Finally finished...

I am so pleased to share with you all that I have finished my first hooked rug.

 

I am running a competition on my Facebook page to name the pattern which I plan to sell in my Etsy shop.

 



 

This has inspired me to design and make more rugs, but I also have some patterns from Not Forgotten Farm that I am looking forward to making. As I am not finding it very easy to get wool fabric for rug hooking I will probably make them using t-shirts, like my rug.

 

I do have a largish piece of green wool fabric that I want to cut up and over dye pieces. I would like to use natural dyes so I shall be investigating recipes. I will let you know how I get on.

 

 

Bright Blessings

 

 

From the Cabin xxx

Nearly there...

Ok, I've finished cutting my t-shirts into strips and have wound them onto the wooden spools...

 

I watched a You Tube video of a lady who was cutting t-shirts for braided rugs and I thought I use that idea for a quicker way for cutting my strips...

 

By folding the fabric in half, then half again

 

Always clean your mat after each t-shirt as they leave a mess behind that will transfer to your next t-shirt, which in itself isn't a major problem but it just gives you extra work so it's easier to clean as you go and while the mat is drying you can (as I did) wind your strips onto your spools.

 

 

 

 

What a lovely array of colours and they look so cool on the spools.



This is the hook I will be using from Fred Aldous


Before transferring the design I stitched a zigzag stitch around the edge so the fabric wouldn't un weave while I was working.

Then it was transferring onto my jute fabric backing ( cheap one from The Works as this is my first rug and lesson). I don't seem to be able to get hold of red dot transfer fabric in the UK, so I had to improvise using tracing paper.....

Then it was a case of transferring my design from my note book with a sharpie pen...

 

 

 

I made holes with a hole punch first, which wasn't that successful, so I followed the lines of the design and punched holes using a large needle; the batting was something soft to work on so the needle went through the paper.

 

Here is the design on the fabric. following instruction I found on beginners rug hooking, I don't have the link today but I will find it again and share it with you all. I stitch along the  rectangular outline and then a second stitch line a 1/4 inch outside of that....

The stitching is difficult to see in the photo as the thread is a similar colour. This stitching helps stabilise the fabric when you put it in your frame.


Now I am ready to hook, come back soon to see my work in progress...


Bright Blessings


From the Cabin xxxxx

 

 

 

 

Housework can wait...

I have decided that after many days and weeks of cold weather and working in the garden, the one day of gorgeousness will not be spent indoors doing housework.

 

So here I am sitting out on the decking enjoying a lovely cup of hazelnut cinnamon coffee and about to write a proposal for creating a craft club at work.

 

My view from the decking

laptop, proposal notes & coffee

The idea will be to get like minded folks together to  chat, share and work on projects. It will also be open to people who want to learn a craft, especially if retirement is looming and they want a hobby. We will also do presentations and demonstrations as well as classes.

I still have the idea to hold small classes at home. I will see how the ones at work go first.

Oh and in case anyone is wondering what the fluffy duster is for, it was to get rid of the cobwebs on the seat ;o).

Blessings

From the Cabin

Catch y'all soon

x



New listings...

The following patterns and items have been listed in my Esty  shop

 

Real Starfish in hand painted frame

Kitchen towel rack, cream with heart motif

Kitchen towel rack, cream over black with heart motif

Kitchen towel rack cream with star motif

Kitchen towel rack, cream over black with star motif

Cross stitch pattern

Blessings from the Cabin

X

 



New Listings coming...

I will be listing new items and patterns in my Etsy shop tomorrow night. Please pop along and check them out.

Craft Fayre Success & Craft Club in the making...

The Craft Fayre I organise at my place of work which took place on June 18^th during the lunch period, was a great success. I don’t think we had as many folks through the door as we have in the past but I still had some great sales. Unfortunately though I took my camera I forgot to take some photos, what a der brain I am!!!

I have also been in discussions with someone to set up a Craft Club that people can attend in their lunch break, to meet like-minded people and to work on their works in progress.  We will also organise talks, demonstrations and classes. My next step it to write the proposal to get the go ahead.

Rug hooking materials...

I have wanted to learn rug hooking for a while now and to design my own patterns.

I also want to use old cloths to hook with. I have found it difficult to find wool cloths in the charity shops so I thought I would try t-shirts.

I bought this pile from a charity shop

muted colours in stripes & floral

And cut them into strips

 

 

Then wound them onto some wooden spools I purchased many years ago and not got around to using in a craft project.

I have drawn my first design and I have some patterns coming from Lori of Not Forgotten Farm.

I haven’t cut all the t-shirts yet so when I have I will hook my design.

I will be back to let you know how I get on.

Bright Blessings from the Cabin xx