Wednesday, August 31, 2011

New Pattern! Black-Eyed Susans

It’s that time of year when I see the Black-eyed Susans everywhere.
They remind me that Fall is approaching.
This is a design that I created a few years back and sold as finished candle mats.  I had so many requests for the pattern recently, I decided it was time to sell the pattern.
Here it is…
susanscropped
“Black-Eyed Susans”
Wool Appliqué Penny Rug Candle Mat
Finished size: 13” round
This one is really easy to stitch. Since the flower petals are loose, they only need stitched in the center to attach them.  The center green circle and stems are done with a stem stitch and the gold scallop circle that weaves in and out are done with a simple backstitch. 
So pretty!  So easy!
The pattern price is only $9.50 which includes shipping to US and Canada. 
Click on the Paypal button on the left to purchase or if you wish to pay with a check, just email me  cathspennies@gmail.com .
Wool kits are available for this too.  Kit price  includes:
*The pattern
*Pretty speckled black wool for the background & backing
*Hand-dyed gold and green wool for the flowers and leaves.
*Shipping (international customers will need to pay a little extra)
Kit price is $36.00
If interested, just email me cathspennies@gmail.com

I have a downloadable E-pattern available for this too.   Patternmart and Pattern Cupboard will have the E-pattern available soon … links will be added here soon .

Happy Day everyone!

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Cutting a Perfect Background Candle Mat Scallop

I have to say, I have the best customers!  I really REALLY appreciate all the thoughtful and kind emails I get from them. 
I welcome any and all questions and always invite customers to please ask for any help they might need along their stitching way. 
I even get questions about how to stitch other designers patterns and I help when I can. 
Recently, it was brought to my attention that perhaps the instructions for creating/tracing the background scallop needs to be more specific.  I’ve done literally hundreds of these scallops in so many different shapes and sizes that it’s a simple, non-thinking process for me but I do have to keep in mind that those of you who are new to this might not find it so easy. 
So, I’m here, right now, to make this step-by-step and easy!
CIMG0609 To get started, you’ll need one of my candle mat patterns, a pencil, and a sheet of Freezer Paper.  
Tear off a sheet of freezer paper that will be large enough to fit the entire background shape …usually about 15” square or so. 
For my patterns, I try my best to have the background shape printed on a legal size sheet of paper( 8.5” x 14”) so that the shape only needs traced twice for the background.
CIMG0622 For those ladies who have downloaded my epatterns or for a few of my patterns where the shape is too large to fit on a legal size sheet of paper, the background shape will need to be traced 4 times to create the background.  Sorry, there’s no avoiding that issue.
CIMG0610 Lay the sheet of freezer paper over the pattern background.  You should be able to easily see the black lines of the pattern through the freezer paper.  If not, then try taping the pattern to a sunny window.
Trace the shape onto your freezer paper.
CIMG0611 Here, you see, I have half the pattern drawn.  At this point you might be tempted to line the straight edge up on the fold of your wool and cut through double thickness of the wool.  DO NOT DO IT!
The wool is too thick to be able to cut it accurately that way.  The pattern needs to be laid out on a single thickness of wool.
Take the little bit of extra time and do this right!
So, flip your sheet of freezer paper to the opposite side …
CIMG0614 Line up the straight edges and draw it once again to create the complete scallop.
If the pattern needs traced four times, just line up all four corners in the center to create the entire scallop.
CIMG0615 Once the pattern is traced, simply rough cut around the drawn shape …
CIMG0616 Take it to your ironing board .  Turn the iron on to the wool setting with NO STEAM.  You need a dry iron for this. 
CIMG0617 With the plastic/shiny side down, and the paper side UP, iron the freezer paper onto your wool.  The center doesn't need much but be sure to iron the edges well so the paper holds well when it’s time to cut. The heat of the iron will warm that plastic coating just enough to stick to the wool.
CIMG0618 Once it’s cool, simply cut the shape along the traced lines.
CIMG0619 See!? We’ve created the perfect scallop shape. 
CIMG0620 The freezer paper peels off easily but be sure to slide your fingers around the edges to loosen first before peeling so that the wool doesn’t stretch. 
This is why I always so highly recommend using freezer paper instead of just pinning the pattern onto the wool. 
Wool stretches so easily, pinning the pattern and cutting just doesn’t give the accuracy that freezer paper gives.  The freezer paper holds that wool tight so there’s no stretching. It’s especially good to use when a lot of detailed shape cutting is required … like my “Jingle Bell Candy Cane” pattern or the “Christmas Sugar Cookie” pattern. Those backgrounds have a lot of twists and turns so a tight holding freezer paper will give you accuracy when cutting.
The traced freezer paper shape can be used over several times too so one tracing can get you sometimes (depending on the wool) 4-5 uses before needed fresh freezer paper.

Ok, I really hope that helps to clarify the instructions for the backgrounds.  As always, I welcome any suggestions that will help me to make your stitching easier. 
Happy Day everyone!

.

Monday, August 8, 2011

“Christmas Sparkle” <<-----LQQK!! ---->>New Pattern

 

Heeey y’all!  Yes, I’m alive.  I’ve not been around in blogland for a while, I know.  I’m going to try to do a better job of keeping up simply because I really miss it.  It’s been extremely busy here at  the home of Cath’s Pennies Designs.  Summer has whipped me with lots of heat and lots of outside work, leaving me no extra morning time for blogging.

But, I’m here to announce my newest design fresh from the printer…

Christmas Sparkle!

CIMG0603-use This wool candle mat measures 15” round and it’s difficult to tell from the picture, but I used special metallic threads for just about all of the stitching,  These metallic threads make the entire mat “sparkle” in the light.  CIMG0600

Don’t let the thought of metallic threads scare you off from stitching this though.  The DMC red and the gold threads are easily found at Joann fabric or anywhere that DMC embroidery floss is sold.  The metallic threads hang right next to the floss.

CIMG0562 This is what you’d look for at Joanns or at Michaels Crafts.

The pattern is available for sale right now. 

I’m offering the mailed pattern to my blog readers at a special price of $8.00(US & Canada, all others will just have to pay a little extra for shipping)

After next Wednesday evening, the price will go up to the regular selling price of $9.50.

Click on the Paypal button over there on the left to purchase the mailed pattern.  If you wish to download the E-pattern for this, then go to PatternMart HERE or at Pattern Cupboard HERE

 

If you wish to pay by personal check, just email me for my mailing address  cathspennies@gmail.com

 

Wool is available for this.  The special hand-dyed red mottled wool used for the ornament and the green wool for the ivy leaves can be purchased for $11.99 plus $1.50 shipping. 

Email me with your interest and I’ll send you a Paypal invoice .

 

Happy Day everyone!