prettypennyprecuts

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I hope you were able to get some stitching in during July.

I’d like to share one of my all-time favorites Tree Lot. Tree Lot was inspired by my paternal step-grandmother who was quite a character. She devised many ways to keep her rather large blended family together. When retirement took my grandparents to Nevada, she found out that with tree permits you could cut down Christmas trees. So once a year the California families would descend, usually right after Thanksgiving, and go camping in the way too cold Nevada mountains. We would cut down enough trees to provide Christmas trees for their children and grandchildren as well in California.

Tree Lot uses three dies from Sizzix the first one is the jalopy from the Tim Holtz collection, the second die is a retired red Originals die called Pinetree and then the third die is also retired it’s a medium yellow originals called Pine Tree. Paired with recycled and hand dyed Wools Tree Lot’s vintage feel provides a forum for fond wintertime and Christmas memories.

I hope you will cut something out and create!

This is a question I’ve responded to many times. I have found Front Loading Washing vs Top Loading Washing does make a difference. Find your sweet spot!

I have a front loading washer and have felted let’s just say lots of wool. First, I do not want my wool to be fulled. I liken fulled wool to a boiled sweater where the wool is nearly 1/2” thick. I do want my wool felted. Felted Wool begins its life as woven wool and once felted it will no longer fray. We each need to find our “sweet spot” regarding felting our wool and there are many variables. Water, temperature, agitation (all washing machines are different) to name a few. Please note that once felted or over felted to the fulled stage you cannot undo it. So back to that “sweet spot”. You will be surprised but here is mine…LG Front Loading Washer, 1 Tablespoon laundry detergent, 1 teaspoon softener, Permanent Press Cycle, Warm Water, lowest agitation, lowest spin. Yes include something that will not add lint like an old towel, a flip flop, or a Croc shoe to assist in keeping your wool on the move. I dry on Normal with Dryer Balls about a 45 minute cycle. Following traditional directions regarding Felting wool over processes my wool to an unusable point. Find your “sweet spot!”

Heart in Hand. This was a fun mixed media stitchery. I love combining techniques! Wool Appliqué, Blanket Stitch Beading, Crochet Scallop edging. I finished this as a Needle Book, but it could be a door hanger, Cushion or etc. Second photo shows the combination of Dies I used. I outline my Dies with a silver sharpie to aide placement of material to be cut. Note: The small green Originals Die. These retired Sizzix Dies in Small Green and Medium Yellow are worth searching for! #sizzix #prettypennyprecuts

Merry Christmas everyone! I haven’t posted in a while just too busy. I open my Studio once a month to local wool Applique lovers and offer a free Make ‘n Take. It’s my way of giving back and let’s me share my love of Sizzix! Our December project was a surprise. Stitchers received the Snow Bunny and plaid Background. I had two samples, but I love to see each individuals take on the project. One stitcher has shared her fabulous finish, don’t you love Angela’s Pillow? You will see a few photos of Stitching in progress, but I’d like you to see the paper die cut and the ‘waste’. Die cutters often are asked “doesn’t die cutting waste a lot of fabric?” To me waste is in the eye of the beholder! From the Snow Bunny ‘waste’ we scissor cut two additional paws, a snowdrift, and the potential of some trees if desired.

The technique for the Button Snowflakes (not die cut) can be found on a tutorial by Bonnie Sullivan published by Martingale.

Isn’t this Quilt of Valor amazing? A huge shout out to Judy Daymont who graciously accepted the donated Eagle kit and combined it with her masterful Pieced design. I am blown away. PS the Eagle kit was Judy’s first wool Appliqué project! Wow! Wow! Wow! — with Judy Daymont.

Thank you to Jeanie A for donating the Nine Patch blocks for this fabulous design.

The wool Appliqué Eagle is Die Cut from recycled Felted wool using Elanor Burns Accuquilt GO Eagle with Sizzix embellishments all cut on my Sizzix BigShotPRO. 

A little backstory…it is my habit to donate a wool Appliqué kit when I present my passion for wool Appliqué to organizations or when I vend a show. My small way of giving back. 

Serious Happy Mail for me! These Sizzix steel rule Dies designed by Roseann Meehan Kermes Rosebuds Cottage are awesome! So many adorable motifs on each Die I can’t wait to design with them!!! #rosebudscottage #sizzix #sizzxfangirl #prettypennyprecuts

On Black Background by Gretchen C isn’t it stunning!

I have made progress on my Hummingbirds and Flowers Drsign. The kit inspiration is in the hands of the requesting stitcher Teddy in FL. The first few kits are sold!  I need to re kit this one quickly as I already have requests!  I hope you enjoy the photos.

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This will be a rather large Custom Kit request. The motifs are currently “auditioning” and are not yet fused in place.  One of my most important tools in the Pretty Penny Precuts Studio is my IPhone!  Snapping photos as I progress through a design allows me to correct things like placement and most importantly balance. This photo view allows you to step back from the design to see it in perspective. Note the heaviness in the corner placement as opposed to the placement of the horizontal motifs. Truly a design in progress but I am loving it!

Here is a small sample stitch of the Hummingbird motif. Doesn’t the stitching just bring the hummingbird and flower to life?

Follow Pretty Penny Precuts on Social Media. See nearly all my works on my Pretty Penny Precuts Pinterest Page. See kits and request projects at http://www.prettypennyprecuts.etsy.com

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