Friday, June 29, 2012

Maybe this will be a favorite

About every 10th rug that I make I look at it and think that maybe I will have to keep that one.
This one is all cotton "rags". Recycled old shirts, with a little flannel thrown in and other cotton from skirts and such.  I like the dark colors.  It is 60 in long and 27 in wide.
This is the first that I have done the sewing maching hem on the binding.  I like it alot, but it is hard to see in the picture.

So I took a picture of my thumb so you can see the turned hem. 

These are a sampling of the pin cushions that my sister and I are making.  We pick up the cups and things that we think will be cute at garage sales then make the cushion and decorate with all kinds of things.  I am about done with them, but don't tell my sister. 

The little town where I have my book store is having a celebration this weekend.  They always do on the weekend just before the 4th of July.  Plan on setting a table out front with some rugs, cows, and books.  I usuallly do this on Saturday anyway.  Not real sure it helps but you never know. 

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY.  Lets hope we don't lose any more of our freedoms!

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

What have I been up to?






This is one of my rag rugs I worked on this last weekend.  I am hemming this batch of rugs.  I got 4 rugs from 40 to 70 inches long and a mini one at the end that is about 25 in. long.  So I ran them back to back and only ran 4 rows of filler between them.  So had to take them to the sewing machine in mass to run stitching before I cut them apart.  Not to sure that was smart.  But I like the clean turned under hem.  May make more that way.
 
Did I mention that my sister and I are making cows with dresses?  I am the cow maker and she does the frilly stuff.   This is our herd so far.  Got info on a big craft fair this fall, so we are gearing up for our first one.  We are doing pin cusions now, and I will prob make a few more cows. Plus I have alot of my denim tote bags that I make and my fabric bowls. 

Saturday, June 23, 2012

First tomato!

Got just over 1 inch of rain Thursday morning. Our lawn said thank you very much as it was getting the July Crispy a little early this year. This is our first tomato to ripened so we had BLT's for supper last nite.  My favorite summer meal.  Also had half an ear of sweet corn from a local farmer that sells it $5 a dozen, and I think they put 13 in the bag.  Summer is here.  Might as well go with the flow, we enjoy the early mornings with our coffee on the west porch and watch the humming birds eat.  In the evening if is cools down we can go to the back deck, it faces the east is a good place to catch a breeze and watch the brown thrush and cardinals bath. 

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Old books!

A guy stopped by my shop last week with all these books that he insisted that I should take off his hands.  Being an old softy that I am, I offered him $20 for his gas money and he unloaded them.  One box was full of books he had bought from me when I closed out 3 years ago.  A lot of Harlequin books that I don't really want so after wiping them all down, I made alot of small boxes of books to sell for 25 cents each.  I have some folks who come in who can't afford to pay $3 to $4 for a book so I always have several boxes that I price cheap.  They are all good to read but maybe too worn to ask any more for them.  Business has been really slow this summer, but I still enjoy getting away for the 4 days I am open.  I use the computer, sew, clean and of course this is the local visiting place.  My brother and sister live in town and often drop by to chat.  In the case of my sister she brings her quilting stuff with her and keeps after me to quilt.  Well I have been doing some quilting, have a denim one all cut out and have started on it.  Will post some pictures soon.

Went to Branson Monday, took the sister-in-law with us for the first time.  Stayed at our time share and took her out on the Branson Belle Paddle Wheeler for their cruise on Table Rock Lake, dinner and entertainment.  A little 3 hour cruise.  I think she enjoyed it.  Our unit had a screened in patio with a nice view of the lake that spills out of Table Rock Dam, just a few feet from us.  We enjoyed watching the birds and the fishermen on the lake.

Now if we could just get some rain!

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Warping finally done and let the weaving begin

Finally got the floor loom warped.  Boy did I warp a bunch!  Took most of my week off and on fooling with this.  Only found one boo boo.  When I was threading the warp thru the heddles I found that one of my light blue sections got an extra round on the warping board so there are 2 more strands, which threw me off on the threading, but since I am doing tabby weave it is OK.  You will have to look hard to see the section on the last pic. 
All threaded thru the beaters and the heddles.

All beamed up!  I just like to look at it!

 
Using my fav. denim.  Am learning after all this time that I am liking the denim strips narrower that I used to use.  I also like to rip the denim so the edges are a little fringy after I pull the extra strings off.  Then I let it fall with a twist sometimes and it gives it a wavy look that i like.  Don't like something to look to perfect.  Heck the factories make that stuff.  I like a little character to my rugs. 

Looking at my stash of "stuff" that begs to be woven and can't figure out what else to weave after I do this rug.  I should have enough warp to do 4 or 5 rugs.  Oh, and I threw out the plastic blind slats.  Don't ever try to use them for spacers when beaming the warp.  Gotta use wooden slats.  I ran out and had to go to the garage and confiscate all the yard sticks.  They worked perfect!  Sorry hubby, you never use them anyway.  Remember whats yours is mine.  :)

Friday, June 1, 2012

Front to Back??

I am trying something new for me.  I am warping my "new" loom for the second time and am warping from front to back.  I am following instructions in Deborah Chandlers book.  At least most of them  So I have pictures now to show what I have done so far. 
The first pic is of my "Studio"  LOL  We have a large living room that we don't use, so I sold the sofa and the dining room table is still in there and gets used for my table top loom.  We have a family room/eat-in kitchen that we mostly live in so I have claimed this space for ME> You can see what I use my tread mill for!  Oops.
We have a large window to the west and the sun was shining in a little bright.
I am using 2 shades of blue, with 20 ends alternating.  This is my "chain" with lots of choke ties.  So far so good, as there is about 9 yards on here.
I tied the lease stick on the front apron, nice and snug.  At this point I still have the loop in the ends.  Was scary to cut the first set of loops as I knew I was committed at this point.

Almost done feeding thru the reeds, following the cross over at the lease sticks.  All looks smooth.

 Finished a little more this morning,  Will be ready to thread the heddles next.  This will measure about 28 inches so I should get some nice rugs out of it.  Will probably do a denim one to start.   When I warped the warp on the warping board I did it in 4 sections as you can still see by my long chains.  That really helped with that much warp and I think it will help keep it smooth when I start winding it up.  I have some wooden window blind slats to use on the beam.  I am anxious to see how this process will work doing it alone.

Want to add a picture here of the wall hanging that I found at a garage sale this spring for $3.  I think it is made of jute.  Any ideas on it?  I got no history, and it was a little musty.  I sprayed some fabrize on it and aired it good.  I like it!

It is real bumpy, lots of texture and I think pretty old.   Have a good weekend!