What My Potholders Are Worth To Me

I look at the piles of fabric scraps, from the 1960’s and 70’s on my work table that Crik sent to me.  They belonged to her Grandmother.  I look for one of the prints to inspire me or for two of the scraps that beg to be sewn together.

The colors, pattern, and size are the information I need to pair them up.

Making my potholders takes me longer than it used to.

The potholders I created back in 2008, when I first started making them, were very different than the ones I make now.  Over the years my sense of design has evolved into my own.  The time I am willing to spend getting one potholder just right has lengthened.

The more seriously I took them, the more important my potholders became to me.

My potholders have always been about making affordable functional art.  Something that could bring beauty and maybe a bit of joy into everyday life.

They are not a whim, they are a continuous and meaningful part of my creative life.

They are steeped in the history of  Women’s Work, the often repetitive and mundane tasks traditionally done by women.  As well as the art that was traditionally relegated to women.

“I love the notion of women making art however and wherever we found ourselves down through the years.” Ellen wrote to me about my potholders.

My potholders have been wonderfully successful. Thanks to all of you.

Some people collect them, use some, and hang the others around their house.  Others give them as gifts, or buy one or two, and use them for years.

I was surprised at how valuable my potholders have proven to be to both me and the people who buy them.

As I was piecing together my lastest batch of Grandma’s Scraps Potholders I realized the extra time I was putting into them.  And thinking about the Etsy fees and cost of materials (although people give me most of the fabric I use, there are still the costs of batting and thread) and my time I decided it was time to raise the price of my potholders to $20 each.  Shipping will be the same, $5 for one or more.

It has always been difficult for me to ask to be paid for my work. My potholders have taught me to trust myself and the people who buy them. When I value my potholders, I also value myself. Thank you all for helping me to do that.