Finally Home Sweet Home is finished

Everyone now knows about a real character flaw that dwells within me.  I do not finish things.  I get wildly enthusiastic about all sorts of things and embark on adventures, both large and small, but often do not follow them through to the finish.  

This also applies to my sewing.  I loved the idea of making a penny rug and sharing it with you.  This time last year I was sketching, and planning and felting wool and buying fabrics and in a whirlwind of enthusiasm.  I planned a 10 part project and wanted to share it with my bloggy friends, after all, so many of you share patterns and designs and ideas.  I wanted to give something back.

But, and this is so typical, by the middle of the year my enthusiasm began to wane.  I didn't want to stitch my penny rug any more.  I did go through much worry and regret and knew I would be letting down those who had chosen to stitch along with me but in the words of Scarlett O'Hara I just thought

'I can't think about that right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow.' 

My lovely sweet bloggy friends, you did not complain or chastise me but I knew I had done wrong.  So while I was stuck in bed I worked on it.

And so here we are, at the end of the year, and only now have I finished the promised parts 8, 9 and 10 (well the idea anyway) of the rug.  I am so sorry about this, vow to never do it again and offer lots and lots of apologies.

Home Sweet Home Part 8

Print out the pattern sheets you can find HERE and HERE. Cut out each piece and glue it in place as indicated in this picture.  I used a blanket stitch to attach the stars and a running stitch for the letters.

Home Sweet Home Part 9

Print out the pattern sheet you can find HERE. Cut out enough tulips to fill in the gap between the church and the tree from Part 1.  Stitch on stems and leaves.  

Now is your opportunity to 'tizzy up' your penny rug.  Put on as much or as little as you want.  I added - some small flowers,

- a Quilt Show sign

and a quilt hanging in the barn

- rows of grass

- some stitched stars to fill in a gap.

Home Sweet Home Part 10

There are lots of different ways to finish off your penny rug.  You could
- Back, quilt and bind it just as you would an ordinary quilt.
- Use another piece of wool or felt as a backing and blanket stitch around the edge catching the top and back together
- Add a backing by sewing right sides together to 'bag' the quilt
- Add circles of felt around the edge, even better if they are comprised of multiple layers.
- Add decorative buttons to each circle of felt.
I plan to bag my rug and then add decorative circles..  And as soon as I do I'll show the edging to you.

December OPAM Finishes

In December I was pretty productive and had 7 OPAM finishes
2 pincushions
2 linen lolly bags
1 linen shoe bag
1 linen polish bag
1 wall hanging
This makes a total of 80 finishes this year.
I want to send a huge thank you to Peg and Kris for organising this fun for us.

I received a multitude of amazing Christmas gifts and will be sharing pictures over the next few days.  Huge thanks to everyone.

Have a great night - see you next year.