Redware Penny Rug

I love Redware pottery! I have started a small collection of new pieces......mostly plates. I like to rotate out the plates on display to correspond with the holidays. My newest addition is a running rabbit plate received as a Christmas gift. It and the color of some Woolrich wool I had on hand inspired some "Redware" Penny Rugs. The ones in this post have been listed on Ebay

Wool of a different kind!

I usually work with wool fabric to make appliqué pieces, but I've been wanting to try this project for awhile. You use 100% wool sweaters that have been felted (ruined!) by putting them in the washer and dryer. You may have a shrunken sweater in your closet or one you'd like to repurpose. I found several that had been felted (unintentionally, I'm sure!) at my local thrift shop.
This 100% wool sweater from The Gap was just $3.00. I used a pattern and instructions from a post on Make&DoGirl.comThe pattern makes a large pair of mittens. I was able to get an adult size and a child size pair from one sweater. Another sweater yielded several adult pairs and enough left over for a turtle neck sweater for my little dog!

Primitive hearts

Been busy sewing up some hearts for Ebay. Someday, I'll have to make one for myself! The prices are low these days, but I enjoy sewing during my free time no matter the profit. This one is currently on Ebay.

Emelie's Room

I've been doing some visiting this summer and thought I would share a little information about a handmade sampler of the past.....

There's a room at my mother's house we call "Emelie's Room." We have no Emelies in our family, but an 1800's memorial sampler hangs on the wall in that guest room. My mother came across this sampler many years ago at a sale and had to "adopt" it. I admit some of us were a little creeped out at first.... sleeping in a room with a picture of a dead girl surrounded by pieces of her hair! But my sisters and I have come to love little Emelie and can only imagine the heartache her mother endured.

The sampler reads "God Bless My Dear Child Emelie Born Nov third 1872 Died Aug third 1881 Absent But Not Forgotten"

We often wondered who Emelie was, where she was from and what could have caused her death before reaching the age of 9. My youngest sister went on a mission to solve the mystery. She found the photographer's name on the back of Emelie's photo, found the town, found the names of her parents. Emelie was from a small town in Kansas.

There was no cause of death or burial place listed for Emilie. The curator of the town museum told my sister that in 1881, a traveling salesman had exposed some residents to small pox. That may have been what caused little Emilie's death, but we do not know for certain.

Some day, I think it would be nice to return Emelie to the town where she was born. Perhaps the museum would like to have the sampler or there is a descendant who would take "watch" over little Emelie. But for now, she has her own room and she is "absent, but not forgotten".


Below are some links about memorial samplers you may find interesting:

Remembering those we love
Art of Mourning
Mourning Samplers

Idle hands.......

I took a little break from sewing this weekend to spend some time with my family. My sister snapped this photo of a friendly butterfly who landed on my hand while we sat on the dock.
Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!
Terri

Penny Rug Winner!

Thanks for entering my penny rug giveaway! I enjoyed reading all your comments and visiting so many great blogs! All the comments that were made before midnight on June 18th were entered into the drawing. If you posted on your blog, you had two chances of winning. I wrote all your entries out, mixed them up and pulled out one.........Margie from Hungry Hook Primitives you are a winner! Congratulations Margie!
Thanks again to all who entered!
~Terri~

Red, White & Blue for You Giveaway has a Winner!

As promised.....here's a little red, white and blue penny rug made by me for one lucky winner! Leave a comment below and I will enter your name into the drawing.

Mention this giveaway on your blog and you will get a bonus entry! (Let me know you did so) If you don't have a blog, make sure you give me an email to contact you if you should win or return here after the 18th to see if you're the winner.

Giveaway begins now and ends at midnight on June 18, 2011. One entry per person. Two for bloggers who share this giveway on their blogs.

This penny rug is made with hand dyed wools in brick red, denim and colonial blues. It is only 5" wide and 14" long. It would look so cute on a little red stool!

So..... what do you say?!! I say.....A penny for your thoughts ;-)
~Terri~