Monday, February 11, 2013

Save The Onion Skins Dear Diary,

More of Cee's Penny Rugs
I wonder how I took that photo...
This is a very traditional layout seen
in many antique rugs.
I will show you in class how this rug can be made
to look completely different 
with just the placement of the colours.
Same size pennies but in another
layout which I seldom see in
an antique rug.
Close up of the pennies
They are not all round
I like this look 
Thread used is ordinary butcher string
The back or base of the above rug
No lining so the stitches show
I will show in class how to do
this simple finish with
 half  pennies showing...very easy to do.
I had a  terrible time dyeing string
for this rug..it was some time ago
but I think it was dyed string.
The base was an old burlap bag
Burlap is not my first choice 
It takes patience to stitch
on burlap
This was many years ago and 
only my second penny rug
I stitched.
Needless to say I hate it but
I sold many kits of this rug.
I don't remember the name of this one
Early on I loved to find 
old fashioned names 
for my rugs and pennies.
I wanted to show these new rugs
The dark coin penny rug has
an unusual layout
This is an antique rug possibly 
made in Nova Scotia
Check this layout against my rug 
in the first photo
It's all in the colours 
and the placement of pennies
Same shape rug but
this rug is much like a 
'hit and miss' rug

Isn't this beautiful!
No base or backing and 
it's a kit!
This is my dear friend
Colleen's rug.


I hope you enjoyed the photos
I have one more
This week  I hope to post a 
step by step, never fail
way to dye wool and whatever
with onion skins.
Save your onion skins!


I also have a great link for you.
Make sure you watch 
these wonderful tutorial videos
from the first to the last 
in sequence.
They are THE BEST you will find 
on the web!


Colleen and I have been friends forever..
not 'really' forever but back when 
I was just starting to make rugs.
We have the kind of friendship that 
never ends.
I admit the guilt of not keeping in 
touch with my wonderful friends
these past years.
Years? gosh I hate to write that word
but it is true.
I somehow lost my way and wasn't 
the person or the rugmaker
that is cee.
But cee is back!
My wonderful friends are there 
for me as if  only yesterday
was my last contact.
Lady Moths
with tears in my eyes I
Thank you 
from the bottom of
my heart!



Updates:
I am working on solving the 
'follow by email'
that doesn't seem to work.

Until then you can email me
if you have questions or whatever.
This link will be here for only
a short time as it is 
an open invitation for 
spam in my inbox.

I hope to post details of the
penny rug classes
soon...

Thank you everyone for 
following or visiting
with me.
Until tomorrow...
well ...
possibly
Wednesday?

11 comments:

Barb said...

Love those rugs! Your handwork is spectacular.

By the way, I tried the link for email, and I believe it works--hooray :)

Cee Rafuse said...

Thank you so much Barb!
Glad you are here with us and I hope you join the penny class.

Yes I have email but gosh knows if it will send the blog posts.
I'm playing with MailChimp...they sent an email when you subscribed..
It said ...
Yippee! You've got a new subscriber for your list The Diary of a Rugmaker Updates.
Feels good to be loved.

Cheers,

The MailChimp Crew
so funny....

The Eveningstitcher said...

Cee...I am overjoyed to see that your are back! You have been an inspiration to me for years...I kept checking your website..but you hadn't updated or added..so I figured you were taking a much needed break. You have amazing talent and I so look forward to reading your blog and being inspired...after all...your rugs are one of the reasons I started making penny rugs. I'm doing a happy dance in your honor!!

Cee Rafuse said...

Oh my gosh!! Thank you so much!!!
Geez I'm here all alone and I think I'm blushing.. It's interesting.. people are saying such wonderful things about my rugs but honestly they are very easy to design and create if you do it my way. The one thing that helped me when I first started.. I didn't read how others made rugs.. I figured it out for myself.. and I keep doing it.. hope you can come to the penny class..
Thanks again for such kind words!

Colleen MacKinnon; Penny Rugs and More said...

Your rugs are the best Cee, nobody makes them like you do. We're all glad you're back....thanks for posting all those great photos of them! Nice post! You always manage to find something interesting to add - I really like the new ones on the drying rack in that craft show link! That is a nice display to share. And thank you for showing my big rug kit! I think I have exactly 3 left, then those wools and threads are gone. And my yellow YouTube rug! Oh it feels so good to get my Part 5 posted. You know I'll be part of your class for sure! Hugs, Colleen

Primitives By The Light of The Moon said...

Your rugs are just absolutely the best! I saw a couple of them that a lady here in Oklahoma owns that you made and you know just how to capture the look of times past! Oh how I wish I lived close enough to come to one of your classes :)
I'll have to start collecting those onion skins!!!!

Cee Rafuse said...

Colleen I hit 'gold' tonight...oh my gosh the rugs I"ve found!!


Oklahoma! That must be Dee..she is here too.. we met years ago and it was as if we knew each other our entire lives.. Dee is a wonderful friend and a long time 'Lady Moth'
Thanks so much everyone for the compliments.. I very much appreciate your kind words

Lauralee @ The Eclectic Stitcher said...

Love the rugs ~ can't wait for your class! It was pictures of your rugs that got me interested in penny rugs and I purchased my first "pattern" from Colleen at Rag-A-Muffin. To this day, that first rug I made is my favorite!

Will be saving the onion skins.

Lauralee >^.^<

Jeanne said...

Your rugs are beautiful....I have always wanted to make a penny rug...but I don't know where to begin. If you sell kits, I'd like to purchase one. I've always been a bit confused on what kind of wool to use for penny rugs.

Cee Rafuse said...

Thanks Lauralee! Colleen's kits are amazing..she is absolutely the best at combining those wools. I can't do it..I need to dye wool for every rug I do.

Jeanne..trust me and I know the other Lady Moths will agree..by the time we finish the classes you not only will be making beautiful rugs..you will be using your own designs and you won't need kits! If you don't have access to good wool..either Colleen or I will set you up so you can stitch your rug.
We will go over the topic of wool and easily dyeing..just about everything you can ask about penny rugs.

Cee Rafuse said...

Thank you Felicia!
Glad that you are here, I know you will
really like the group lessons..we have a lot of fun!