Rodney

Good advice to make them pretty but not too pretty to use. Our potholders take a lot of abuse. I like to be able to just chuck them in the wash when it's needed.
Rodney

HillCountryGal

Just a thought on those pot-holders that aren't thick/insulated enough to use. I treat them as hot-pads to set warm dishes on. At least they don't gather dust.

Havplenty

I never consider a potholder to pretty to use. They are all usable to me and while I make some decorative ones to give away, I encourage the receivers to please use them.

Wonnie

For me the point of making anything pretty, and the best I can, is so you will be happy and cheered when you use it. I make nothing to be carefully wrapped in acid free paper and tucked away forever out of sight.

Sewnoma

I actually purposely make really thin potholders (just a layer of insul-brite between the cotton) that are a bit oversized - DH & I use them to grab bowls out of the microwave. They're big enough to wrap over the rim all the way over the entire bottom of the bowl, but since they're really thin they're easily flexed so you can just sort of grab the bowl through the pad.

I don't think I'm explaining this very well, LOL. I don't think I'd give these away for fear people might try to use them on oven-hot things. They're not really "hot" pads, more like "uncomfortably warm" pads, LOL. In a pinch I'll fold them in half and that works for oven-hot things, but really they're intended for things from the microwave (which gets used much, much more often than our oven does.)

Rennie

I agree with havplenty. I haven't made any potholders, but I used to do quite a lot of kitchen towels sets for gifts - days of the week and months of the year. I stipulated when I gave them -- PLEASE USE - they are washable. There is too much work in any item to have someone just put it in a drawer. I would be so disappointed. If someone gives me something that is functional, believe me, it WILL get used somehow!

BettyGee

I made some Autumn Leaf pot holders for my friend and her daughters and used a layer cake that had gold highlights. The pot holders turned out beautifully. All of the women said they were too pretty to use. I tried to explain that they are just cotton and can be tossed in the wash, but that didn't work. So what I thought were going to be great utilitarian pot holders are going to be used to decorate their respective kitchens. There will always be someone that will try to outdo everyone else, not necessary; but if that is what they like then...

applique

Here are a couple I have made and sold.