I have two draft blog posts that have been waiting for spring weather to return to Indiana. I started them as soon as the weather turned warm for more than a couple of days, and like pretty well everyone else who lives in the Midwest, I was totally duped into believing winter was over.

This past weekend, the high was 46 degrees, and I had to defrost my minivan windows earlier this week before heading off to work… Alas, while I await Spring’s return, I’ve been sewing up a storm.

A dear friend of mine who is a wonderful soap-maker (one of various talented titles she holds) sells her smells-so-good-I-am-tempted-to-eat-it soaps in a couple of local retail shops. (Note: Please don’t eat soap.) Since I’ve really become more confident in my sewing, I had asked her about transitioning from maker to seller. Being the wonderful friend that she is, she offered to try out selling a few of my things in her space at local stores. (You can find her over at Simple Hobby Homesteading.)

Since she sells soaps (and scrubs, bath bombs, and similar goodies), I thought I’d start out with some Soap-Saving Bags. The thing about homemade soaps is they tend to get softer than traditional “soap” bars, so it’s best not to leave them in a flat dish where they may sit in water. If you have a soap holder that drains well, that will work, but then you still have those slivers that go to waste.

The Soap-Saving Bag solves both of those problems, and is also great for people who have trouble holding onto a bar of soap (those slippery suckers just love to jump out of grip). The polyester netting is soft to touch, lathers up nicely, provides a gentle exfoliation, and dries quickly. The Soap-Saving Bag accommodates varying sized bars, so it’s one-size-fits-all (whether you’re using homemade or conventional soap). The cord lock is spring-loaded and easily slides, so it’s a cinch to add new soap.

And since I was offering to make things for sale, the same friend suggested I make a large trivet to accommodate 13 x 9 casserole/baking dishes (because she wanted one). She’s so awesome, she even sent me this tutorial on how to do it! (Don’t you just love a supportive friend?!)

After making the first one, I decided I needed one (or three) for myself. And since I like pretty things, this meant I had a great excuse to head to the store for more fabric. (Oh, darn!) After assembling half a dozen trivets, I decided each fabric combo had enough material leftover for a complimentary project – little pocketed potholders. These are great for a quick grab of handles, removing hot dishes from the microwave, or even transferring handled casserole dishes or cake pans from the oven to the table.

I used the same basic concept of the tutorial for the trivets, adding in end pieces for the thumb/finger pockets to make my own pattern that fit the size of my scrap material. A little interfacing gives the pockets a little more stability/firmness, and extra quilting in the middle helps the potholders bend and flex easier. I love it when a good plan comes together!

Now that the weather seems to have warmed up again, and I’ve happily packed up two boxes of goodies to go to the farm, I’m excited about blossoming opportunities. And I’m just in time for a huge spring sale at the local craft store!

While you wait for a sneak peek at my finds and some new, fun projects, here are my other spring-inspired creations…