Entertaining Tray with Temperature Control

Categories: Gifts, Oly*Fun, Holiday, Winter

Most of us entertain during the holidays and serving food is always on the entertaining list. It does not matter if the food is to be served is cold or hot, it is always a challenge to keep it the correct temperature. Make this serving tray to help control the temperature of the food. The key to the tray is the “Aluminor”, which is a thermal insulating barrier. It will keep hot things hot and cold things cold. This reversible serving tray is to not for lifting and serving, but for sitting and maintaining the food’s temperature within the upright sides. It is also just beautiful by itself as a decorating piece as seen in this picture.

What you need to make this project

Materials: 1 1/2 Yards Gold Aluminor; 1 1/2 Yards Silver Aluminor; 1 Yard Metallic Oly*fun or prepared piping; 5 Yards 3/8” cording for piping or prepared piping; Coordinating Good Quality Polyester Thread

Supplies: Sewing machine and related supplies; Piping foot (optional or use a zipper foot); Zipper foot; Small sharp sewing machine needle (I used 75/11); Rotary cutter, ruler, and self-healing mat, are preferred, but not necessary; Wonder Clips; OR MACHINE EMBROIDERY:; Embroidery Machine; Sharp 75/11 embroidery needle; Embroidery design of choice (the center design is “The Harvest” by Sonia Showalter http://www.soniashowalterdesigns.com/for-the-harvest/the-harvest/) with built-in fonts; Floriani Embroidery Threads; Prewound bobbin in white; Floriani Medium Cutaway Stabilizer; Snap Hoop Monster” by Designs in Machine Embroidery (Magnetic Hoop); nips by Famore Cutlery

Quick Shop

Instructions

Step One

NOTES:

This project uses 1/4” seam allowances, except where noted.
Finger press the seams open. Do not use an iron.
Do not bend, fold, or crease any of the materials as a permanent mark will remain.
Spot clean only.
A “Snap Hoop Monster” is strongly recommended for machine embroidering on Aluminor as the back of Aluminor does not stick effectively onto tacky stabilizer.
The edges of this tray were cut at a 60 degree angle so that the sides stood up slightly; however, a 90 degree angle would make the sides stand up completely and a 45 degree angle would leave the sides laying flat.
When sewing Aluminor for such a large project, roll it up as you go along so it does crease or get in your way.

PREPARATION:

Please read the instructions below before beginning. Gather the materials and supplies.

For instructions on how to make piping with Oly-Fun™ Metallic Gold and cording, please visit my blog post at http://www.the-embroiderist.com/blog/2017/11/20/oly-fun-metallic.

Step Two

Cut the fabric as follows –

From the Silver Aluminor:

1 piece measuring 48” by 14.5”
2 pieces measuring 52” by 3.5”
2 pieces measuring 20.5” by 3.5”

From the Gold Aluminor:

1 piece measuring 48” by 14.5”
2 pieces measuring 52” by 3.5”
2 pieces measuring 20.5” by 3.5”

Trim the ends of the four the 3.5” strips to a 60 degree angle as follows:

On each end measure 2” from the end and mark.
Draw a diagonal line from top corner of the strip to the bottom corner where you just drew the line.

Cut along this diagonal line.

Do this for all the corners making sure that the longest point is the top of each strip. It will look like a trapezoid.

Step Three

MACHINE EMBROIDERY:

Download the machine embroidery design and load it into the embroidery machine.

Step Four

Open the magnetic hoop and place the cutaway stabilizer on the bottom. Place large piece of the silver Aluminor right side up into the hoop and center it – verifying the correct orientation of the design.

Step Five

Machine embroider the design.

Step Six

Take the Aluminor out of the hoop. Trim the threads and stabilizer to about ¼” from the design.

Step Seven

Follow step 4 again, if more than one hooping is desired (my design was 3 hoopings).

Step Eight

CONSTRUCTION:

Sew the four gold Aluminor strips together to form a continuous loop. Begin sewing at the widest part and sew down to the shortest part.

STOP sewing a stitch away from ¼” mark from the edge.

The two short ends and the two long ends will meet at a 60 degree angle with the largest part at the top and the shortest at the bottom. It should form a rectangle with the two shorter sides on each end and the longer strips on the opposite sides.

Step Nine

Sew the four silver Aluminor strips in the same manner as the gold ones in step 8.

Step Ten

Clip the silver Aluminor loop to the large piece of Aluminor.

Step Eleven

Sew the loop to the large piece of the Aluminor, pivoting at the corners and being careful not to bend the material.

Step Twelve

Finger press the seams towards large piece of Aluminor.

Step Thirteen

Follow steps 10-12 for the gold Aluminor.

Step Fourteen

ADDING BINDING:

Using a piping foot with the needle adjusted accordingly, sew the piping to the edge of the gold Aluminor with right sides together with a ½” seam allowance.

Clip the corners just before pivoting to make the turn easier.

You may need to use a stiletto to push the binding back under the foot and into the groove.

Splice the ends together to form a seamless edge as follows.

Stop stitching 2″ from the matching point and trim the excess binding to about 2″ longer than the other side.

Open the free end.

Trim about 1″ of the cording.

Slip the two pieces together to form one piece of binding.

Continue sewing to complete the loop.

Trim corners.

Remove the piping foot.

Step Fifteen

Finger press the piping towards the top of the strips.

Step Sixteen

Set the sewing machine length to a basting stitch. Baste the top edge of the silver Aluminor ½” all the way around, pivoting at the corners. This will be used as a guide to turn it down. Trim corners.

Step Seventeen

Fold the silver Aluminor down along the ½” basting stitch and finger press in place.

Step Eighteen

Turn the gold Aluminor piece inside out, with the right side facing down.

Step Nineteen

Place the silver Aluminor piece inside the gold piece, matching the silver edge that has been folded down snuggly against the gold piping.

Clip in place.

Step Twenty

Check to make sure that they both fit snuggly one inside of the other. Adjust if necessary.

Step Twenty-one

Using a zipper foot with the needle adjusted accordingly, stitch as close as possible to the edge of the silver edge that was folded down without going over the edge.

Step Twenty-two

Check to make sure that both pieces are sewn together well.

Remember it is reversible so you can use either side to match your décor.

Enjoy!