~ Second in the Motto Series ~

Good Morning Friends & Folk!

a bit cloudy today, but we are holding out for warmer temps on the way here soon :)

was hoping to bring my needlework outside to the patio,

 but I guess that will have to wait…

I am finishing up the second design in my series of 'motto' punch needle projects..

this one is 

'More Wool Please" ~

 again 

I'm using a combination of Valdani #8 pearl cotton threads 

with DMC threads {all 6 strands}

the white background is DMC ~ the lettering & 'points' are Valdani…

{had to add a little purple in there}

 I enjoy punch needle ~ 

it's rhythm soothes me!

will share more photos soon…

it's coming along nicely,

 and this will have the same finish as the previous motto design below:

"Keep Goode Company"

I can't believe the 

Prim Stitchers Society {PSS} 2nd Annual Retreat

is only NINE days away!!!!

Joan & I are so excited to be a part of this again ~

we can't wait to see all of you and meet new friends too!

Notforgotten Farm is blessed to be a part of the Merchant Mall once again, 

along with the talent of these fine folk:

Teresa's Prim Treasures

 Carolina Stitcher 

Homespun Elegance (trunk show), 

Dixie Samplar Hand Dyed Fabric 

Dames of the Needle 

Handmade Needl'werks

 StitchNButton 

Death By Thread

Summerhouse Stitche Works

Shakerwood Woolens 

Threadwork Primitives 

and 

the Nebby Needle

I'll be back again soon to share more goodies that I'll be bringing to the PSS Merchant Mall!

Hoping your day is full of positive people, love & light...

~ Blessings from the Farm ~

 Lori

~ Tis SPRING!!!!!!!! ~

"It’s spring fever. 

That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want — 

oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, 

but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!" 

~ Mark Twain

Hello Friends & Folk!

finally…. 

it is Spring once again ~ all is well in my soul!

Peter went into the woods 

& picked these for me yesterday to display in the shop…

a few daffodils, some bridal veil and forsythia...

 aren't they pretty?

ah…..

 sorry, the brownies are long gone!

Miss Nancy came in for a visit yesterday, and brought some of her wool appliqué…

love how she finished off my 'Lamb in the Clover' design with little bumble bees & flowers :)

love it Nancy!

 Joan & Natalie at the front counter, trying to look busy ~ 

{{ but me thinks that's where the brownies might have gone…}}

just kidding.

hey get to work!

Miss Eretta & Miss Pat came in to play too!

you can see Eretta & Peter discussing something here,

wonder if she's telling him to hurry up & finish her custom gripper frame he's making for her?

"and Peter, you better hurry up with that frame…I have lots of rugs to hook!"

Here's Bella {Natalie's sister} helping to tag my models on the wall…

thanks for being such a good helper Bella!

Bella & Natalie,

my busy little worker bees ~

Natalie has done such a wonderful job helping us get the pattern/classroom back into shape ~
thank you sweetheart!

 I was walking out to the shop this morning and was greeted by this little friend!!

{well maybe not So little…the fattest robin I think I've ever seen!}

I think she's getting ready to lay eggs…her belly is so swollen!

can't wait to see their little blue eggs again ~

and hear the chirping of the newborn hatchlings :)

I wanted to show you how I finished the edging 

of that punch needle motto-design I finished…

I used a length of beautiful Sari silk!

If you're unfamiliar with Sari silk, it is ribbon that has been recycled from old Sari's

{ A Sari is a dress worn in Eastern countries}

their colors are magnificent…

I love how tattered & soft it is ~ 

and the look it lends to my finished needlework.

simply twisted and then whip-stitched on the edge ~

but look how pretty!

I have hooked with Sari before, 

and it also lends a cool effect to my rugs, complimenting the wools with it's silky sheen.

...here is the back of the finished punch 

showing the backing fabric & hanger made from the same sari ribbon:

I never mind the wrinkles in my fabrics ~ i have a few myself ;)

I've started punching the next design in the series of my 'motto' designs, 

so when I have enough to show you,

 I will ~  :)

In the meantime, 

some of you today will be enjoying beautiful weather, and some of you ~

well, not so much.

but

whatever it is, remember that today marks the beginning of a new cycle

and is the perfect time to begin something different

or let go of an old habit...

* Happy Spring Everyone *

~ Blessings from the Farm ~ 

 Lori

~ Come for a Visit ~

Our little 

Farm Shop will be

Open Today from 10:00 - 3:00

… come on out for a visit, 

and bring something to keep your hands busy :)

{or learn something new to keep your hands busy!} 

~ Blessings from the Farm ~

 Lori

~ The Sounds of Thread…. ~

A Dear Friend stopped by the shop today ~

one whom I haven't seen in far-too-long.

a beautiful friend who brings with her happiness and joy & laughter…

was SO good seeing you today Cindy!!

please come by more often…we MISS you!

xo

So I am punching away…really I am ~

but

I'm Spring Cleaning too.

and busy working on other things for the upcoming shows.

meanwhile

I wanted to show you the progress of the last punching I was working on…

{I am finished with it now, but here are the 'in-progress' snaps}:

as you can see below,

I have begun filling my background in with DMC 310 {black, all 6 strands}

… a closer look…

Adhering to my original plan of punching this background referring to an antique rug as inspiration ~

I continue working my thread-magic and am now 'filling-in' with DMC 3021….

as I punch, 

I like to listen to my thread & punch needle…they talk to me!!

"click pop click pop click pop"

means I'm doing it correctly

{those that have taken previous classes from me understand}

LOL!!!

happily punching the remainder of this background….

… coming along nicely, almost finished with the background…

love the 

'old' look it has already ~

spring-greens have sprouted…
altho they are weeds, their happy green leaves
& small purple flowers are most welcome in my little world 

Want to learn Punch Needle??

come to me ~ or ~ I'll come to you.

I am always happy to teach anyone who is learning

 or wants to learn how to punch needle ~

AND I LOVE TO TRAVEL.

ANYWHERE.

I am always available via PM {Facebook} or Email notforgottenfarmwitch@gmail.com

or call me at 434-263-6508

 if you have a shop or guild or gathering of friends

 that want to learn Punch Needle, by all means let me know!

I am a fun teacher {well at least that's what I'm told!}

I'm SUPER informal…{come in your jammies!! I don't mind!}

I don't criticize or judge, am humble, actually what I'm known for is COAXING….

{that is a cool word, for those Engish-Majors out there!!}

and 

I am willing to learn right-along with you if you have something new for me to learn…

{and I'm sure there is MUCh for me to learn!!}

I WELCOME QUESTIONS, I WELCOME BEGINNERS, 

and I WELCOME each & every one of you to begin a wonderful adventure into

Punch Needle ~

I endorse all forms of needlework, 

because I want to see it kept alive.

and ~ because I want to see it taught some-what correctly & basically to beginners,

without beginners having to spend lots of $$ on a craft they may or may not love.

yeah, I'm rambling….

but can you tell that I'm at least enthused for you?

~ Blessings from the Farm ~

 Lori

~ Late at Night & Early in the Morning ~

Good Morning Friends & Folk!

~ thanks for visiting with me again today…

this morning's sunshine is bright already, 

so me thinks I'll do a little Spring Cleaning in my Kitchen Garden.

Last evening I punched more loops

in a quiet little corner of our Keeping room

with pillows & blankets and good lighting

and watching TV

{I actually like to 'listen' to the TV while I work, 

and it's usually Travel Channel, History Channel SyFy or PBS}

see the table that my sponge ware crock-lamp is setting on?

it's an OLD crank-driven butter churn!

I bought it when we first moved here to VA 13 yrs ago and love it still :)

no, I have never cranked out any butter with it ~ but I do churn butter in an old crock churn!
my family loves my fresh butter, especially when I add our garden fresh chives, or cinnamon to it's creamy-goodness!

Here is my progress thus far on my 'motto' punching…

I've finished the scalloped border & all lettering with my chosen Valdani threads,

and now I'm outlining everything in DMC black {310} then use the DMC 3021 as an accent color...

once everything is outlined in black, then I'll begin filling in the background…..

 I like the contrast between the darker, more primitive colors of the background 

against the lighter colors of the variegated threads, do you?

little loops make me happy

Make sure to fill-in any small details before you fill in your background too,

 like I did here with the black inside the lettering {like the 'O's & 'A's}

 I'll go back in and draw pencil lines where I will punch with the DMC 3021

to add that old blocked-looking 'hooked-rug' background that I love so much…

like this perfect example below:

… see how the background instantly ages it?

love love love

small details do count ;)

Using a pencil to make subtle guidelines on your background

 is a perfect way to add movement and age to your work…

don't be afraid to think out of the box ~

{I don't think I've ever been 'inside the box'!}

a couple of squiggles, 

… a few added directions for my punch needle to follow,

and I'll be done!

 I'll be back later to show you my finish ~

heading out to the garden now to play in the dirt…

Have a most

Bee-You-Tea-Full day my sweet friends!!

~ Blessings from the Farm ~

 Lori