A Fox-y Potholder

Did you know Prudent Baby is having a contest to win one of two AWESOME Brother sewing machines?

Have you noticed that neither Sharon nor I ever use a sewing machine in our crafts?  Well, guys, that's because between the two of us, we don't have a sewing machine.

Fer reelz.  Sheesh.  So, in hopes to win their generous contest, I created this little guy and sewed every piece BY HAND!

In order to be eligible to win one of the sewing machines, you had to create a potholder.  That's it!  The deadline for the contest is tomorrow--and as usual, I'm running behind!  In my defense, I started this potholder right after they announced the contest, but hand sewing is not a quick process for me.  If it was, I probably wouldn't need a sewing machine.

So, Jaime and Jacinda, if you're here reading our little blog, here's why I need a sewing machine:

1.  I don't have one but I know how to use one.  (I saw many of the potholder entries and honestly, they ALL looked machine sewn.  That means the person who made them has a sewing machine--therefore simple reasoning suggests that the people making the other entries don't need yet another machine when poor souls like me don't even have one!  Right?)

2.  I'm a contributor to a craft blog.  A CRAFT blog.  And I don't have a sewing machine.  Pathetic?  Yes.  My blog-mate doesn't have one either.  It's like we're missing a limb.

3. I have several sewing projects started, but not completed because...I don't have a sewing machine.  Are you getting the picture?

4. I could just buy a cheap machine, but you get what you pay for when it comes to sewing machines.  I'm not in a place right now where I can justify a several hundred dollar machine--so winning one would be super-fab. 

5.  I have tons a good-sized stash of fabric that needs to be used! (Including awesome home decor fabric that I bought for a song that severely needs to be made into window treatments.)  I'd use my fabric, but I don't have a...well, you get the picture.

6.  When I have used a machine in the past few years, it has been my Mom's and, well, her machine is a cheapie that sews extremely inconsistently and is wrought with problems (she admits that it's true!).  In other words, I need a new machine that Mom and I can both use (she only lives a few blocks away so we don't mind sharing!).

7.  I want to make a quilt!  It's on my bucket list.  My bucket list for goodness sake. 

The list could go on and on, but you get the gist, right?  By the way, yeah, I know I sound whiny and pathetic--but it's all in good fun.  And really I'm happy without one.  But it would enrich my life SO much to be able to sew dresses for Junebug and to finally make a quilt.  I'd be ecstatic. 

If I don't win? 

Well, I have a super-cute potholder that I would not have made if it weren't for the contest, so I guess I'm already a winner!

To embellish the potholder, I drew this little fox (after learning that Jaime from Prudent Baby thinks that foxes are the new owl!) and appliqued him on to my fabric with a blanket stitch.  Before I stitched him down, I fused him to the fabric using Steam-a-Seam to make sure there was no shifting, etc.

I quilted the potholder with a simple running stitch and then used double-fold bias tape for the edges.  Naturally, I used Prudent Baby's "How to Sew with Bias Tape" tutorial to ensure I edged it correctly.

There it is, in all its glory.

So, who thinks I'm gettin' a sewing machine?