Experiments Gone Awry

 

I normally only show projects I'm happy with on this blog. Today I thought I'd share a project that is still in the messy trial stages.

 

It all started with this punch needle kit from Joan Grimord. It was such a quick and easy way to make a rug,  I started thinking about the other rooms that needed carpet. I've planned to put an oriental carpet in the dining room for years, but never found the perfect one. Then, at the Guild School, I saw a gorgeous oriental carpet Joan had made by shaving a piece of punch needle embroidery. Unfortunately, it didn't seem like she'd be making a kit for the shaved carpets anytime soon. So I finally decided to just see what I could do with what I had.

I only worked on a one inch square test piece, and used colors that would work in the parlor. I figured if it looked good, I could use it to fill the empty little footstool frame has been kicking around. The trial piece didn't turn out so well, but I stuck it in the footstool anyways, just for fun.

  So here's what I found out:

1.I really need to measure more carefully- even if this carpet attempt was successful, I made it so small the base fabric shows all around the cushion edge. 

2. The thread colors darken once it's been shaved.

3. The DMC thread I used is no good for the shaved rugs, though it works nicely for the hooked versions. The fibers seem thick and clumpy, and the brown sections frizzed until they looked dusty.

4. Shaving sometimes seems to distort the pattern.The center design was a pretty clear spray of hooked pink flowers, but shaving turned it in to a pink and green mess.

Obviously, I have a lot more experimenting to do before I can start on my dinning room carpet, but I'm excited that I got something vaguely carpet-like on my first try.