Penny Rugs and more

In January I started on the Fellowship of Flowers project.  (For information on that click on the link on the right hand side of this blog.) That got me interested in using wool and felt for other projects as well.

Since I have been working with it more and more I decided I should organize what I had.  I found it in several places in my craft room.  Now it is all together.  I added some too.  I found a picture for making what is called a penny rug and remembered that awhile back I had purchased a circle die for my die cut machine. (just for cutting "pennies" for this kind of project.)   Here is a picture of my machine.  I originally bought it to use for scrapbooking but now use it for lots of different craft projects.

If you have never tried a die cut machine and want to learn more about the Big Shot like I own or others  you can watch tutorials on You Tube.   Just go to You Tube and put Big Shot Tutorials in the search line.   Here is a link I used.....   Big Shot Tutorials .    There are other die cut machines and you can probably learn about them there too.
   Although it is really designed for paper for scrapbooking  and paper crafting I have had no trouble cutting fabric, wool,  or felt if it isn't too thick. 



  By using it to cut the little wool or felt circles I can do 4 different sizes at a time, easily.  I spent a couple of evenings (while watching the news) cutting out circles.  Then I found a pair of patterns from Shakerwood Woolens  and when they arrived I went crazy....

This first picture shows (using plain paper) the sizes of the circles I can cut.

The next picture is a box of circles precut.

and then here are the two projects I have started.  They are all put together.  I just have to finish off with the blanket stitch all the way around each circle.  That is best done while we are going for a drive somewhere or when I am sitting in a doctors office.... waiting....

I should mention here that the die I purchased came from a friend who sells or at least sold "Stampin UP" things.  The die itself was made by Sizzix.  Apparently this die has been retired but you can still find them on ebay.  Here is a picture of one I just found offered for sale there.  If you want to do an ebay search  you can probably find one available. 

 I looked up dies for the Accucut quilting die cutter and found them to be more expensive in comparison to the Sizzix.  I have no idea why.   Maybe someone out there knows why.  But if you have the Accucut die cut machine already you can get dies for it for penny rug circles.  You will just apparently pay  more!


I have done a few other things using the wool and felt and I will share those another time.

A fairy tea party and a trip to some sales

Just a  quick little tea party today for the fairies in my garden.

This week I have been busy chasing around to sales to find things for my shop and below you will see some of the things I saw.  I also spent a lot of time in my gardens since the weather was wonderful and of course I tended to my shop.   soooooo.........  That is why the tea party part of this post is so "mini."

 .  I want to share a couple of things I have seen lately at the sales.

These pretty little cups and saucers were sitting on a table at a sale and I had wanted to buy them.  However someone beat me to it.... she did let me take pictures so I could share.  They had such lovely scenes painted on them.....

I was pretty sad that I didn't get them.   They were made in Japan and here is the mark.

I saw a few other things but NOTHING tempted me.  I did take their pictures though to share so you can see what it out there.

A yellow tea pot.........

 a modern looking tea set.......

And here a violet tea cup and saucer someone has filled with plastic violets.  If I had bought it they would have had to go but it was "cute."  And at the very least caught my eye!!

I hope I will be able to have a nice outdoor tea party again next week but it depends on what is happening in my life.

Thanks for joining me  today and hope you visit all the other Tea Time blogs as well.

I have joined with the following Tea Cup Tuesday Tea Parties.

Hope you will visit them too.

Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage *

Terri at Artful Affirmations *

Martha at Martha's Favorites *
Bernideen's Tea-time Blog *
Ruth's Antiques  Teacups *
A Return to Loveliness *