Friday Finish!

This week I have spent working on my rug and my hand quilting, still lots to go. I have been wanting to make something felted, so yesterday I worked on a stork. I got a book from the library, but you know me, I looked at the pictures and did my own thing.

I also have been wanting to try a wire form, so for this one I used chenille. I made a body part, wings and feet and then I wrapped roving around the main frame, to get started. Once that was done, I added the roving to form the stork.

It was nice having a form to work around without thinking about attaching the pieces, but it also made it harder to felt, since I had to work around the chenille and once I hit it and broke a needle. I think I enjoy free form felting better, I have more control over shapes and forming the shape to get depth and details.

Not what I wanted to happen, but not too bad. I think I will go back and fix a few things, definitely his big feet, lol. I can cut off the excess and reform with new roving.

Since I have made a long length of braid, I started sewing it together. I tried following the directions for sewing properly, which didn't work for me. The braids are smaller and not formed perfectly, so I have to sew under some and through others. As long as I can't see the thread and it is sewed tightly, I am fine with that.

This is what I have done so far, it is taking a lot longer than I remember. I work on this for a bit during the day and my hand quilting at night, eventually both projects will get done.

Here is a close up, I cannot get the true green. It is bright, but more a blue/green shade, with dark blue and medium blue.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. We have a nice day tomorrow. I have decided it is time to get out for more hiking and less bending over the beach, so hopefully I am up for a good hike tomorrow.

Braided Rug Finished!

I finished my rug this weekend, at least as far as I wanted to go on it. It was done with thrift wools and smaller braids so I just wanted to use what I had and make a smaller rug with it. The braided rug was done  years ago, so it is a bit worn, but with the scrappy wools, it all goes together.

We have had rain for days so I wasn't able to get an outside photo. There are so many shades in the wools it is hard to get the camera to recognize all of them and get true colors, but I got pretty close. The finished size is 39" round. Too small for some areas and too big for others, so I put it in front of a table, for now.

The center going from light to darker the way it did, offset the look of the circle and I am not great at ending my braids, still working on that technique.

Here is a closer look so you can see the colors and textures I used in the rug. Men's jackets make great braided rugs and hold up well.

Friday Finishes and Progress!

I have been busy this week working on projects and I finally cleaned up my sewing room so I can make a mess again. On the previous post, some thought those were photos of me, they are my daughter who is living with us again and now she is paddling with us.

I started the braided rug again, but this time I added a hooked chair pad to the center. I have never done this and thought it would be fun to try. I sewed the braid around the edge of the rug by catching the edge of the backing. Once I got a few rows on, I folded the leftover backing in half and sewed that to the braids. I did it that way because the rug was a bit thicker than the braids and this evened it out by raising the first few rows of braids to the same height. I am just going to sew it around until I run out of braid and then use it on the living room floor. Later I will start a thicker braid and make a full sized rug for the room.

I have a broken tail bone from riding on a toboggan without a pad, not a smart thing to do. My new couch is not comfy on my tailbone so I got a travel pillow to sit on and today I made a quick cover for it. I just made it to the size with a little extra and left a small opening and stitched that up by hand. Nothing fancy, but it does the trick.

Another surprise this week was a gift from my friend Fannie Narte. She is a wonderful artist and does beautiful paintings which she has printed into panels to use in sewing projects. She offered a panel to anyone who asked and not only did she send me a beautiful panel to make a sachet with, but she sent me a finished one that she personalized with my name on the back, I love it. It is filled with organic french lavender. Be sure to visit her Shop, she has a lot of wonderful designs that are perfect to use in gifts for friends.

Giveaway Winners and Works in Progress!

This week I have been working on my wool piece. It is a design called A Gentle Life by Threads That Bind. I fell in love with this, when I first saw it and finally got around to making it. The original is in a frame and I have an idea for mine, so hope I can make it work, and my husband can make me something I have in mind;)

I still have the words and some details to finish.

Another thing I decided was to redo my braided rug. I was going to make stair treads and gave up on that idea so kept going and the rug was going to be too long for what I wanted. I also used lighter weights and smaller strips and realized it would not make a durable rug for the long haul, so I took it apart. I have a pineapple chair pad that I made and thought it would be perfect to put in the middle and the braid around it, and have it become a circle rug. It will be good practice to do a circle rug and learning how to attach a braid to a rug, to see how I like it. Moki likes it just the way it is, the perfect cat  toy.

And now for the winners! I picked two winners and they are....... Wendy of Ravenwood Whimzies and Missie of Hallbrook designs. Email me with your epattern choice. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. As for the things in the water, I have no idea what they are, just that there were thousands of them in clusters, so I assume it was something that bloomed or hatched.

Still Hooking!

What I thought was going to be a quick project, turned into a two week marathon. I am on the last ten rows though and hoping I can get it done tomorrow, my hands are killing me, lol.  I bought 2 yards of cheap homespun to add to the rug, and all I got was 4 rows out of it, you use a lot more fabric when you get out the outside.

As you can see, Izzy doesn't mind if it isn't finished, it is still a nice place to sleep. That is the backside, my locker hooking skills are a bit lacking, but I like the look and it will look nice in the entryway.

Christmas quilt, punch needle and Izzy!

I finished two more pieces today. The first is a free pattern called Home for Christmas by Hatched and Patched. It was a fun piece to make and I used wool for the applique to make it easier. My tongues are a bit whonky though.

The second is my snowman punch, I ended up making it into a pillow. I like how it came out and pillows are nice since you can sit them on shelves or use in bowls and baskets. The design is by Brenda Gervais.

The kitties are being their usual obnoxious selves, pulling down garland, walking off with candy canes and knocking down anything in their path;) And sometimes they are quiet and find a nice cozy place to sleep.

( Sidenote ) For those of you who voted for Dora in the kitty contest, I want to thank all of you. She won second place in the voters choice, so I will be getting some new fat quarters, thread and a round cutter!

Birds and Braids!

I found this free pattern on Wee Folk Art and thought it would be a fun and fast project. I wanted to use it as a holder for my crushed pine, so instead of stuffing it, I used batting and sewing the crushed pine into the batting. That way I could blanket stitch the piece, without the pine, falling out.

I need rugs and the hooked rugs are getting destroyed by the animals, so I looked online for some new rugs. I did find some I liked, but then I thought, I can make braided rugs, why buy one, lol. Soooo, I got the one I started, and went back to work on it. I use my scrap, heavier wools on braided rugs, so the colors are dependent on what I have. I am trying to keep the blacks and darks mixed in, but pops of color always look nice on a braided rug. I was planning on using it in the living room, not sure yet, but it will be put to use somewhere. Braided rugs are great for obnoxious kitties. Moki loves the one by the back door, he rolls in it, rolls it up and snuggles in it. Now he is inspecting the new one and finding it to his liking;)

Braided Rug!

I decided to get back to my braided rug. I was going to make stair treads, then decided it was easier to buy them, lol.
So, I just kept braiding and this is what I have so far. I am going to put it in my living room, so I am braiding for now and seeing how it fits the room. If it is too long and not wide enough, I will take the first sections apart and make the middle smaller, so it will braid wider, as I go around. I am using mostly thrifts on this one and trying to keep the darks in there, but I like a bit of a pop, here and there.



I got nothing done today, it is way too hot. So hot that we decided it was time to put the main air conditioner in. So, just as my husband went to slide it in, he hit something and I hear a hissing, so much for that, it is dead. I have a portable one, so I had to put that in the living room and sit all day, with my heart problem, I can't do much without getting dizzy. Tomorrow we will go and get a new one.

The kitties are hot too, they are just lounging around all day. Moki has the sense to go in the basement where it is cool. I would go down there too and sit in my hooking room, but my daughter was over for a few days and it is a disaster. Now, what is wrong with this picture;)

And thank you for the compliments on my latest piece. It does look better in person than in the photo. I was thinking of putting old looking lace around it and making a small pillow. I will get going on my patterns, just trying to get my brain working again, sometimes I need a break and just create for awhile. I already found something new, I just have to make into something;)

Rug and Stitcheries

I was asked for a closeup and I hope this helps. The wools I am using are a mix of coat weights and some lighter weights, so it doesn't have the solid bulk of a regular braided rug which would be done in coat weights. I would love to make on just in coat weight for my living room. The wools are denser and hold up a lot better to wear and tear. Using lighter weights tend to be too soft and you get crinkles, as you can see in the photo.

As to how I learned, I didn't. LOL
I looked at books and then I just wing it. I do use the new braid aids. I had an old pair and they were clunky and a pain, so I bought a new set and love how light they are and easy to use. My original ones I did by hand, I just folded the wool as I went, something you practice until you get the hang of it, but the braid aids are easier and easier on the hands. The outer edge is a golden brown, but the camera picked up more red, so it looks a lot brighter in the picture.




I also finished a piece that I made from an old grave stone design. I will put a border on it and maybe a date, will decide after I add a border. This piece will look a lot nicer when I antique it.

New Braided Rug

Since I went the easy way and bought braided runners, I decided to take the wool I put together and make a rug for my living room. It is nothing fancy, just scrap wools that I wanted to use up and it will cover the floor until I make a better one. As you can see, Izzy had to test it, the minute I laid it down. I will keep going around until it covers the middle area of the room.



Since It was so beautiful out today, I enjoyed some cooler air on the porch. Of course I start to see things as the dusk settles in.
Do you see what I saw in the trees? Every time I go to Maine, I say I will see a moose and never do, so now I have one in my backyard;)

Buys and Braids

I hit some stores this week and got some great buys.
One was a yard of upholstery fabric from Jo anns. Seems someone made a mistake and marked it down to 3 dollars and it was originally 40 a yard, nice deal;) I think it will make a beautiful supply bag, once I figure out how to make one.



The second find was new wool fabric at the thrift. Only .99 cents and over a yard each, so was very happy when I found that.



I found a new use for my old basket. It now holds wools and my braided rug, as I work on it. I was going to make stair treads, but thought it was too thick for that and decided to just keep going and make a large one for my living room. I want to make a hooked rug, but that will take a long time. This way I have something for now and allow me to plan and work on the hooked one.



And this is what I have done so far. I work on it part time, in between all my other projects. I am using up the wools that are not great for hooking and trying to stay on the darker side with this one. We shall see, as it progresses and what wools I pull out of the cellar. And yes, it is cockeyed, like everything else I make;)

New Braided Rug

I finally sat down and finished my rug today. It isn't that wide, but it sure is long, 144" long.
Lots of braiding and sewing in this one. I did traditional braid with 2" strips, sewing each piece by hand, as I went along.
I do not like long strips, they tend to tangle around each other, as I braid. So, I braid and sew the next piece on, when I reach the end. I had to lighten the image, so you could see it, so of course the colors are off. The outer edges run into the darker colors and the middle are brighter, but they don't pop and look so white. The hallway is a dark area, so I can get away with brighter colors;)



I used scrap wools, including flannels, thinner and thicker, and even some worsted weight. I have to admit, the worsted gives it a more solid feel, but the flannels make it too cushy. I prefer a thick heavy rug to walk on. But for now, this one will do. I may even take the ends and cut across and make it into a rectangle rug. Just doesn't look right in that shape, in that hallway?
We still have to finish off the flooring, but we are putting up wainscoting, so it will go in a bit at a time.

Dora helps with braiding

I worked on my braided rug tonight and making progress, slow but sure.
Of course, Dora has to get her paws into the action and help out.
I think my rugs get as much use before they are done, as after;)



Here she is inspecting the rug for mistakes.

100th Post! Freebie and New Chairpads

I decided in honor of my 100th post, to offer my new bunny pattern that I made up. You can see the finished piece if you scroll down. I thought it was better to give away one item that everyone can enjoy, instead of one person winning a prize. You can punch it, hook it or make a penny out of it. Whatever medium that you like to do, you can use it for. You can also sell the item you make, as long as you do not mass produce it.



I have been sick with the horrible cold going around. Luckily I saw it coming and took cillin in time, so I avoided the bronchitis my husband got, but it does knock you down a bit. Since I have been sitting on my butt resting, I had to have something easy to do, lol. I cannot just sit;) So, I decided it was time to make some chair pads.

I have lots of scrap wool and this is a great way to use it up. I made three pads for the chairs at the table and the two against the wall, I will leave hooked pieces on. I have one braided rug, I did years ago and I have to admit, that has held up the longest. I think I might make one braided runner for my hallways. The first one I did was rag style and it was too bumpy and thin to work as a rug. My border collie needs rugs he can run across, so one braid and the long runner I am hooking, should help his slipping problem.

Day Two: Wool cutting marathon

Well, the good news is a few more boards and the floors will be done, yeh!
Spent the day cutting again and got more done today and only about 5 more jackets to go.

With all the noise going on, Casey and Dora hid out with me, but Casey was not amused by Dora's antics.



Dora decided the pile was more fun to play in, as you can see. Isn't she the cutest thing:)



Then it was onto the mattress I was sitting and cutting on, she decided to help with tearing some wool apart.



After all that hard work and play, Dora decided it was time for some rest and what better place to nap than a big bag filled with discarded wools.



And this is the result of all that cutting. It is alot of work, but I got a great selection of wools for hooking, braiding and rag rugs. If you consider that I pay a dollar an item, that pile of wool would have cost me a bundle if I had bought it new. Some wools will stay as is and others will be over dyed. The ugly pinks will become a deep prim rose for a new rug I am planning.

Braided Hallway runner

I finally finished my braided rug last night and as you can see, my big baby loves it. He has been having a tough time walking on the wood floors, or in his case running after the cat, so I wanted to make a quick runner for the hallway. I used scrap wools and did a rag braid and tied off the pieces by slitting the ends and knotting them. It went pretty quick, but I am glad it is done. I love braiding, but not when I am in a hurry to get it done. Now I can take my time and work on hooked rugs for the house, going to need a few big ones.

Now I am working on a wall quilt for me and finishing a rug challenge. It is nice to make things for myself for once and it is time I decorate my own house;) The runner is 80" x 20". It took me about a week to make it. Now we still need to put in the wainscoting and trim.