5 projects using 5" squares

We stopped at a quilt shop in Kansas City on our way to Texas last month and when I saw these fabrics the thought of an email from my daughter-in-law popped into my head.  Last January she had sent a link to some dish mats that she liked and wondered if I could help her make some.  I thought this fabric would be perfect for a dish mat or two.  The design for the mat also popped into my head as soon as I saw the fabric.

Her birthday last week was just the deadline I needed to make one for her.  If you are wondering where the 5" squares are, they are cut into 2 1/2" squares.  I used 5 coordinating nickel squares of assorted colors, 5 white ones, a fat quarter  and some terry cloth to make this dish mat.  The dish mats she saw are no longer available but the site she saw them on has a tutorial on how to make them.  My mat is not made like the one in the tutorial but it does have a terry cloth back as does the one in the tutorial.  I stitched along the edge on my first try at making this dish mat and did not like how wavy the edge looked.  On the one shown above, I stitched along the edges of the center section instead and like the result much better.

Since I had last said that I need to make some smaller projects, I continued with the kitchen theme to make some coordinating items.  I made 2 styles of pot holders,                        

                                             

     (Both use 4 nickel squares.) 
 

 a mug rug, and a couple of fingertip pot holders.

 These little pot holders are so easy to make and come in so handy that I decided to provide a tutorial-

1.  You need four 5" squares and one 5" square of batting.  Fold two of the squares in half.

2.  Layer one square right side down, batting, one square right side up, and the two squares that have been folded.  The folded edges need to meet at the center.  Place a CD on top of the stack and draw around it.

3.  Sew 1/4" inside the circle.  Cut on the drawn line.

4.  Turn inside out.  Stitch around the edge or tack the ends as shown.

     

These little potholders can also be used as coasters for your wine glasses!