~ the Sweetest Berries ~

 Good Morning ~ Friends & Folk!

Happy Monday to you all...

today is the day of my 1st Yoga class with a group of like-minded friends...

I am excited to begin this as a way to keep my body & mind healthy ~

I made these super-sweet and BIG strawberries yesterday and last evening:

rug punched, using the Oxford #10 punch needle and hand dyed wool yarn 

~ from Ali Strebel Designs...

I filled them with wool and fabric scraps for a nice heavy feel...

 

tucked in some white and black straight-pins {for seeds}...

added their tin-toppers and tied on some ribbon ~

 

I made on in red, the other in black ~

why black? 

because why not?

any color yarn you choose would be beautiful!

 

Tin Toppers, Paper Pattern & PDF pattern 

 available soon in our Etsy Shop

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori

~ New Patterns Listed! ~

Hello Friends & Folk ~

just a note to say that I have listed the following designs/patterns in my Etsy Shop ~

"Prize Tomato"

Rug Punch/Hooked Wool Project

 

"Overachiever"

Punch Needle Project

 

 "Tulip Farm"

Rug Hooking Project

and

"Purple Heart Chairpad"

Rug Hooking Project

 

all project patterns are available as PAPER/Mailed or PDF/Instant Download

 

you may visit my Etsy shop by clicking:

www.notforgottenfarm.etsy.com

Kind Thanks and a Happy day to you!!

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori

~ Decisions ~

 wool dust is still bothering my eyes ~

which means i cannot cut/strip wool fabric to hook with.

so the decision has been made 

to rug punch with yarns and my Oxford #14  & #10 punches...

 

 

have to keep these hands busy in this frigid weather!

 {plus, deadlines need to be met}

 

~ stay warm everyone ~

 

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori

~ A Celebration ~

My beloved 

Out of Hand Rug Hookers group  

on Facebook ~ has reached it's milestone 5,000 member mark!!

I would like to express my thanks to the members for their support ~

this group is very active in sharing their love of rug hooking/rug punching...

we have a strong foundation built on not only our love of wool,

but it is a place to visit to learn, share and grow in a like-minded, on-line community.

Where we share our rugs & projects...the stories behind them and their inspiration.

we share our lives and loves, and sometimes dislikes too!

we care about the rug hooking community and help to keep the art of rug hooking

 alive and well within it's cyber-walls ~

 

Thank you also to my fellow-admin., 

Lisanne Miller who shares with us new & wonderful things almost daily,

and my ever-helpful and talented moderator, Sandi Lucero for putting up with me!

the Out of Hand Rug Hookers group

~ I would like to invite my readers here

 to click on the photo above and request to join us,

and become a part of an amazing group of folks ~

Blessings from the Farm 

~ Lori

~ 30 Years & Counting ~

I guess you could say that I qualify...

although I don't consider myself as being OLD at 55 yrs.,

I would agree with the fact that having been a hooker for 30+ years ~

....oh well I am an Old Hooker then!

just finished another little Hooker's Pocket model...

and I think this one is my favorite so far ~

{I have so many that I want to make!}

again, this one has been Rug Punched ~

using my Oxford #14 and 3ply wool tapestry yarn in some of my favorite colors.

it is lined with cotton fabrics ~ 

... makes it strong to hold your hooks/scissors & such.

 

I added blanket stitch to the edges & bottom 

with DMC #3 perle cotton in 611 {drab brown}

and a strap made from 7/8" cotton twill tape from Joann's stores.

I will wear this with Hooker Pride at the shows & hook-ins...

 

 Pattern will be available in my Etsy Shop next week, 

{along with Froggy!!}

*thanks for all the kind remarks about Froggy! ~ you all crack me up!*

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori

~ Tombstone Sheep ~

~ Good Morning Friends & Folk ~ 

Happy Wednesday to you!

there are a lot of you out there who are expecting another bout of Winter weather...

stay safe, warm & dry and remember that Spring is only 13 days away!

a fat little Robin resting in our black walnut tree ~

I finished hooking/punching my 'Tombstone Sheep' rug last night...YAY!

I say hook/punch, because I hooked the motifs with 1/4 inch wool strips

{lamb, basket, vines, leaves & flowers}

then turned it over and punched the entire background with my #10 Oxford punch 

and hand dyed wool yarn called 'Big Sky' from Ali Strebel Designs.

{click HERE to see all of her wool yarn}

I really love how it came out ~

what do you think?

 

 

so much beautiful texture with the yarn loops mingling with the wool loops ~

it was fun to work on this way!

I just have to bind it, then label it.

It will be available as a pattern on linen, or a paper pattern and PDF as well very soon ~

🐑

 

On to the next!!!

 

Blessings from the Farm 

~ Lori

~ I'm a Punchy Hooker ~

 Happy Tuesday Friends & Folk!

~ another grey day here at the farm....but who's complaining?

the temps are in the 40's today, so hopefully that will kill off SOME of the blasted beetles

 we have here in the farmhouse & shop!!

anyhoo, moving forward:

I have finished hooking all of the Tombstone Sheep rug's motifs

using 1/4" wool strips.

and now I have flipped the rug over on my Floor Frame

and am punching the background with an Oxford #10 rug punch needle

and beautiful hand dyed wool yarn from Ali Strebel Designs in "Sky Blue"

If you don't own an Oxford Rug Punch Needle, 

... you can still use the yarn by simply hooking with it ~ 

 depending on my mood, and how fast I want my project to be finished ~

I'll switch between my punch & trusty hook!

{punching goes waaaaay quicker ~ fyi }

~ the basket on my sheep's back is blue.

and now I'm using blue for the background.

although not the exact shade of blue, and the basket is hooked with a textured wool strip...

so, three guesses as to what I might do next?

  I may leave it, or I may reverse-hook.

one never knows....

I have an idea for a funky finish to the edges of this project,

once it is steamed and bound.

we'll see.

Next time I post,

I should be finished with this ~

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori

~ A Wee Bit Punchy ~

Hello Friends & Folk!

So with all of the needle-punching going on here,

I have decided that I  must rug punch...or, punch a rug.

I have my Oxford #10 & #14 rug punch needles

{my very favorite sizes, small for detail & larger for backgrounds}

I have also {of course} been perusing auction sites and Pinterest

for inspiration as to what to draw up...

I'm thinking a floral/geometric will be my choice!

I will be using both wool strips and heavy wool yarns for the rug, 

and will show you my progress as I go ~ 

{first I have to draw it up!}

〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰

here are a few snaps of some I have found on-line 

~ that may whet your appetite to begin a punched rug too:

Simple and Bold

ok, not so 'floral-y', but I love him...

those hearts & stripes!

I love everything about this one ~

Just plain Gorgeous & I love the Urn & Willow!

a very Happy rug indeed ~ :)

the background on this one....

Soft, soft soft....

a great Scrappy rug!

〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰

Our little shop here at the Farm will be OPEN TODAY 10:00 - 4:00

despite the torrential rain predicted today! 

if you're in the neighborhood stop in and warm up by the woodstove ~

bring your work in progress and come create with me ~

I'll be working on my Tombstone Sheep rug today! {already in progress} 

 

Blessings from the Farm 

~ Lori

~ The Punch Needle Guild ~

Hey Folks!

...just a quick 'pop-in' here to say 

that I have formed a new group on Facebook ~

The Punch Needle Guild

the group focuses EXCLUSIVELY on Punch Needle 

{Cameo/Ultra Punch, CTR, Igolochkoy, etc...needle punch, needlepunch, punchneedle}

{{{however you like to say it}}}

and 

Rug Punch 

{as-in the Oxford Rug Punch, Shuttle Rug Punch, Speed Tufting for Rugs, etc...}

we love sharing photos, tips, techniques, finishing, Q&A, freebies and more ~ 

like Resources and shops/online for supplies...

We have some of the nation's TOP punch needle/rug punch Designers/Professionals 

and Makers among our members!!!

 

If you're interested in joining/sharing, click on the link above photo :)

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori

~ Monday Night Hookin' ~

 Last night was our First Monday Open Hook/Stitch-in here in the shop ~

{ it was actually our FIRST, first Monday open hook/stitch-in here, 

as last months weather was uncooperative for us}

Miss Joan is always up for hooking, so of course she came out...
and a new friend, Amy came out to play too!

we also welcomed Robin, from Millstone Mercantile

who never gets a chance to come out on Saturdays, as her shop is open that day...

and Anita came along with Robin 

... to brush up on her hooking skills!

Joan, Robin & myself were hooking, 

while Amy was rug punching using her Oxford rug punch size #8

Anita was much happier using a #10 Oxford rug punch needle, and some beautiful hand dyed wool yarn I have here in the farm shop!

However your Heart makes you Happy….
Do That.

Blessings from the Farm 

~ Lori