Way back at the end of April, I moved all my sewing machines and supplies into my office/music room. So long ago and I’m still not quite organized. Part of that is because I am going through every drawer and basket to see if I really need the items anymore. And trying to organize them into some reasonable order. I have even been sorting through my files and have shredded a bunch of non-important and out of date papers.

Last week I went through a drawer where I keep my “orphan” quilt blocks. They look so sad in there. They don’t match each other, no where to go, abandoned when I moved onto another quilt. And I decided to start using them.

Starting with this one….

This block started out as an idea. I would make a wall hanging of “Storm at Sea”. I intended to use Foundation Paper Piecing (FPP) for the project but this one block took SOOOOO LOOOONG, I ditched that plan. I will make the FPP version just not right now and it won’t be from this fabric. I love the aqua but was not crazy about the white on white background. And I didn’t have enough of the aqua to actually make the whole wall hanging. Poor planning on my part.

But that little orphan block could be the beginning of a new perfect pot holder set!

I LOVE the AQUA and RED combination. And I love the Moda designers Bonnie & Camille. I purchased a half yard bundle of their line, “Sunday Stroll” more than a year ago. Plus when I went on vacation last year I bought three different yards of Bonnie & Camille’s “Shine On” line at the local quilt shop. Bonnie & Camille fabrics play well together. Typically the colors are nice and matchy-matchy. And I’ve been keeping them in a nice little pile. Never to be used. Just to be admired.

No. That’s not right! I was just looking for the perfect project! And here it is!

Do you change out your kitchen linens with the season and the holidays? I do. And I love to use aqua and red for my summer decor. Several years ago I made tea towels, an apron, and potholders from a Bonnie and Camille line. I still have the apron and tea towels but the potholders were well-used and I had to throw them out.

So I stitched together some more quilt blocks at the 6 1/2″ size using the aqua and red combos along with that white on white.

And followed my directions to make pot holders. The only difference from my original instructions was that the front pocket for this group is a square 6 1/2″ unfinished. Because that’s the size of the original orphan block. Oh yeah, and I forgot to put on the loop. I considered going back and opening up the binding just to put on the loop but said to myself “Nah, these are for me and I don’t hang my pot holders, they live in a drawer.” Therefore, all six that I made are sans loop.

I think they are so pretty and really brighten up my kitchen.

I still have some fabric left from Bonnie and Camille. Maybe another apron? Or new tea towels. We shall see!

And I’m going back to visit my grandkids in Garrison, ND this summer and hope to hit the quilt shops while on vacation. Maybe even the really big shop in Bismarck. I’ll be able to fill that basket right up!