Flowers and Vines Variation

This punchneedle embroidery version of the hooked stool is done I think. I may rearrange the vines a bit. It's done on hand-dyed wool, using 2 strands of embroidery floss. The loop pile is fairly high. I applied woven interfacing to the back of the wool in order to punch through it successfully. I think I'll make a handbag out of this; still thinking about the bag design.

Dying with Bonnie

My sister, Bonnie, had to come into Cambridge Saturday to drop off one of her pieces of art at the Cambridge Art Association for their upcoming National Prize Show in May. Afterwards she came to visit and we dyed some of her wool yarn. One skein came out a brilliant terra cotta and the other a yellowy-gold. Unfortunately we weren't paying attention when rinsing out the gold and it started to felt! Cascade 220 yarn really is a great felting yarn. Later, I tried out some Pro-chem dyes I got. I used a new washfast acid dye color, golden pear which I used on a natural wool. I love it - mottled some and very pear-like. I also tried a new one shot dye, Autumn, on a dark oatmeal wool. It's nice, a bit darker than I wanted. And definitely not as delicious as the homemade pumpkin bread Bonnie gave me! I also got to see in person many of her beautiful perfectly knitted pieces that I covet. You can see them for yourself on her blog, Towards the Blue Peninsula, in the sidebar.

Cover Up

Another punchneedle embroidery gets a permanent home. The cat gets to grace this address book cover. This was quick and easy to put together!

Spokes and more spokes

On the left is the punchneedle embroidery sample I made for the spokes stool. It's 2 in x2 in, worked with single strands of embroidery floss. I think I'll use it on the front of a needle case I have been thinking about making. The other photo is the hooked rug stool as it stands so far, based on the pne sample. Have a super weekend, and a heartfelt thank you to each of you for your extremely nice comments!

Apron

So what did I end up doing with the turnip embroidery? It became decoration for the pocket of this apron I made. The patterned material is from a (Gap I think!) shirt I stopped wearing because it shrank too much. And as you can see, I added a little clip for hooking scissors and such on. Almost too crafty a project for me!

Color Sandwich

Sunday morning I did some dying. I'm trying to use up most of my Cushing's dyes before getting some Pro-Chem dyes. These are Old Gold, Dark Green, and Terra Cotta dyes straight up - no dye recipes used this time. Now, time to run the gold through the cutter and start hooking.

Put Yer Feets Up Thursdays

Week 9:
It's a beautiful Spring day so I'm posting the finished Flowers and Vines stool. I'm thinking on working this design using pn embroidery on some hand-dyed wool - and maybe another hooked stool using different colors.

Wrap Up

I finished up the embroidered bracelet and I'm semi-happy with it. I trimmed the bracelet and applied glue to its edge. I couldn't find silk ribbon locally so used sanmari ribbon instead that I'm quite pleased with. Attaching the ribbon to the band with Wonder Under worked well. Here's what I don't like: There's not enough of an edge to cover up the tiny white material edge that peeks through. And, something about it reminds me of high school. Still, I think I'll try a 2 inch cuff using more delicate-thinner threads.

Put Yer Feets Up Thursdays

Week 8: Dark Stripes
It actually feels like spring out this evening so this is a quick note as I'm going out for a walk. This week's stool is primarily greens and purples and lots of texture. I gave this stool to a sister and brother-inlaw.

Tree of Life

Here's an old rug hooking pattern I have. It's a Virginia Snow design. From the pictures on the pattern's flyer it looks to be from the mid 1920s or later. The Virginia Snow patterns were for punch needle and distributed through the Dexter Thread Company. I think Dexter sold their products through Sears Robuck. Anyway, I like the quirky tree of life design.Then again it could be just a whimsical flowering plant.

Sunday Samples

I keep changing my mind on the color scheme for the spokes stool. My most recent leaning is to use a split complementary of yellow green, violet, and yellow oranges. My original idea involved using salmon with red violets and a myrtle green. Either way I'll need to do some dying! But really, I'm pretty sure I'll be changing my mind again before I finish.


I'm making a punch needle embroidery wrist band as an experiment. It's about 1 inch wide. My plan is to use a small toggle clasp for the fastening and attach the embroidery to silk ribbon for the inside backing. Now I'm trying to find a store with nice silk ribbon but may have to go the online route. I'm pretty happy with it so far, but I'm thinking a wider 2 inch band would be cool.

Put Yer Feets Up Thursdays

Week 7: The Underbelly
Sometimes how the underside of a piece looks is as important as the top. I always add upholstery fabric and sometimes a trim to cover up the raw stool bottom. I try to use a fabric that works well with the hooked stool design. Since I use fabric remnants it can be tricky now and then to find a smashing pair up.

Turnip Up

I ended up tacking the turnip I made a while back onto a piece of linen, and then added a little embroidery and applique. I'm thinking of turning it into a pot holder or I may stitch to another base fabric to make a small hanging.

Put Yer Feets Up Thursdays

Week 6: Re-tread Stripes
This stool was my first commission. Its colors are the same as the first striped stool I posted except for one subtle different color. I varied the stripe pattern also.

Embroidered Buttons

The other week when I made my felt ball pin cushion I found some half ball button covers in my button stash. This weekend I punched these buttons while taking a break from hooking a handbag. The size of these are 3/4 inch.

Put Yer Feets Up Thursdays

Week 5:
Here are random rectangles with a small color palette. Could this also be influenced by Klee?

Primitive kitty

This is my version of the little primitive kitty project featured in the new book, Miniature Punchneedle Embroidery: Simple Techniques Beautiful Projects by Linda Repasky. It's a must-read (or must-have!) if you're interested in this type of needlecraft. The book is very well written, has outstanding photos for visual learning, and is just chock-full of useful information. And check out these pretty hand-dyed cotton threads, Wildflowers by Caron. I was recently turned onto using them for pne. The kitty and border were worked using these. The background is 2 strands of cotton embroidery floss.
Now, back to rug hooking.

Turning lemons into lemonade

I never much liked the saying but it's turned out to be that kind of weekend. I didn't have any lemons but I did have my cats' old worn felt ball and the need for another pin cushion. I didn't pay attention to stitch perfection but had fun making my new pin cushion. (and it makes a funky creature turned upside down).

Cambridge Hooked Rug Exhibit

It's not every day there's a hooked rug exhibit so if you happen to be in the Cambridge, Ma. area in the next couple weeks, plan to see The Passion of Emily Robertson: Contemporary Hooked Rugs in the Sherrill Library at the Episcopal Divinity School on Brattle St. All the rugs are wonderful and span a variety of styles, including some of her garden rugs that are brilliant expressions of light and shadow. Other rugs are downright humorous and thought-provoking. Emily joined our rug hooking group when she moved to Cambridge to pursue another degree. The rug shown is taken from the Green Mountain Rug Hooking Guild's web site. Emily will be one of the featured artists at the guild's rug show in April. Bravo, Emmy!

Permanent UFO?

I'm heavily leaning towards putting this mat, Swirling Seaweed, into the not-to-be-completed pile. The design originally had a dragon fly in the upper right area but I wasn't satisfied with how that was turning out, so I nixed the dragonfly and thought I might add a needle felted lotus. But I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be happy with that because I just dislike how this is turning out. I'm also not satisfied with the dark background. The green seaweed is temporary bits and pieces until I find the green wool I was going to use. My original thought was a moonlight Asian inspired image. The design was inspired by an antique Deerfield embroidery. Maybe I should rip it all out and restart with different colors?

Put Yer Feets Up Thursdays

Week 4: Center Stripe
This stripe variation is one of my favorites. I like using these colors and should do some dying because I'm completely out of the terra cotta color. I love mixing salmon-pink with terra cotta or warm oranges. The result is lively I think. I didn't plan the pattern other than the center stripe. The rest of the design I decided as I went along.

Crafty day

Today was a mixed bag. Here's some marble magnets I made using last year's calendar. I also framed yesterday's embroidery piece and sketched out some potential designs for rug hooking projects.

Eat, drink, and be merry

I finished this pn embroidery last night. It's 3.75 x 2.5 inches. I used one strand of embroidery floss. I have a little black frame I'm going to put it in. I'll find a spot to hang it in the kitchen.

Put Yer Feets Up Thursdays

Week 3: Klee's Twilight
Thursday's going to be a busy day so I'm jumping the gun! This stool was inspired by Paul Klee's "Fire in the Evening" painting. I was looking at a book on Klee and realized I had just dyed some similar colors. I planned the design as I went along, again starting at one end, switching to the other end, and meeting in the middle. I remember being a bit nervous that it wouldn't be balanced as I headed toward the middle, but it seemed to work out fine.

Swirls Round

Okay, you get a heart today. This was my first attempt at needle punch embroidery. Quite bad, but it's the thought that counts.

Flowers and Vines

I just finished hooking this. It's a good thing because I had just enough of the main background color. After steaming it, I'll do the upholstery step and then this stool wil be finished. Bad photo I know- I think my camera's focusing ability may be on the decline. I hope not - maybe new batteries will do the trick.

Put Yer Feets Up Thursdays

Week 2
9 circles for February 9! This stool was fun to hook. I enjoyed making each circle different while using the same wools in each. I've been meaning to make another with circles, but with the circles placed randomly.

Mafrash Discovery

Friday after work I went down the street to the Armenian Library and Museum. It was a nice way to shift away from the work week. One of the exhibits on view right now is about Turkish baths. There were some absolutely beautifully embroidered bath towels and bundling cloths. There were also some mafrashes - large storage containers made from kilims. The patterns and colors were great. I was very interested in how the edges were joined. It looks like the edges were sewn together with overcast stitches and then covered with herringbone stitches. Sue, the textile conservator at the museum, showed me Mafrash, a book they had just acquired. It was filled with lots of wonderful photos. You can always be guaranteed you’ll see some interesting textiles at the Armenian Museum. I found an online exhibit from the New England Rug Society “To Have and To Hold” that has lots of photos and good information.

Put Yer Feets Up Thursdays

Week 1:
I've decided to do a weekly feature for awhile highlighting some of the stools and ottomans I've hooked and made. This was the first one I made using this metal frame. It was a housewarming gift for one of my sisters but I hope she doesn't mind the flaws. These hand dyed colors are some of my favorites. I let the stripe pattern evolve as I hooked it. I started at one end, then switched to the other, and finished up in the middle. It was the start of enjoying stripes.
Check the links in the sidebar for an online random stripe maker I found. Endless possibilties and it's also great for looking at color combinations.

Cats Demand Equal Time

If you mention dogs, you just have to be fair and do the same for cats! So here's a fun rug I made for myself of one of my past cats, Mimi. Sadly, I had to put her to sleep last spring. She was a great (big), sweet cat, and never caused any mischief. I always said " Oui, oui, Mimi!" when feeding her. The rug's in my kitchen, in front of the sink. A fitting place, considering eating was her favorite past-time. Of course, I have to include a pic of the real Madam Mimi.

Year of the Dog

Happy Chinese New Year!
May you find prosperity, health, luck, and happiness in all you encounter.

This One's for Joelle

Here you go, Joelle - the photo's for you, not the ottoman! (click on the photo for a larger image)

White outside - Colors Inside

Finished this little piece. After I steam it, I'll stretch and attach it to a 3x3 inch piece of plywood. That's it for today - bit of shoveling to do.

Seasons Minis

I thought I'd make some mini mats, 3x3 inch, depicting the seasons. Right now I'm trying out punching narrow wool strips with my Craftsman needle. I sawed an extra notch in it to get a shorter loop. I thought I'd show the backside that you punch from and the front. It's not coming out as abstract as I wanted, but I'll wait and see as it's filled in more. Here's also a winter mini that I did last year using a regular rug hook. I used a bit of roving in it.

Amy Oxford Workshop

Saturday my rug hooking group, the Wooly Bullies, had Amy Oxford come and teach us everything about punch needle rug hooking. She's a fantastic teacher and had many of her beautiful rugs and other pieces to show us as samples. It's amazing how thick rugs are punched with rug wool as compared to traditional rug hooking. She had a beautiful piece she punched using silk yarn. It had a wonderful sheen and was incredibly soft. She said it was extremely difficult to punch. After Amy showed us the technique we tried our hand at punching using rug wool, many different types of yarns and combining them, and wool strips. She also showed us how to punch single yarns and narrow wool strips using a mini punch needle she's developing. I really liked the look of that for small pieces. I'm going to try to punch a stool cover using wool strips. I think it will take me less time than traditional hooking. I'll post some photos of it.

From Krishna to Cats in the Sun

Happy New Year! My kitchen calendar has gone from Krishna and Radha art to cats lounging in the sun while my engagement calendar went from botanical drawings to wanderlust photos. Hmm, perhaps travel to the Mediterranean is in my future.
With the start of the new year I began working on this year's goals and resolutions. Seeing as this year will be the Year of the Dog that's all the more reason to put goals and plans down in writing! One thing that I put down every year is that I'll do at least one "new" thing every month.
I've begun a couple journals. One is a great little project journal that one of my sisters gave me in which I can keep track of all my projects. The other journal I'm starting is my fiber book where I can doodle and work out various ideas for rugs, etc. Up to now I've been rather scattered with this - bits and pieces of paper and wool strewn here and there. Time to try to be a bit more organized!

Last Day of the Year

This morning I decided to use up some Cushing dyes and dyed some rather dull medium blue wool. I threw in some American Beauty and Violet. Here's a pic of the results - nothing outstanding but definitely better than the original. I'll be able to use this wool for the punch needle rughooking workshop on the 7th with Amy Oxford. She's going to teach my rug hooking group punch needle with everything from rug wool to wool strips to exotic yarns. What a great way to start the new year!
I also did another little embroidery punch needle. This one's done with 2 strands DMC cotton embroidery floss. I like the colors and the cotton flows more smoothly than the linen strands. Oh, I did rip out that ugly background from the first project.

Something New

The other day I decided to try some punch needle embroidery (also called Russian punch needle embroidery or Igolochkoy ). Last year I found a set of needles at a yard sale. This is done with 2 strands DMC linen embroidery floss. It's about 1.5 by 3 inches. The colors are brighter than in the photo but I don't really like the background color. This is a practice piece so I'll leave it be. A nicer needle would be worthwhile and then the pile could be shorter. I'll have to practice alot more. A woman I rug hook with does unbelievably beautiful pn embroidery.
I'm still working on the second Johnny Cash rug and will post an update soon. I changed the blue and green stripes stool to vines and flowers. And I decided to start it over. I purchased a different type of linen to try out and found I really dislike working with it. I keep avoiding working on this piece because of the linen so it looks like it's time to go back to my preferred linens.

Almost Blue

Came home from work today, saw the light flashing on my answering machine, and learned that the indigo class was cancelled due to low enrollment. How disappointing! Jenny, I guess I will have to take you up on your offer to visit Missouri to do some indigo dying!

Anniversary Rug

My mom just sent me this photo of the anniversary rug I made for my parents in 2003. She recently hung it in their bedroom. Nice hanging job, Tom and Mom! My favorite parts are the side "fence" borders, the "kids in the nest" and the strawberry because my Dad liked to say that "Anita's kisses are sweeter than all the strawberries in the world."

Mood Indigo

I received the supply list for the Indigo workshop I'm taking on Dec. 3 & 4. I was very excited to read that we'll learn some shibori techniques also. It looks like I have all of the needed supplies but I'm going to get some silk and linen to dye. I've been reading "Indigo Textiles: Technique and History" by Gosta Sandberg. It has a good amount of historical info and overviews of the different indigo dye techniques used around the world(with some nice photos too). I just picked up from inter-library loan "Indigo, Madder and Marigold" by Trudy van Stralen. I can't comment on it yet - haven't turned a page of it! The other fiber related book I'm reading is "The Root of Wild Madder: Chasing the History, Mystery, and Lore of the Persian Carpet" by Brian Murphy. So far it's an interesting and entertaining page turner. I'm learning alot about present-day Iran and Afghanistan and just as much about the Persian Empire.

I Walk the Line

Finally, a photo of the finished Johnny Cash #1 rug (and just in time for the movie!). Well, I still have to finish/bind the edge but I consider that close enough to say it's done. It's done in all blacks and grays for "the man in black", but the blacks are a mixture of black, and dark/dark bright blues, greens, and purples wools so it would have some depth and movement. I'm still working on the Johnny Cash #2 rug and gotta get my hooking hands moving faster - or find more time.

Some Benefits of Snow

It was actually snowing enough today to wear a winter hat - so I had a chance for the first time to wear a beautiful hat knitted by my brother-in-law, Pfef. Not only did he knit me the hat, but also matching socks and sweater, a Levold Herod design. How lucky am I?! In the background of the photo is one of my sister Jenny's luscious hand woven towels.

The dismal afternoon weather allowed me to drink alot of coffee and almost finish hooking the Johnny Cash #1 rug. I'll post a photo when it's done.

A couple of weeks ago I dropped off the oak & acorn stool at the Fiber Art Center and was fortunate to see the Bamboo Show, a show of interesting and diverse pieces using bamboo. I also had the opportunity to see a trunk show of Afghanistan war rugs. The rugs have really stuck with me. Some a bit difficult to view but really interesting designs. You can learn more about them at www.warrug.com.

Bag Lady

I've been using my new hooked bag and it's a great size to carry all the usual essentials but still big enough to include a book. It's about 9x10x2 inches. It's been especially nice to use these past few gloomy, rainy days.

Blue Building for a Rainy Day

I finished sewing up my handbag last Saturday. It was easy, not the hassle I was expecting. I'll take some pictures soon. In the meantime here's a pic of one of my favorite buildings along Storrow Drive between Harvard Square and Western Ave. I like how the sky and clouds are reflected in the windows and the uneven window pattern. I think it would make a nice rug design. I don't know the name of the building or the architect.

the whirlwind is in the thorn tree

After a long day at work Thursday I was too nackered to go to my rug hooking group - so the group didn't get to see this rug yet. Anyway, this is the beginnings of my Johnny Cash #2 rug. The inspiration for this rug comes from the liner notes to Cash's last album. He wrote that the idea for "When the Man Comes Around" came from a dream he had in Nottingham about the Queen. She tells him he's like a whirlwind in a thorn tree (read the liner notes for the full story). I'm going to add the words to the lower portion of the sky. If I'm happy with how this turns out, I'll enter it in The American Folk Art Museum's "Icons of America" rug contest.