FINALLY working on a table runner!

Been wanting to get to this for awhile now.  Here are a few pictures of my table runner I am making.  I used Maggie Bonanomi's pattern from her book "Comfort Zone"....but I am going to finish it off a bit different.  This is what I have so far and will be stitching it down.  Will play with the runner and let you know what I will be doing to finish it off.  Have 2 pictures.  One with everything just layed in place and one with it pinned down.  Am excited about this one and my idea to finish it!!! 

OH, please excuse the messy pictures...just put on the floor!!!!

Hope all of you have a wonderful day and enjoying some spring-like weather....

 

Please check back to see what I am doing with this one!!  Oh, I just love wool...

 

Be Safe my friends,

Margaret

IT'S DONE!

Well, I finally got to finish my "watermellon"   hooked mat.  But now a funny story to tell.

 Remember that I was going to tea dye the front of my mat after I had finished to give  a more "prim" look to the homespun fabric.  Well, I decided to just leave it as it was...no tea dying...I kind of liked the look as it was...

OH, and I also decided this would be a mat and not a pillow.  So I cut a piece of black flannel for the backing and did not like the way it looked as the black of the flannel and black of the cotton just did not match.  So I cut a piece of black cotton and washed the sizing out of it.  Pinned it on and finally getting back to it --I finished  about 10 minutes ago.     Went to press it up ---back side first---and believe it or not, I knocked over my glass of tea!!!!  ON THE BACK SIDE....Duh!  If I was going to spill the tea--should have been the front side so I would have gotten my "tea dyed" look....

I did take a quick picture and now it is sitting on my work table --waiting to dry.  And yes, I did wash off the tea.....Could just see some ants coming to visit my "watermellon" that was smelling like tea!!!

It was a fun project--but I do prefer to hook with wool.  Fun to try new things.... Lesson learned if I do this again---I think the fabric I purchased was a thinner cotton fabric than the other piece I did many years ago.  The first piece I did was a pumpkin pillow for fall.  And I loved the little strings and prim look---but dang, this fabric was fraying like crazy.  I have cut and cut and gathered strings forever!!!  I also had to pack in the fabric so much as it pulled out very easy.  I decided to iron on interfacing on the back of the piece--before I added the black backing, just to help hold the fabric strips in.

Sure I have more lessons to add, but got to run.  We are heading down to Ft. Benning, Ga. tomorrow as my grandson is graduating from Basic and AIT this friday.  So very proud of him.  3 weeks of airborne training, then on to Special Forces training at Ft. Bragg, NC.  He is a very special man.   Lots of Army men in this family!!

Pictures were taken really quick.....When I get back and the mat is "dry"....I will take a picture when I put the mat in (on) its new home--at least its summer home!!

Take care my friends and have a wonderful week,
Margaret

ALMOST FINISHED!!

I have finally had the time to get back to and "almost" finish my Watermellon Rug that I hooked in homespun.  Here is what I have so far:

 

Tails have not been trimmed yet and I had not decided on my border --how big or what color.  Yep that is my foot you see in the picture! 

 And our cat, Nikki,  had to get in the picture.   We call Nikki our "little old lady".  She is nearly 20 years old.  Her sister passed away 3 years ago.  Nikki thinks she is a kitten and runs around and plays--then sleeps for hours as she has exhausted herself!  She is too funny...

 

 

Tails trimmed and I decided to do black for the frame around the picture.  I did change this up a little from the original pattern.  I ended up hooking 3 rows of black as I think I am going to use this as a mat on a table I had made.  Pics when I finish....

 

 

Just so you can see the back of my hooked piece.  Lots of loose strings when using homespun on a rug hooking project.....

 

Well, my friends.  Hope you all have a fantastic day.  If I finish this project this weekend, I will post a picture. 

 

 I want to do an "art quilt" project next as far as sewing goes OH and a table runner.  But now that the weather is so nice, I am itching to get out in the garage and cut some wood.  First I am making a table riser for my kitchen table.  I have a runner I want to make, but I usually keep my trencher with dried goodies and my wood swan sitting in the trencher and that sits on top of the table cloth I usually use.  If I am making a runner, I want to see all my hand stitched pieces, so putting my trencher on a riser will expose more of the handwork..

 

It is just after 5:30 am and I have been up awhile--hope I am making sense!!

 

Have a beautiful day!

Margaret

 

 

WHAT I WORKED on TODAY...

I love to rug hook....I did a pumpkin pillow years ago using homespun cotton instead of wool and I enjoyed the look of the pillow.  Prim and very "old looking".

  Have been wanting to do another piece and found a pattern for a watermellon in an old Create and Decorate magazine....and decided this was it!!

Had pattern and homespun on my cutting table for weeks ....so today I found a few hours  to go to town...here is what I have done so far...

 

My black "seeds" and just starting the watermellon in a red and creamy checked homespun.

 

 

 

Filling  in ....

 

 

Red checked finished and added the deep green rind....

Have background to finish and border and the words "watermellon" in black  ....Background is a creamy tan fabric with green stirpes --like a ticking fabric.  Then border in  either the red or deep green.  or both..will play with that.

 

After I am done, I am going to spray with a dark coffee mixture...to "prim" up just a bit!!!

May be a larger, long pillow or a mat??  will see..

 

Have a wonderful evening my friends,

Margaret

Some pictures of my Easter Decorating....

I realized that I had not taken any pictures of my Easter decorating this year.  Changed things up a  little.  I don't do pastels, but Easter decorating seems to lend itself to lighter colors...I took quick pictures--so don't look too close at any "messyness" in my rooms!!  Some of my items are really old and not too pretty--but just can not get rid of...have sentimental value and that is important!

 

I think the sun came out (for a change) as I was taking this picture.  Excuse the glare..Should have done a close up of the mantel.  I have these really grubby, big carrots on each side.  The basket is filled with violets and the basket on the left side of the mantel is filled with painted eggs.  The basket in front of the fireplace has some chicks I made of muslin and painted and also some eggs... I also made the big floppy earred rabbit.  He is painted and grubby also...

 

I love the little "villages"...can not see this one very well--sorry.  It is cute..

 

Pillow I made--wool applique and on the seat of the chair is a little rug hooked piece..

 

 

One of my table centerpieces...I made the "wabbit".  He has curly wire legs that are so cute.  Eggs are prim painted and made the mini- carrots.

 

I love decorating this old breadbox.  I painted the bunny on the wood bowl...

 

 

This is one of my "breadboards" that I make and paint.  I went to the "dollar store" and got bunches of the yellow flowers and added them here and there to brighten up a spot...Yellow flowers scream spring to me!!

 

 

More spring flowers to brighten my kitchen.  Flowers are sitting on a penny rug that I made...

 

I just love this floppy eared bunny.  In my kitchen where I can see him...

 

I did take more pictures, but don't want to bore anyone!!!

 

Hope you all have a wonderful Easter. 

 

Hugs to all,

Margaret

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SPRING????

Spring Snowstorm in Williamsburg, VA....Supposed to be rain/snow mix "maybe"...HA!HA!  Coming down hard for 2 hours and still snowing hard.  Can not wait to see what the morning brings!!..  Enjoy your spring weather my friends...Margaret

RECIPE TIME !

Been baking cookies all afternoon for my husbands's office.  Thought I would share our favorite Peanut Butter Cookie recipe. 

 

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

 

1/2 cup shortening (I use 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup shortening)

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)

1 egg

1and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

 

Mix shortening (and butter), peanut butter, sugars and egg thoroughly.  Measure flour and sift together with the baking powder and baking soda and salt.  Stir into shortening mixture.  Chill dough.

 

Heat oven to 375*.  Roll dough in 1/1/4 balls ( I use a small cookie scoop--much faster).  Place 3" apart on baking sheet.  Flatten crisscross style with a fork. 

 

 MY SECRET:  then sprinkle top of cookie with "Sugar In the Raw"--thicker granulated sugar--love the stuff in coffee!!

Bake 10 to 12 minutes.  Makes about 3 dozen cookies

 

BE PREPARED!!  These will be eaten FAST....I usually double this recipe..

 

ENJOY my friends!



My Americana Pillow

This has been a work in progress for awhile now.  Kept changing and still am not totally satisfied.  LOVE to hear any comments, PLEASE...

Wool Applique.  The blue is 3 shades of wool that I stitched together using small "x's" in a black pearle cotton thread-----the red is a very deep red  hand dyed piece with the stripes a hand dyed light tan--actually a bit darker than the picture shows.


 The button hole stitch was done is a "gold tone" pearl cotton thread.  I added the stars, then decided it wasn't enough, so I backed the stars in a different shade of hand-dyed wool.  Stars attached with a blanket stitch using pearle cotton thread I tea dyed and the circle attached using the

same "gold tone" thread. 

Then I added the antique buttons, they actually have a dark tone to them--old buttons!!!  I stuffed the corners with fiberfil and the rest of the pillow with "rags"...

Love to hear what you think.....The dang pillow took me so long as I kept changing my mind ! :-)

Today I am starting another project!!  I love rug hooking.  I have a pattern for a "watermellon" pillow.  I am hooking it using homespun fabric.  I did a fall pillow in homespun and love the "primitive" look it had.  So will try one more...

Hope you all have a wonderful day.  Smiles and blessings  to all....

MY LATEST PILLOW USING MY HAND-DYED WOOL

 

Spring is coming -- Right!!  Don't know if you can tell, but I used a piece of my darkish-green hand-dyed wool for the right side of my pillow....the "henny penny" is also a piece of hand-dyed tan wool.  The green is slightly mottled as is the tan.....She is sitting on my bench just waiting for the warm weather!!!  Which may be awhile!!

 

My best to all of you!  Hope you have a very creative day,

Margaret

PENNY RUG FINISHED!! yeh

 

So glad this is finished and love it in my kitchen.  Will be putting out my Easter Decorations and will take picture of the "island" then.....

 

I am almost finished with another pillow.  Then I will have to take a break and get some wool dying done.  OH YEAH---and some house cleaning!! haha...

 

Have a wonderful weekend my primitive friends!!

Margaret

Recipes added to my website

I have added a section of recipes to my website.  So far I have only added 5, but if anyone likes them--let me know.  I am a recipe collector and cookbook collector, so I have tons of tried and true recipes.  Click on my website link and let me know what you think....Hope you enjoy. 

www.tillysfarmhouse.com

YEH! Wool Pictures Are Ready!

I have a ton of pictures to add. I really do love this wool dying. The results are always fun and sometimes surprising. Just the pieces you figured won't turn out as expected---turns out the best. I still have stacks of wool to measure, cut and put up for sale on my site...but here is a sample...

This is really a deep red . I can not figure how to take a photo with my Canon digital camera to show the reds as they really are.  Any help/suggestions are always  appreciated....

These 2 pieces are my favorites.  Overdyed a light tan with a Cocoa Brown and added a little very dark red in spots.  I have more of these to cut and get ready to put on my site for sale....

 This was a piece I overdyed.  The colors are actually deeper and darker, but when I tried to adjust the picture as I downloaded it, just did not look right.  Another picture taking adventure and mystery to solve!

 

Hope everyone will have a wonderful day.  My husbands birthday is Saturday and all our big weekend plans had to be changed due to the weather.  We have decided to combine our birthdays and have a "special" combined celebration of birthdays in the early part of Summer, when you don't have to worry about sleet/ice/snow!!!  :-)

 

Hugs to all,

Margaret

Wool on my Website

Hello my friends.  Just to let you know I am now posting some of my wool on my website and on Etsy tonight.  Will add a few pictures here and e-mail me if you are interested or check my website.

Thanks so much and HUGS and SMILES to everyone!

 

OOPS!!! need to go shrink some pictures!!  Files too big!!  More later!

More Wool Pictures

Another Pendelton Wool.  This is actually a very dark blue.  I will try to get a better picture tomorrow if we get some sunshine!!

 

 

 

A Pendelton Wool in deep shades of red.  I love this piece.  It is like the one I used on my Bunny Pillow

 

Just to show a "before" and 2 after pictures. 

 

I love dying wool!!!

 

Have a wonderful day.  Hopefully better pictures tomorrow and then I will list on my site.  Thanks for looking...

 

Hugs,

Margaret

Hand-Dyed Brown over Tan Wool!

The clouds moved in way too fast today and it is raining like crazy.   I did manage to take a  few pictures of my hand-dyed wool that will be for sale on my site.  Just testing to see how the picture turned out.  This was tan wool that I overdyed in shades of brown.  This is  Pendelton Wool.

 If you see this before I get it listed, just shoot me an e-mail and it is yours......Thanks..

Hugs,
Margaret

Pillow I finished using my hand-dyed wool!!

Just finished this pillow and I used my hand-dyed wool.  The red is really beautiful and doesn't show up in this picture as dark and yummy as it is.  The "reeds" are a deep green and the rabbit is all splotchy in a tannish color...

Stacks of My Hand- Dyed Wool !!

A nice, large stack of hand dyed wool that I have just finished.  Boy was this fun!!

  Lots of reds and greens and tans all splotchy and marbly and ready for rug hooking or wool applique.  I will be working on this tomorrow to cut and have ready for sale.  The large piece up front is actually a very soft yellow.  It is late and I had to use a flash..

I pulled a gray and a marbly dark tan/cocoa brown to make my next pillow....Still working on that design....

ENJOY!!

Hugs to all,
Margaret

Wool Dying Day

Also spent the day dying wool....pictures tomorrow.  Right now the wool is drying all over my kitchen!!

Just Finished This Pillow

 

I just finished this pillow...I used wool that I hand- dyed and I love how the "spotty red color turned out.   I used the same wool on the front and back...   The "Liberty" and the star is a creamy off-white that  doesn't show up as pretty as it is in person.  The circle is a very deep blue.   Mostly rag-stuffed to feel heavy.  I have this for sale for $28.00 with free shipping on my website or  Just e-mail me if you are interested....
www.tillysfarmhouse.com

Feeling Happy and Blessed

I always feel or try to feel that every day is a good day, but some days I feel especially happy and very blessed.  Today is one of those days.  I am thankful for my husband and wonderful family.  My oldest grandson is now in basic training at Ft. Benning, Ga and I am so proud and thankful for him.  My husband is retired Army and my son-in-law was also in the Army.  We owe all our service men and women past and present such a debt of gratitude.....
We all have much to be thankful for..

I also have a fellow crafter here in Virginia that I am thankful for. 
Mandy from Bitttersweet folkart - http://bittersweetfolkartprimitives.blogspot.com/  has been so generous to me in many ways.  She is a talented artist and and just the sweetest person ever.... if  you have not seen her beautiful, primitive dolls, please take a look..

Many smiles and hugs to all,
Margaret