The Primitive Roost...

Monday, January 27, 2014

How to tear fabric strips for using in rugs....

Making rugs is very theraputic for me....it helps me relax and gives me an outlet for my creative self.
That said....i hate tearing the fabric into strips...or better yet, i hate preparing the fabric to be torn.
The ripping part is kinda fun!! 


There is a bit of work you have to do before you get to the rippin part:
1. you have to lay your fabric out and measure it at 2" intervals:
2. make a 2" cut at every interval:

Now...this can be a bit confusing...that's why i thought the video would be great...but the stinking thing wouldn't load!!

Start grabbing the strips, odd in your left, even in your right. When you have them all together...hand the strips in one hand to your partner, grab, hold tight....and pull!! The fabric will start ripping into strips! 

YAY!! 
 So...you're thinking....great, got these strips ...now what?

You take the ends of each strip, fold them over about 1/4", then make a snip with your scissors:
See, now the ends of each strip should have a little hole:
That's it....now you have a bunch of strips to use in your next rug!! 
Maybe you like to crochet...you can join the strips and crochet a rug! 
I'm sure there are many different ways you could use these fabric strips...not just for rugs!! 

Let your imagination run wild!! 

I'm off now to get workin on my newest project....a 5'x3' rectangle rug...yep..another rectangle!! 

Aren't these colors awesome??
Until next time, 

God Bless!!

~Tonia


 

Friday, January 24, 2014

My Great Find....

One day while thrifting...looking for sheets and wool...i came across this cabinet:
I walked by it...stopped....backed up...and fell in love!!
The best part..it was only $20!!! 
Now..to give you a back story, i have two daughters,18 and 11, and they share a room with one little closet. 
If you have daughters this age, you know a little closet isn't enough for one, let alone two, girls! 
For $20.....this was a cheap closet!!! 
My mind started reeling!!
My youngest loves music, and the vintage look, so i was totally in my element!
Plus, my oldest daughter wanted no part of putting her clothes in an old metal cabinet...her loss! 

So...bought some black rustoleum, and an old vintage music book, and Modge Podge,  and got to work...

Here is where i would insert a photo of me working..if i would have thought of it...so use your imagination:
Me in my paint clothes, smears of black everywhere, my hair stuck to my face thanks to some unruly Modge Podge....
you get the idea!! 

And here is the finished "closet":
 I painted the outside and inside with the black paint, then Modge Podged the outside of the doors with the vintage music paper...

My daughter loved it!! The picture doesn't do it justice.
It turned out so well, that the oldest tried to change her mind and said she wanted it....TOO BAD!! LOL!
 its a mess already...but you get the picture...i only painted the inside with one coat because  i was going to use the paper on the inside too, then didn't have enough, oh well. I also used the paper on the shelf inside....love that! She puts all her crap...i mean girlie stuff...on the top shelf and uses the doors to hang her belts, scarfs and that one medal!! 

So glad i came across this cabinet!!
 It is one of those things that she can take with her when she moves one day...and it can be easily changed to fit her style! 

Oh the joy of thrifting! 

Until next time, 

God bless, 

-Tonia

Thursday, January 23, 2014

It Made It......

My first rectangle rug has made it safely to its new home...and i couldn't be happier!!
This order had a few firsts for me:
It was the first rectangle rug
It was the first order from my new fb page: Tonia's Primitive Roost, and
It was the first rug i have ever shipped! 

I was very afraid that after being folded and placed into a box, that it wouldn't want to lay flat for my customer, but as you can see, that wasn't a problem. 
I usually roll them when i have to store them, then just unroll them and lay them out...that works great. 

I also learned alot about shipping them...thanks to the kind and patient mail lady that had to deal with me and my 101 questions!!
So a big shout out and thank you to the awesome mail lady at the Monroe Post Office!!!!
Now i am off to finish this beauty!! 
I love the dark country colors! 
Hope the new owner loves it as much as i do...LOL!! 

Until next time,

God bless!

Tonia

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Another Toothbrush Rug....

My very first rectangle rug...completed and soon to be delivered to its new home!!


 I had alot of issues with this one...the first being it is smaller on one end than the other, and the second, it took me awhile to figure out how to get it to quit "bowing". It kept taking the shape of a rainbow...and you can still see that a little on the bottom of the rug. 
I'm proud of myself for doing it...but i think i will stick to the oval and rounds!! 

Here are the colors of the new rug i'm working on:
It's a 2'x3' oval:
I just started it and its coming along nicely. I love these colors....very prim and country!! She has great taste...LOL!
Making these rugs bring me so much pleasure, especially when i know that the people who buy them love them too! They are so comfortable to stand on and are SOOOOoooooo easy to take care of....just throw them in the washing machine and then the dryer...even though i always hang mine outside to dry....they regain their flat shape quicker that way! 

Even though i am having fun with these rugs....my poor lonely hooking loom just keeps staring at me...LOL!!
Its been sitting so long that i actually had to dust it off to make it presentable for this photo!! Ha ha! 
My fingers are just itching to hold the hook and get going! 
Making the toothbrush rugs is fun and quick, and i love it, but there is something very special about hooking on my loom! 

Its almost like painting a picture, but instead of paints and a paintbrush, i use a hook and wool! 
Watching the wool strips turn into a piece of art is very fulfilling for me.

Just talking about it is getting me all excited to start another project.....

Soon Loom....very soon!!

Well, have to get going and work some more on the rug!

Until next time,
God bless!!

Tonia





 

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

New Rug.....

There is nothing better to me than having a new project to work on....i love to use my hands, and a new project keeps them moving! 

I started a new facebook page with the intent on selling some of my work, because let's face it...my friends and family only want so much...and my husband is constantly reminding me of how "little" space we have left!! LOL

My page is also called..."Tonia's Primitive Roost". ...and ya know, i already have two orders!! 
Both orders are for toothbrush rugs which i love to make! 

First one is browns:
 I love the look of neutrals!

The customer requested a rectangle rug....now this was new to me...another thing i love...learning new things! This is the starting chain....doesn't look like much...but it will become a beautiful rug!

 See...here is the rug in the beginning stages. She wants a 3 x 2 to use in front of her kitchen sink...i think she will be pleased!
 A closer look of the colors....i love how different fabrics can work so well together...who knew!!
 
 Well...i better get going and work some more on the rug before the littles and hubby get home. Can't get much done with them under foot!! 

Until next time, 

God Bless!!!

Tonia
 

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Springtime....?????

Well...not really...even though the temps are now a Balmy 39*..LOL!

After the Polar Vortex had held us hostage for a week, these temps feel like it. 

What i'm really talking about is this beautiful rug i just finished!

 The colors scream springtime to me! 
Pale yellows, blues, greens, and a splash  of pink...Oh My! 
Its a 2' round and would be perfect in any corner or in front of your favorite chair! 

Looking at it makes me happy....

If interested in giving this a good home..message me and we can chat! 

Today is the birthday celebration for my daughter and niece, so i am off to finish decorating the cake and making some homemade bread loafs for dinner. 
They chose mostacolli....and you can't have that without some warm homemade bread to dip in the sauce! 
YUMMMMMMMMMM!! 

Until later, 

God bless!!

Tonia

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Another Update....

In one of my old posts, i shared pics of a new rug i was hooking.

Well...here it is all finished..except for the binding:
I absolutely LOVE the way it turned out!!!
It is the first "full size" rug i have hooked. I usually only do candle mats and chair pads. 
It took a long time...but it was so worth it!

I am a member of a Relay For Life Team...Circle of Hope...and we are donating this to the auction they have. All the money goes for Cancer research.
How could that not be worth it??
All i pray is that it finds a good home to someone who will love it as much as i do! 

Gotta go ....its time to start another "toothbrush" rug!! 

Until next time, 
God bless!

Tonia
 

Monday, January 6, 2014

How Beautiful!

This is a picture from my side door....That tree is even more gorgeous in person! 

Would've taken a better pic from a different angle, but the drifts over there are over a foot!!! 

And only getting bigger....the winds are whipping at 20-24 mph...with sub-zero temps!! 

So what to do when you are stuck at home?? 
Create of course:

Hopefully i will have these torn and rolled into a ball soon so i can start another rug. I need another accent color or two i think though....what do you think? A color that will make it "POP"! 
What i really need to do is go thrifting and find some more sheets! My stash is getting REALLY  low...and i can't have that! 

When the weather clears and the kids go back to school ...its the first thing on my list of things to do...poor me! LOL

If you are any where near this cold front, please stay indoors and keep warm....and don't forget to tend to your animals! They get just as cold as we do!

Until next time, 

God Bless Ya! 

Tonia

Sunday, January 5, 2014

I'M BACK!!

So sorry to have been gone for so long...but i am back on track and ready to blog!! 

Hopefully this can become a great place for y'all to come visit, share, and learn! And maybe make some new friends too! 

I have been very busy since my last post, but i don't want to bog y'all down with the details...so we will move on!! 

It is a New Year, which always means new dreams , new goals, and a new sense of hope! 

So lets start this New Year together!! 


Sticking with the "New" theme: here is my NEW finished rug:

It has blues, creams and a splash of olive green. The size is 30 x 25.
If interested in having this in your country home, just message me! 
These are wonderful under your feet while doing dishes, or in the bathroom too!! 
I have a few more strips left over and am in the process of making a hot pad or chair pad, we'll have to see how big it gets!

Until next time, 
God bless you!

Tonia