Casserole Carrier

I promised that I would put the instructions on my blog page for my casserole carrier.  There are a number of things I want you to know before I begin.  This carrier pattern is a mishmosh of ideas that I got from videos, books, my head...you get what I mean.  So if you have seen this somewhere else, done just a little different, YOUR RIGHT!  There are a  lot of ways to do the same thing and none of them are WRONG!  And don't let anyone tell you that you did it wrong.  You may have a better way, your own way, or a mishmosh way.  Just know I love new ways and I thank you in advance if you wish to give me constructive criticism.  Another thing you are going to see here is an old ladies' hands.  Those are mine!  Yep, they look old, they are old and they have been used to garden, clean and even at one time, milk cows.  So they have been around for a long, and I mean long time.  Sorry that they will gross you out, but I didn't have a hand model available today to help me so you are stuck looking at mine.

Now let's make a casserole carrier.

You will need:
1 yard focus fabric
1 yard backing fabric for backing, binding, strap and loops (or this can be the same fabric as the focus, your choice)
22 1/2 inch square of Insul-Bright
22 1/2 inch square of cotton batting
Thread, pins and needles and all the play things to hold together, cut and just have fun with!
and of course,
A Sewing Machine!  Any kind will do.  I love them all!  If I had my way I would own one of each kind ever made.  But my husband has other thoughts on that matter!  I digress...

Cut a piece from the focus fabric and also the backing fabric 22 1/2" square
Cut a 5" strip from the backing fabric for the strap and loops
Cut three 3" strips from the backing fabric for the binding

Layer together the backing, wrong side up.  Place the Insul-Bright on top of the backing, then the piece of batting on top of that.  Now place the focus fabric, right side up, on the top.  Pin or baste together using your favorite method.
I quilt this layer together using free motion quilting or in my case, I used a 45 degree angle of straight stitching to create a grid.  Any way you choose to do this is fine.  What's life without whimsy!

After you have quilted your pieces together, square up this cool quilted pad.  You will want a piece 21 1/2" X 21 1/2" square.

Now you will need to make a strap from the 5" wide strip.  I like to make this like a bias binding tape. I fold it in half and iron it. With it opened, I fold each side to the middle and press.  Sew the strap together along the open side. This makes a nice weight strap but you can make this anyway that makes you feel good. If I hadn't been in such a hurry to make these for Christmas gifts, I would have used a decorative stitch to close the open side but I had no time to lose. I work best under pressure. (My husband says I just procrastinate, grrrr!).  Now cut this strip into one 29" piece and two 7" pieces.

I eyeball the placement of the loops in opposite corners and place the long strip diagonally across to the other opposite corners. Turn under about 1/4" on each of the ends.  I sew all of these on using a small square.

Sorry, different project but I wanted to show you the small square (isn't it cute!)

Now bind the entire square with the 3" strips using your favorite method. Make sure to pin the corner loops and strap out of the way so you do not sew them into the binding. I would show you my way of binding if you would like, but everyone has their own way of doing binding and there are some great videos out there on how to bind just about anything.

I hope all of this was not too confusing.  They really are easy to put together.  I made 6 of the sets I showed on my blog earlier in a weeks time.  My doggie was not happy with me as you can see.  She would come and stand in the doorway to my sewing room and stare at me.  When I am not playing with her, she thinks I should be sitting where she can lie on my feet and she is not allowed in my sewing room to do this.  So I get the evil stare many times during the day, with a sigh and growl as she lies outside in the hall.  Everything in our household should be Anna's way!  And it usually is!

And yes, my sewing room is that cluttered!!!!

Well Happy Casserole Carrier Making and remember...

Keep on Quiltin'!

Norma