Ready for a Potluck

I use my Pyrex casserole dishes all the time.  They are the perfect size for one-pan-dinners.  They can go in the oven, the fridge, the freezer, the dishwasher.  They have lids, and they travel well.  I think they're great!  But, in our house, we haven't always have the best luck with Pyrex--- as you can see. 

Unfortunately, our Pyrex trouble goes even deeper than the shattered pan. I made chicken tetrazzini to take to a friends' house.  It was steaming hot and I carried it downstairs using just a dish towel. (I now see the error of my ways) After making it all the way down to the car, I fumbled to open the door and.... I dropped the pan on the front floorboard of my car---oops!  

The creamy white sauce tastes delicious, but it wasn't pretty oozing around in my car.  The pasta dish smells amazing when it's hot out of the oven, but it smells like rotten onions when poured in a car. I know using pot holders would have been way smarter, but a casserole carrier would have been genius! 

So, when I spotted the project on Homemade by Jill, I knew that I needed to make a carrier of my own. Jill found the tutorial on another blog, 2 Little Hooligans, but made a few modifications that I really liked. 

This is what it looked like on 2 Little Hooligans------

This is what it looked like on Homemade by Jill----

 And this is what mine looks like---------

I was completely tired of the fabrics at The Lobby, so I made a trip over to JoAnn's Fabrics. Then, I realized I was sick of those fabrics too. (At this point, I'm thinking I need to start ordering fabric online) I bought the Insul-Bright lining that the tutorial talks about and decided to head home. But, just before leaving the store, I saw two great medium weight fabrics that were perfect for the carrier. I bought one yard of each and 2 yards of the handle belting and was a happy camper! 

I love how the fabrics aren't too matchy-matchy, but they still look great together. And, I think they're colors that I'll like for a long time. The project took me about an hour and a half to complete.  I really appreciated Homemade by Jill's suggestion to use belting, instead of making all the straps out of fabric.  And, she even tells you how to attach the straps in one of her other posts. 

Don't you think this would make the cutest bridal shower gift?  I think it's perfect--- a touch of homemade, a great Pyrex dish, add in a few great casserole recipes, and a cute little serving spoon sitting on top just like a bow!  Someone needs to get married, so that I can give them this gift! :O)