An update on the new rug...and it's an experiment with using my camera and trying to figure out GIMP to modify images. (so far, trying to fiddle with 'level's' and 'histogram' have been an utter bust)

If the sun is out tomorrow, I've got some jewelry to photograph.

For those that are interested, punch hooking is a marvelous way to make one of a kind rugs, and use up those yarn scraps that seem to accumulate everywhere. I use basic acrylic knitting yarns for this one. I think it's easier to run through the washer and dryer, there's no danger of felting with acrylic. It does pill a little, but a beard or sweater trimmer takes care of that nicely.

The technique is simple enough once you've done a few. Depending on your backing it can be really fast, or just fairly fast. I've done rugs on burlap, and that moves very quickly, but I find that burlap just isn't as rugged as I'd like, and can tear out before it's finished. So, this one is on cotton monks cloth. It's rugged, holds the yarn loops nicely, but it can be rough on the wrists and takes a bit longer.

If you're interested in it for yourself, Halcyon Yarns has the tools and supplies. I use the Oxford Plain punch needle for my work.

Have fun with whatever you're creating today.

I've finally got the banner and front page of my shop at Etsy set up! Woot!

In other news, I'm getting the camera figured out. Still nothing worth posting, but that'll change once I figure out the timer option thingie (I don't do well taking pictures when I have to press the button, my hand still tremors too much)

Also, the kitchen is clean, the living room is tidier, and the rug is coming along. It finally looks like something I'd admit to making. (I took out the vibrant lime green and replaced it with red. This doesn't make any sense, I know, but when I have a picture you'll understand ...I think)

If all goes well, I'll have a large batch of earrings listed on Etsy this week, and maybe an ACEO or two (calligraphy from Genesis, Chapter 1)

I still need to work on my profile there, but I'll get it figured out.
Hope your day has been good.

Here's that scroll that I was mentioning.

And I got the computer working...YAY!

And (again) I did get the rug started, I'm calling this one stained glass flowers. I should have pictures next week or so, and I'll have it posted on Etsy as well.

Here are some useful documents for any craftsman or artist, from the Society of North American Goldsmiths (wonderful folks!)
http://www.snagmetalsmith.org/Publications/Professional_Guidelines/
it's a collection of pdf's and well worth browsing.

Notes for today:

• finish the scroll for the East Kingdom (a Terpsichore, picture to be posted after Saturday)
• laundry
• try to fix desktop computer so I can get the scanner working again.
  

today should be a productive craft day. If I still have the energy, I'll strip the rug frame and stretch a new rug backing.

YAY!! I finally got this damned thing to work again! WooHOOO!

It's been a while since I've updated. So here we go.....

Projects that I'm currently working on: A luxurious velvet pieced throw with embroidered vines and flowers over it. The current colors are Red, Purple, Moss Green and a buttery brown color. It's more than a little decadent, and I love it :) I'm thinking instead of standard tufting, I'll over stuff it, and use buttons for the tie downs, of course covering the buttons with more velvet, and possibly embroidering them.

I really should write a little essay on the care and feeding of demanding muses. Mine just won't let me alone. I've also been working on a silk/linen pouch, in German counted satin stitch and it's coming along, though slowly. Also a fast embroidery piece, on cheap printed cotton, with DMC (love that green color they came out with this year). Oh, and a tunic collar, and a pair or three of viking pants, and let's not forget the doublet....sigh, I hate the muse, she's so demanding.

Just a quick update...I'll be teaching a beginner's embroidery class this coming weekend and I've almost finished the kits for it. Most people, don't fill a canvas tote with needles, pincushions, scissors, embroidery hoops, floss and fabric for their students. That's what I'm doing. These folks will be well supplied.

Blogger Help Topic Advanced Use

Which Big O character are you?

My life is rated NC-17.
What is your life rated?

I am 70% British, just like
Michael Caine
Though you know your way around London you are most likely to retire to the West Coast of the USA.

Take the Brit Quiz at
darrenlondon.tripod.com/britquiz1.htm
Quiz written by Daz

Hey! This is the second time in one month that I've blogged! Hi EK!.

Well, I'm diving into the waters of E-bay again. I just won an auction for a book that I've been needing for a while, and it's so hard to find it's almost mythical. And it's inspiring me to consider selling on e-bay.

I've been weeding and purging through the house and have been inspired by the show "Clean Sweep" on TLC. So I'm thinking there's stuff, books, stuff, albumns, stuff, cd's, some fabric and yarn, and maybe more stuff that I could sell on e-bay. (did I mention that there might be a lot of stuff?)

I thought, briefly, of doing up embroidered napkins, tailored to the SCA market. I'd use patterns from "Schoolhouse for the Needle" an Elizabethan pattern book. However, it doesn't look like table linens sell for very much, and I don't think it would be worth the effort just to get less than $20.

If anyone believes differently, let me know.

That's it for now.

Beard

Hmm, it's been a while since the last post, so...

I went to a Nova Scola, and Baronial Birthday in Bergental (Western Mass) and had a wonderful time. I picked up some tips for blackwork, cardweaving, naalbinding and fingerloop braiding.

There was a class on how to meet people and get involved in the SCA and it was wonderful, there was a wide range of folks, with different levels of experience and all were marvelously helpful and enthusiastic. A former Baron hosted the class (I forget his name, unfortunately) and it was what I've been looking for, as far as getting to know the SCA goes.

I also got a nice little ego boost as he pointed out my embroidery and complimented me on it. It's nice to know that I'm doing it right.

Since then I've been working on favors for the upcoming East Kingdom Queen, and I need to find out if all of the favors from Stonemarche are being sent down as a group, or if we should be sending them individually. I have one done already, and I'm working on the second. I'm hoping to have around a dozen done.

That's all for now.

Beard

The pretty red and cream check, with ecru embroidery turned out really pretty. The design is chunkier than I like, but it doesn't look bad.

The white fabric pen worked magnificently. The lines are fine enough, and they show up beautifully on the ash gray linen smock.

The hardanger is done!

New projects. I finished a viking tunic in time for Birka, and it didn't suck. I'm going to add a bit more embroidery around the collar for next weekend at the Novice Scola in Bergental. I'm finishing the embroidery on the linen under tunic, and if there's time, I'll add a collar. Also started on a couple linen handkerchiefs, they're both hemmed, and I've started the embroidery on one. I have no idea yet what to embroider on the other one. I'd like to use silk embroidery floss, but the colors run if you look at them.

On the home front:
I've painted the stairwell and small room in the basement. A *very* soothing, calm, subdued set of colors *eg*

"Volcanic Blast" and "Startling Orange" They look simply wonderful.
I have storage solutions being delivered tomorrow, white, there'll be a desk and a batch of bookcases and that should help me set up the sewing area.

I'm getting the household set up. Getting the kitchen organized, the spare room emptied, and the main basement room set up. It's nice to see the house looking the way I wanted it to.
That's it for now.

Last night I had a mad-scientist moment (tm) and realized that with fabric paint and a stencil, I might be able to transfer an embroidery pattern to black wool.

I tried it out, first, on some inexpensive cotton, a pretty red and cream check. I washed the fabric, pressed the fabric, and then got out the white fabric paint, a stencil, and a small stamping brush.

After heat setting it, my worst fears were realized, it's not a fine enough edge for what I want to do. I'll still embroider over it, in an ecru cotton. And, I'll edge the hem with a row or two of cross-stitches. It will be pretty, but it's not what I was hoping for.

Next experiment will be using a fabric pen, and hope that that stays in the lines.



On the hardanger front, I've finished the hem, and finished outlining the design in satin stitches, now for the filling lace work.

By the way, remind me next time, to trim the excess hem, *before* doing the buttonhole edge, it leaves a nice little pulled-thread-like edge.

That's all for now

Well, the cording worked great, and the dance belt, with pearls, gold beads and silver coins, looks wonderful. That weight is also wonderful for buttonhole edging on linen handkerchiefs.

Not too much excitement here at the moment, finishing up a pillow, beaded and trimmed, for my sister-in-law. Doing some embroidery on a shirt for my brother.

Oh, some excitement. Janet Arnold's "Patterns of Fashion:The Cut and Construction of Clothes for Men and Women c1560-1620" arrived. I'm absolutely in lust with one of the doublets. It's embroidered to resemble lacing, and she gives description of how the effect was achieved on black silk satin. Hmmmm, who do I know that might have many yards of heavy black silk satin?
...
...
ME!

Okay, I'm doomed, there's no way I can get that doublet done for this year, but perhaps by next year it'll be done :)


That's all for now.

I love this!

http://userpic.livejournal.com/8446730/527968

Well, I've been having fun with Rhapsody :) Lovely music program, it works. And, I've been working on a good-sized embroidery project using silk cording, the same stuff that's used for making pearl necklaces. The size of the cording is a bit coarse FFF, if I wanted finer work, I could use F or D, but I need this one to move fast.

By the way, this cording is great for making buttons and buttonholes as well.

RHAPSODY Link

RHAPSODY Link