Bittersweet Needle and Thread

Bittersweet Needle and Thread

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Wool Braided Rug and Willow Basket


WOOL BRAIDED RUG

My first braided rug turned out nicely.  I purchased all the wool at my favorite thrift store:  jackets, slacks, coats, skirts and a few pieces of misc fabric.  I was delighted to find 7 yards of a lovely tan (and cheap) and it is what I based one whole braid on.  The other 2 braids I grouped various colors together and then sewed them into long strips. I love the plaids!


 Then the fun began!  I folded the strips, then braided them together using a blunt needle with heavy duty thread, double stranded.


 After that, I used the same thread and tightly hand sewed each row to make a more secured rug.


 Then, voila, I made a rug!  What surprised me was how soft it is to stand on.  It took me about 6 weeks to make and here's the best part, I can enjoy it for many years!


I bought some anti skid to put it under it to make it more secure.  The rug measures 5  1/2' x 4'.  Now its time to start another one.

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WILLOW BASKET

Sometimes when working with natural supplies, as it dries, it has a tendency to occasionally warp out of shape.  That's what happened to this small egg basket.  I gathered grapevine and make several handles at one time and let them dry.  The willow I work while it is green, as it needs to be pliable.  Everything was going well, then oops, after it dried it would not sit up straight, so I make a kick stand for it.  Perfect!


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I've started my holiday baking.  My goal this year to make some of the treats my mother and grandmother made for us at Christmas time.  Oh my!  First I forgot to buy all the ingredients for the fudge, so I started on the Divinity.  Holy Moly!  It doesn't quite look right, humm.  Well then I moved on to the popcorn balls.  First batch I burned the syrup coating (not sure if I had the burner up too high or that I was working on a puzzle and NOT paying attention).  Batch #2 turn out right (I never took my eyes off of it!).  Tomorrow I will make the fudge and the sugar coated dates stuffed with walnuts (if I remember to by everything!).  Keep your fingers crossed, cooking is sometimes an adventure for me.
 
Thanks for visiting,
Cinder



3 comments:

  1. I need to visit that thrift store next time I head your way. The rug is beautiful. How ingenious to make a kick stand
    for that cute basket. My grandmother made the best divinity, I have tried to make it many times. It never seems to come out right, it's either too runny or too dry. It's just never as good as hers! I wish you and yours a very Merry
    Christmas!!

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  2. So many stitches in your soft braided rug...but, well worth it all, for it turned out beautifully! You were probably a bicycle rider, who with one quick little flick of the foot had the kick stand down, and you were off... Been there and done it myself, many times. I wouldn't have even noticed the basket's "kick stand" for I was quite busy admiring the little basket.. ♥♥♥ love baskets made from what's outside the back door (and front too!) Merry Christmas to you, and good luck with the cooking (my least favorite thing about the holidays).

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  3. I really like your rug! My goodness! What a lot of work you put into it!
    Fudge used to be a candy I made for the girls, but now that it's just the two of us, and we don't need a lot of sugar, I doubt that I could make it; however it does sound tempting!
    Hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and I'm glad you're blogging :)

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