Wednesday, February 27, 2013

A Birthday Gift ~

Hello Friends & Folk!
...to celebrate my 50th birthday, I wanted to include you all ~
 
so here is a little gift from me to you :)
 

Robin Redbreast Sampler
3021 ~ roof, trees & steps
3031 ~ bird's backs
400 ~ door & bird's breasts
611 ~ house, chimneys & interior of dark green leaves
829 ~ dark green leaves
831 ~ medium green leaves & ground
732 ~ light green leaves
3828 ~ trim around windows & door

 
 I would love to see how you finish your work from this pattern,
 ~ so please share with me!
 
 ~ happy stitching ~
 
Lori from
Notforgotten Farm

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

March Update Sneak Peek ~

We are working away on new items that we'll be releasing here on
March 15th on our "GOODS" link up there...
 
new products from our
OLD as Dirt Primitives © line of wooden smalls like this below...

This is a peek of Peter's fantabulous table top sized
Wool Cupboard or Dye Cupboard
that we'll be presenting...
lots of handhewn detail on this ~ perfect to hold your wools OR dye packets!
.....oh just wait till you see this!

and the paper pattern will be available for this little hooked beauty,
as well as a new footrest that this will fit atop...



Early Bird Hooked Mat
 
look for 2 more thread winder/holder designs,
and a new FLAX comb design too.
 
also available will be more of my finished fraktur drawings in my handpainted frames,
and a couple of finished sewing needfuls too!
 
THINK SPRING:
tulips, birds and rabbits.....(hint hint!)
 
we are blessed to be able to do what we love,
...and share it all with you!
 
Lori from
Notforgotten Farm

Monday, February 25, 2013

Finished Class Model & Polka Dot Galoshes....

Happy Monday!!!
here is the finished class project
...for this Saturday's Punch Needle Class ~
 

 
Blue Tulip Pinkeep


I added the ribbon to hang it from and love the look of it on the edge.
 
 
 

love that green.   and that blue.   together.


it's not large, only measures approx. 3" x 3 1/2" ~
small enough to finish during the class....
(oh yes you can.)
 
I have a couple of seats left for the class
... if you'd like to sign-up,
you can email me at not4got@aol.com
and you can see class info on my 'classes' link at the top of this blog.

hurry Spring ~
 
if you have your own punch needle and frame/hoop, then your class fee will be less
(read class description on classes page)
Come on out & have FUN with us :)
 
 
 ~AND~
I received a package in the mail today from my sister Louisea in CT ~
she sent me these AWESOME polka dot galoshes as a 50th birthday gift!!!!

I love them.
 
 
are you ready for April Showers?
I am now!!!
 
oh yes, I am stylin' in these ankle-high beauties...
they are perfect Lou ~ you nailed me!
THANK YOU!
 
 
 
rain rain go-away...
...polka dots brighten my day!
 
yes, it's true.
I will turn 50 on February 28th.
I have no idea how that has happened ~ my friends & family know that I never consider age at all.
why bother? it is truly just a number that we use to keep track of years.
we are who we are because of our experiences in life, not our age.
Our souls are ageless... I still feel like I'm 18 and I know you all can relate.
 
I may 'mature', but I will never grow up!
 
Hoping the start of your week is a good one ~
 
Lori from
 Notforgotten Farm

Sunday, February 24, 2013

I get by.....

 
....with alot of help from my Friends ~
 
My thanks to Miss Joan & Miss Pat for keeping me company in the shop yesterday ~
(and for Miss Nancy & her sweete-as-pie Mom for visiting too!)
 
your company cheered me up and I love you for that.
(although, at times I was a bit snarky ~! my apologies for venting)
 
we talked, and hooked, drank tea and had a couple of cookies
(always available for you when you come for a visit)
so I made a little more progress on my Sheep rug ~
I'm a fast hooker, but not a SPEED hooker like my sweet Friend Lori over at
www.homespunprims.blogspot.com
go check out her beauteous horse rug she hooked in record time!
 
I decided to hook some leaves ~
now I know in the first post I wrote that I wanted to keep the colors in this rug lighter & more neutral
BUT
I  LIKE  COLOR.
so, it is what it is ~
 
 
 
what color background ? hmmmmm.....


close up of tree trunk & leaves ~

wool coat on sheep is nice & nubby  ~ leaves are hooked more 'orderly'

 
 
three different greens make up the colors in the leaves ~
one is my favorite 'poison' green...




love those greens ~


the tree trunks are a green/gold/brown...
nice & muted but still warm & colorful.




hand dyed wools on the trunks, dyed textured wools for the leaves...

 
I'm thinking of adding more branches...
I want more dimension to them so I think I'll cut my strips really thin and work them in.
right now the trees look to 'heavy' for me....
 
 



what are your thoughts about adding some thin branches???
 
I'll be putting this aside for a couple of days,
as I have to finish working on the model for my upcoming punch needle class
this Saturday, March 2nd here in the shop...
I'll post pics of the finish tomorrow ~
 
I have a little room left in the class if you'd like to come join us...
 
you can read about the class up there on my "classes" link under the header of this blog.
 
Have a beautiful Sunday my Friends ~

Lori from
Notforgotten Farm

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Healing ~

My broken heart is healing,
...thanks to the kind words from so very many of you ~

Hannah sent me flowers to cheer me & Iggy up...aren't they beautiful?
 

 
it's ok, Iggy ....


and of course, I've been keeping my head & hands busy with handwork...
the soothing rythym of pulling loops helps to muffle my sad thoughts.

here is just a little progress on my sheep rug ~
hooked in a very 'rough' fashion ~ I want the sheep's coat to look like our Mama sheep's coat ~ her name is Esther



close up of my hand cut strips...I'd say between #6 and #9 cuts all worked in together...
 
the 'whiter' wool I'm using is from an old skirt ~ it has a tendency to fray a bit
but I like how it hooks up a little shaggy...


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I'll be hooking the trees next,
adding some leaves (that aren't on the original pattern)
for some color and balance, but I do want to keep the hues of this rug light and faded-looking...
 
I'll hook the background in a more 'even' way ~
making sure my loops are more the same height as each other,
...that my little sheep will be even more dimesional to the eye and touch.
 
 
little sheep
 
words cannot express the range of emotions I've gone through this past week...
but I want you all to know that you have had a huge part in helping me heal.
 
......my love to you all.
 
 
Lori from
Notforgotten Farm

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Saying Goodbye ~

 
my little Black Suzy is gone ~
the tiny little black ball of fur that has been a constant in my life for 16 yrs
has passed peacefully and has joined her friends:
Tippy, Sam, Little Bit, Henry, Joonie, Buster, Frannie
and many, many more....
I'm hoping they welcomed her this morning and are helping her adjust.
 
She had two seizures during the night ~

I knew I had to make the decision to keep her quality of life and her dignity intact...
...but just how do you decide to end the life
of someone who has completelyburrowed into your being?
 
never an easy decision to make, but one that we, as humans have to make
if we love our animal friends....and I love her so.....
 
It's amazing to me that such a tiny little soul had such a large heart...well, for me anyways.
Suzy has been known to 'protect' me by not allowing certain folks to come near me....
I know in my heart of hearts how much she loved me.
She told me often with her eyes....
 
she loved Hannah & Peter in her own way,
but we were the ones that were tied by a magical heartstring
...one that is now broken....
my heart is heavy
as I try to come to terms with the fact that I won't see this little face again ~
 for a while, anyways...

I know one day she, and all of the other animal-friends that have blessed my life,
... will meet again,
and I'm comforted knowing that.
 
Goodbye my sweet friend ~
 
 
~ Black Suzy ~
1996 ~ 2013
 
Lori from
Notforgotten Farm

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Sheep Rug Progress ~ and my little Suzy

Hi Folks ~
please keep my little kitty, Suzy in your prayers?
she's been having trouble breathing and very lethargic lately, so I brought her to our vet this morning.
She is dehydrated, and will have to have bloodwork done once she is rehydrated enough.
most of my readers know how much I love my animals, and my friends and family know for sure how much little Suzy has been in my heart for almost 16 yrs.
so if you would be so kind
as to send up a thought or two for a little fur-person
 I would be so appreciative :)
 
and onto the rug progress ~
here is what I drew out after sketching a few others:
 
 
 
1863 SHEEP ~ drawn onto grid-transfer paper


I want to keep this rug very muted,
so I dug through old wools in my basket(s) and found these suit me....
 
 
 

old skirts, shirts, some boucle wool from Rebecca...


Oh! I wanted to show you this humongous basket that I tote around with me...
(I had to repair the handle with wire & homespun)
 
 

Hannah used to play in this basket when she was little :)


so I pulled a few loops of the 'whites' fon the sheep....
the darker wool loops will become it's facial features, hooves and shadows:
 
 

a couple of loops pulled last night.


Some of you emailed to ask about the little hook I've been using lately...
I have been using a Hartman primitive hook for years & years...but, my almost 50 year old, overworked hands get so sore from the heaviness of that hook, that I thought I'd try something new.
 
 
This is a little white Miller hook that is has fast-become my very favorite!
 



little Miller hook ~ so light to use!


I am generally a very 'high' hooker...my loops are pulled very high ~ but I have been hooking alot 'lower' with this little hook...it helps me to keep my loops more even, too.
 
 

getting started....

 
I hand-cut my strips using Fiskar spring-loaded scissors, so my strips aren't perfect ~
usually I cut them about 1/2" wide to hook with my Hartman hook, but using this Miller hook
I have been cutting them about 1/4" instead.
 
I love how handcut strips make a rug look old...plus, I just don't like lugging that cutter around!



hooking the sheep's tail ~ un-even strip widths and a little lower loop height (for me!)

This is what the "business end" of my Miller hook looks like
for those that might not be familiar with them:
 
 


like a little shoe-button hook.
I picked up a couple of these hooks for the shop, and will be placing a shop order with Nancy (Miller)
for more...she has a nice selection of wood handled hooks, pencil & pear shaped.
 
Well, my friends ~ thank you for keeping us in your thoughts today,
and for visiting with us.
 
I'll keep you posted on the rug progress and Suzy's progress too!
(and another apology to my sweet friend Jane
for my having to cancel last minute, but Thank You for understanding!)
 
Lori from
Notforgotten Farm

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

In the meantime.....

 
Yesterday I shared with you some inspirational photos
of sheep & lambs
that I have in mind for a new rug...
I sketched up a few looks and will begin the process of choosing the woolens today.

In the meantime,
I have been working on a little bird-inspired mat...
but before I share it with you, here is a quick snap of a Bluebird-boy setting on our picket post...
his blue feathers are gorgeous and you can see a hint of his salmon-colored belly there on his right.
 
 
he brings me happiness ~

and here are some beautiful wools that I purchased from
www.MistyPondPrimitives.com
(actually from her Etsy shop)
 
are they not beautiful?
I prefer working with color, altho I will over-stain the finished hooking and mute them down just a bit....I like to begin with what I call 'poison' colors and tone them down with walnut dye.



candy-colors

So here is what I've been working on:
a little hooked mat of a Robin ~
here I show how I'm adding a cotton fabric binding to the back...
 
 


I chose an ombre cotton floral for the binding ~ a good two inches wide...


after cutting the linen back to within 1 inch around the last hooked row,
...then folding it back and tacking it down ~ I then start to straight stitch the cotton fabric binding down, puckering the cotton fabric as I go...



pucker your fabric as you stitch the fabric binding down, as you go....



close up of the puckers and straight stitch...


here's a peek at the front ~
 
 

I see you!


and another peek:



the early bird gets the worm...
This hooked mat will be shown on our March 15th update on our "goods" page.
The paper pattern will be available :)
 
I'm off to choose those wools for my sheep rug...
will be back tomorrow to show you my design concept and start of the hooking!

have a wonderful day my Friends!
 
Lori from
Notforgotten Farm

Monday, February 18, 2013

Sheepish Inspiration ~

 
I'm wanting to design a rug with a sheep as the central motif...
just one simple little sheep.
 
so, for inspiration, I went to Pinterest.com and found all kinds of old, early sheep ~
 
these are old headstones, usually found on a childs' grave...
 
nice form, simple silhouette.



love the facial expression on this one ~



I like the leg and tail placement of this little stone lamb...



...and the ears on this one look like
he's listening to something.



and the profile on this little lamb , even though his nose is missing a bit.



the texture of this lamb's coat looks stippled, almost...

but it's this wee-one below that has stolen my heart ~
a bit wonky, with legs-akimbo...even the pointy nose and large rump appeal to me.
 



me thinks this is thee one.
and then there are these, already in wool for color inspiration,
possible borders & backgrounds....
 
 
love the little blades of 'grass' and the sheep's 'shirt' hanging under it's belly...nice, old scroll-y border too.


another adaptation of the Frost sheep rug, this one done with a black background...



brighter colors on this one...
 
 
and here's one beautiful rug below...
muted tones & hues are stunning in their simplicity ~
 
 
 
perfection.
 
so, I will grab my sketchbook & pencil...
cut a large slice of linen, stretch it nicely onto my frame
and put sharpie to cloth and render my own new design from wonderful old works of heart.
 
I'll post my progress as I choose wool colors and concepts...
hoping you tag along for the outcome!
Lori from
Notforgotten Farm

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Past Rug Regression ~

 
I've been going through my photo files
...and found a few of my earlier hooked works ~
 
for your amusement here are a couple!
 
"CRAZY HORSE" ©Notforgotten Farm ~ in private collection



"1887 SHEEP FARM " ©Notforgotten Farm ~ in private collection




"TULIP CHAIRPAD" close-up ©Notforgotten Farm ~ in private collection

 


"FAT CAT" ©Notforgotten Farm ~ in private collection

"OLD GLORY PURSE" ©Notforgotten Farm ~ in private collection

 


hooked rose, in progress....

"ROOSTER" a Mad Hen Design adapted by me ~ in private collection
 
 
Hoping your weekend is spent doing what you love!
Lori from
Notforgotten Farm