Mug Rug Exchange - Do it yourself style!

[Jane R.]

Renata,
That quilting pattern is free-hand circles with a little "tail" inside the circle, then on to the next one. I think I saw it on a YouTube video and wanted to give it a try. Circles I can do pretty well but after that it's aaaccckkkkkk, so any little addition to the circles makes me happy. Stippling doesn't go from my brain to my hands as I always want to cross the lines, so this works well as a filler or on small projects.

[Renata L.]

Got it, Jane. Didn't even think about it that way--deconstructed as a circle with a little tail--I will definitely go try it. I think I saw something like that in a book but I still could not get it right. Your description of it makes me think I can do it after all. THANKS!!!

[wendy w.]

Can see it, I'll try that. It wouldn't' take much to turn them to leaves by pointing your circles Jane.

It's such a cheerful mugrug

[Rita C.]

Lovely mug rugs yet again. Beautiful workmanship as always. Jane I am going to steal that idea too, thanks.

[wendy w.]

By the way Jane don't worry about your stippling crossing the lines it really doesn't matter as long as you like it. You'll have made loops

[Geneva C.]

Lorchen, Glad you like the scotch mug rug. My husband has a Glenmorangie glass just like yours! He enjoyed the Talisker when we/he were scotch tasting in Scotland last year.

I received a lovely mug rug and special goodies from Lorchen! Beautiful cross stitch, a quilt bag, and pen and some hot chocolate! I love it all. Also, a very special notecard with Lorchen's art on it.




This is such fun!!!

Geneva

[Renata L.]

Another beautiful "Lorchen" mug rug, perfect for a single malt. Enjoy it, Geneva!

[Nancy R.]

Lorchen definitely does beautiful work!!

Nancy

[Nancy R.]

Got it, Jane. Didn't even think about it that way--deconstructed as a circle with a little tail--I will definitely go try it. I think I saw something like that in a book but I still could not get it right. Your description of it makes me think I can do it after all. THANKS!!!

Doesn't that make it a 'Q' rather than an 'O with a tail'?

[Hannelore N.]

Geneva, I better tell you before Rosemary (our embroidery expert) notices: The centre of your mug rug is not Cross Stitch, but Elizabethan Blackwork, just not done in black.

[Hannelore N.]

Actually I just skimmed Geneva's picture without checking it close up before you mentioned it Lorchan ops: . Love the leaves in the pattern

[Jane R.]

Did you do that by hand, Lorchen, or is there an embroidery cd with that style on it? It's too hard to get a clear close-up of the picture.

[Hannelore N.]

Jane, I do all embroidery by hand. One of my grandmother's taught me when I was about 6 or 7, much to the disgust of my mother, who thought needlework was a total waste of time. I'm very grateful to my grandmother. She was a very stern lady who must have found it very difficult that her only grandchild was a little tomboy with quite a lot of attitude. But every time I pick up needle and thread, it's thanks to her patience and perseverance. Her needlework was so much superior to anything I'm able to do. Just have a look at a piece of Hardanger work she made when she was just a teenager. My father's family was part Danish, and so the Scandinavian influence comes through.



I have to admit that I used to teach Elizabethan Blackwork about 30 years ago or so. I really need to get out some of my work and take pictures....... Well, I'll surely get around to that when I eventually retire.

[Rita C.]

Lorchen your redwork (?) is beautiful. Honestly you must be the fastest stitcher this side of the Atlantic. I really don't know how you do so much in such a short space of time. I hope you pass your skills on to your grandchildren. I am sure your grandmother would be very proud of you now. Her hardanger work is beautiful too.

[Hannelore N.]

Rita, if you had my sort of working life (including my line manager), you'd need a 'stress buster' every day you come home from school. Needlework, quilting, and listening to classical music (or a little jazz, like Sidney Bechet) are perfect and work for me most of the time.

I'm not particularly fast, Rita. But I have the luxury of no husband, and children grown up, so once I get home from school, my time is my own.

Most cultures have something similar to Elizabethan Blackwork. The biggest difference between traditional Redwork and Blackwork seems to be that Blackwork is often used to fill in shapes with a repetitive pattern. Redwork is predominantly outlining motifs in red thread. Most of the time blackwork is done on linen (or other evenweave fabrics) and the threads are counted in order to achieve the patterns. Personally, I'm not punishing my eyes by working on something like 32-count fabric (32 threads of fabric to the inch), but prefer 25-count evenweave fabric, and then use two threads of embroidery cotton.

Sooooooo, lounge lizards, I have outed myself, and I know that Rita has an amazing singing voice, ..... but what do you all do that we don't know about?? Come one, amaze us!!