Zero Waste Oven Mitts, Episode III
Like a dog after a bone, I just can’t seem to let this challenge go!
Episode I: The quest for the perfect oven mitt
Episode II: The oven mitt report
The story so far…
Faced with the prospect of no usable oven mitts in the Haywood kitchen, our hero Liz Haywood embarks on a perilous mission to renew or replace the mitts.
However, sworn to live by a code of only making zero waste patterns, she struggles to reconcile her ideals with the real world problems of fit and function. Beset by failures, she temporarily gives up.
Finally she succeeds with a non-zero waste pattern but discovers it best fits Mr H, her sidekick/love interest, who is an aspiring but as-yet undiscovered hand model.
Is this how her destiny will be fulfilled? Always to use a non-zero waste mitt which is too big for her hand? Will she curse her fate every time she removes a casserole from the oven? Every time she handles a hot vol-au-vent, wok or paella pan? Is this how it will end?
Some weeks transpire…
Along the way, she is visited by a wise person from her past, who utters the advice:
If your mitt is loose of hand
Into your mornay it will land
Or pie or slice or quiche or stew
The mitt will end up caked in goo
But if your mitt is slim and fitted
The gooey problem’s now omitted
Your mornay’s safe from being dipped in
By oven mitts which aren’t sewn thin
The passage of time brings clarity.
Liz Haywood retreats for a time of meditation in the smallest room of the house, undisturbed by her kin, and has a sudden realisation.
She returns to her “studio” with renewed optimism and strength. Working through the night with only pencil, paper, fabric, thread, paper scissors, fabric scissors, unpicker, thread snips, tape measure, sewing machine, ruler, set square, iron, ironing board, tailors chalk…and tenacity, determination and grit, she realizes her destiny.
A minimal, nearly zero, waste oven mitt which fits a smaller hand.
It’s being tested in the Haywood kitchen this week. Stand by for a full report soon.
She also got around to mending the Harrod’s oven mitt, with a red quilted pad. The red was a bit bright and didn’t really match the print, but after a week of use it darkened up nicely!
Until next week!
That was a fun ride!
Thanks for reading, Laurinda!
This made my day, laughing out loud during breakfast! Thank you!
Thanks Penelope, that makes me feel good to hear you started the day with a laugh!
I have materials gathered awaiting this pattern. I, however, require the bigger one as I never touch the oven. Or saucepans, pots or casseroles! Fabulous post Liz.
Don’t worry Sue, I’m doing both:)
Ooo, I’m on the edge of my seat…please don’t keep us waiting too long. I’m one of those people who binge watch Netflix, I just have to keep going until the end. I know, I know, perfection takes time
Haha! Can’t rush genius! This is like the olden days, when you have to wait a whole week to find out what happens next!
Just found the oven mitt adventure as I’m thinking of starting one of my own. What happened? Did the newly adjusted design work? Did the Harrods puppet glove end up being good to go? Did you scrap it all and start again?
The story had a happy ending: https://lizhaywood.com.au/free-pattern-oven-mitt-minimal-waste/
The mitts have been in daily use and domestic harmony is restored.