Primitive Sunflower on a Vintage Bed Spring Rug Punch & Proddy Workshop

Description:  
No green thumb required for this workshop! Students will create their own wool flower using two different rug hooking techniques. The center of the flower will be punched using the Oxford Rug Punch. Once the center is punched, the flower petals will be added using a technique called proddy. Students will learn how to use their large primitive shaft hook to proddy the petals around the center of their flower. Once the flower is finished, students will learn how to prep the flower for placement on the vintage bed spring.  The flower will be finished off with 3-dimensional leaves that you will be able to adjust to your liking. 

During class there will be discussion on other mediums that can be used and how you can adjust the size for other creative uses. 

Susie will contact students prior to class to choose their flower color. Color choices will be blue, sunflower gold, or purple. Flower petals will be cut and ready for use in class. Different techniques for cutting petals by hand will be discussed during class. Students will receive a pattern with step-by-step photos from punching the center to the technique for mounting the finished flower on the bed spring.

Have you thought about adding proddy to a rug, but weren’t sure how to do it? Maybe you thought about punching a rug, but had no idea how? If you are not familiar with either of these techniques, in this workshop - you will learn the fundamentals to incorporate into your next hooked/punched rug project.  

Teacher will contact students prior to class:  Yes

Level:  Basic – students must have basic rug punching knowledge & experience. No proddy knowledge or experience required.

Supply description:  Hand dyed 3-ply yarn to punch the center of the flower, pre-cut wool petals in assorted wool colors for the flower color selected, linen foundation, supplies for finishing flower, bed spring, wool and wire for 3 dimensional leaves, thread & needle.

Students Need to Bring:  Rug frame, scissors, large primitive shaft hook (8mm or larger), & Oxford rug punch.  (Large shaft hooks & Oxford punch needles will be available in class for purchase.)

Bio: 
Susie Simmons was raised in a creative and entrepreneurial home where she was encouraged to be creative and open to exploring new crafts. Her parents participated in local art shows and gave her space in their booth to sell her “Make-It/Bake-It Stained glass pieces along with her handmade woven cotton potholders. While attending the shows with her parents, Susie would demonstrate how to make the potholders and show the different potholder designs that she created. Customers placed orders and Susie would make their custom orders while they shopped other vendors at these shows. Fast forward 10 years later, Susie took her first basket making class, where she utilized her potholder experience in laying out the bases for her baskets. She created her own basket designs in addition to dyeing the colored reed that she used in her baskets. She also taught basket weaving to children in the local elementary schools, 4-H groups, girl scouts, boy scouts, and adults throughout the state of Indiana as well as serving on the executive board for the Indiana Basket Makers Association.

Susie was introduced to rug hooking 15 years ago and instantly became “hooked.”  Using her dyeing experience from her basket making days, dyeing wool was the next logical step. There was a small learning curve for dyeing wool vs dyeing basket reed. Ironically, they are both natural materials, but require different types of dyes. Today she continues that entrepreneurial spirit while teaching and vending at different rug hooking events, fiber shows, quilt shows, and quilt shops throughout the midwest and the southern regions of the United States. Susie does custom dyeing for her customers and works with quilt shops to color plan and custom dye the wool to be used in wool applique kits. She loves tips and tricks and shares a variety of them during class to make the project that you are working on easier.