Fruit Candle Mat Finished!

Whew, that was a lot of sewing to be done in just two days. My goal was to get this candle mat listed last night (Tuesday) so I really had to rush to get it completed.

This fruit candle mat along with several matching fruit pinkeeps are now Ebay listed HERE.

Although time consuming, these blackberries were actually fun to make. I usually don't like making so many french knots but just seeing how realistic they make the blackberry, gave me the incentive to do it.
I needle injured my finger while making these knots and to make it worse, the needle kept hitting that same little spot over and over and over again. It's really sore, so I think I'll take a sewing break today to let it heal a bit.
I find thimbles and band-aids to be cumbersome, so I try not to use them, but in this case, I guess I should have submitted to a bandaid.
I saved making these grapes on the candle mat until last because I don't like making them ... at all!
When I made the pinkeep, it took so much time to attach each one of the berries together, it became frustrating. It ended up looking really nice and just the perfect effect that I wanted, but it sure wasn't fun. So the grapes were a little easier this time, but it still wasn't fun. I like grapes, really I do, and the blueberries and the blackberries probably took just as much time, it's just something about those darn grapes that give me problems each time.
Needless to say, I probably won't be making very many grape items in the future, unless of course someone offers to pay me a couple thousand dollars for it! :)



Questions, I get questions! Yes, the fencing is finished! It's looking really good and I'll take a picture once all the landscaping is done, with the tree stumps taken out and grass growing. I kinda want to put some stain on the fence wood to darken it up a bit because it's looking really bright and new but hubby says the wood needs to dry a bit before that's done. I don't know if that's right or not, but I'll listen to him.



Where do I get my ideas for designs? Hmm... I get them everywhere! Craft shows are a good way to get inspiring ideas. I see designs on plates or hanging art that I like and then try to figure a way to create it with wool. The fruit designs came from an embroidery pattern. I did a violet candle mat and pinkeep and that idea came from the wallpaper border that is in our bedroom.
The pansy and viola items, of course, came from my own pansies and violas growing outside.
A get a lot of ideas from other candle mat designs too. The shapes, the stitches, the colors can all inspire ideas for me.
Prescription drugs gave me some really wonderful ideas last year when I was sick with bronchitis. I was taking prednisone and wow! The ideas came so fast that I kept a drawing pad with me so that I could sketch things out right away.
It was almost worth gettting sick for that benefit!



From my Ebay watchers, I get quite a few questions about why I don't use wool felt and "what's wrong with wool felt?"
In my Ebay item descriptions, I always note that I only use 100% wool and I never use wool felt. I guess that gives the impression that I don't like wool felt. Nothing is wrong with wool felt, I just want to keep my customers informed and let them know that there is a big difference between 100% wool and wool felt.
I think maybe I will write about that later when I've a bit more time. Wool Felt Vs Felted Wool.
Big difference.



Rachel wants me to quit typing so that I can go Kohl's shopping with her. We've a take an additional 30% off coupon that absolutley has to be used!



Happy day everyone, even though it's rainy here!