The learning curve

We use our microwave a lot to reheat food.  Not really a problem, you would think.  But the modern trend to stoneware for bowls and plates instead of porcelain creates very very very HOT items to pull out of the microwave.  We have wrapped bowls and plates in tea towels, put them on plastic plates which are very slippery.  Then I saw a pattern for a microwave bowl holder.  Whoo hoo this looked like the answer to my prayers.

I carefully read the pattern through several times.  Still got it wrong, couldn't work out what I did wrong until I consulted my resident guru of all things angled and measured, The Master Carpenter Husband!
Who took one long and said that I had sewn the darts the wrong way!!  Really?!  How could he tell with just one look?

However, as frustrating and annoying it is, he was "right", (yes I whispered that).  Unpicker my friend, where art thou?  I unpicked and repined and tried again.  Ok, this looked like it was more like the

This one seemed a little chunky compared to the lovely flat looking one.  Found the tutorial for the microwave bowl here:-

I found the pictures a little confusing, couldn't quite work out which way she folded her pieces of fabric.  I might do a step by step myself for those of us that find following patterns, even with beautiful photography a little challenging.

Anyway, even though mine seemed a little chunky compared to Christine's I pushed on.  Snapped a needle on each one, on the corners.  I think my cotton wadding must be slightly thicker than hers.  I am going to try and iron them before I do the top stitch with the next lot.  Here are the two I did for hubby and myself.

And the end result was very successful.  All 3 of us sitting on the lounge watching tv, with our hot bowls of pasta and not a burnt thigh or stomach amongst us.