Monday, March 7, 2016

New Pattern! Lilac Beauty!

"Lilac Beauty" wool applique penny rug candle mat pattern.  The finished size is 13 1/2" round.
The wool kit for this is also available.  It's now available on my website.
I'll also be showing this later today done with a black background.  So pretty!
This design is very similar to my "Geranium Beauty" design.  The flowers are done just a bit differently though.

We have 4 large oversize lilac bushes on our property.  Last year, I trimmed back the bushes since they had overgrown the area.  I'm hoping that the cut-back will help with the blooms this year, giving me even more splendor.  But, I'm a bit concerned that I might have cut them back a little too much.  I love their scent.  While they're blooming, I always keep a bouquet of them on my living fireplace mantal.  The scent fills the entire room.
This color is my favorite of all the lilac colors.  It's what I struggled with for two days last week, trying to get the dye recipe just right.
Just love my lilacs!

Another design is in the works for hydrangeas too.  Wait until you see the colors!

I know, I know....this looks like a lot of work to cut and stitch all of those little flowers!
Well, it is a lot of work, but stitching them on is really easy!  Since they're stitched so close together, if they're not cut perfectly, it's fine and not the least bit noticeable.
And...one trick, if you just trace and cut enough flowers for one lilac, once that lilac is stitched and finished, your fingers are rested and ready to cut the flowers for the next one.

The other trick is to cut them while watching TV.  My favorite time to cut is during the Penguins hockey games.  If you root for the Pens, this is what you need to do too!  They win every time I cut these little flowers during the game !  :)
Way back before I sold patterns of my designs, I used to make cute little woolly pincushions, mug rugs and some candle mats to sell as finished items on Ebay.
The lilac pincushion that I made was so popular and in much demand.  However, as you can see by the picture, there are lots of little flowers that need to be cut.  Because of that, I had to turn customers down. It was just too much on my fingers to cut thousands of little flowers!

Browsing though my Photobucket account is like a stroll through my past.  It stores pictures of every single Ebay item that I sold.  Designs are stored in there that I completely forgot about because it's been so long!
It brings back so many memories and it also reminds me of how long I have been obsessed with wool.
Way back in 2000, I discovered wool and penny rugs. 16 years now, wool and I have been together.  :)
Since then, I've learned a lot about wool and working with wool.  I've also learned a tremendous amount from my customers / stitching sisters.
For all of you wonderful sisters (and some brothers too!) in stitching, I thank you, from the bottom of my heart for the business and the lessons that I've received from you.

I have comments shut off for now.  I've been getting a lot of foreign spam peddler comments so I'm hoping by shutting the comments off for a while, they'll move on and leave me alone later.
If you have a comment or a question, just email me at cathspennies@gmail.com.
My website is http://ww.cathspenniesdesigns.com
God Bless every one of you and Happy Day!

Also....a big THANK YOU to Kelly for the encouragement to do even better every day!