just against the inside edge of the binding on the pie fabric and stitching down the centre. You will also need to tuck in the rick rack ends carefully so they look neat.

It's done! Almost good enough to eat and way less calories.

 I hope you enjoyed this little project and that you make many "pies" this summer! 

​Please send us your photos so that we can share all of your productive efforts. 

​Happy Tuesday! ❤️