First things first

                                    

Is everyone ready to make a penny rug? Good. The first thing you want to do is determine what you want and how big you want it, so now grab your sketching paper and start doodling. This is something you want to be able to finish in a short period of time, so don't get too involved with the design...save that for wool! Working with felt wool is an old American folk art, not perfect, not real detailed.....but recognizable and fun!

I made this penny rug a few years ago and think my sister in law has it. She loves these things.

I am not a sketcher nor a planner, I just plunder along, hoping it turns out ok.

Pop out to your kitchen and find a platter, plate or serving bowl.  This little rug is the same dimensions of this cute little Corelle platter I used to own.

I traced around the platter, face down, on butcher paper, and cut it out on the lines. Lay the pattern aside and go on a cookie cutter hunt. (You quilt, therefore you eat and you probably have some stuck away somewhere. I found so many that I cannot freely admit how many I have, the HOARDER connection, lol.)

I actually had the cat and the moon cutters. The pumpkins and stems are just scrappy little pieces I free cut. If you don't have those, don't get too worried. You can get lots of free shapes  on the web, in kids coloring books...lots of places. Leaves, acorns, crows, squash, corn, etc.

If you're using the cookie cutters, just set them on the pattern you cut earlier, to see how it looks together. If  you're using something else, then trace them on butcher paper, cut them out and place on the pattern.

When you're happy with how everything fits together, take a digital pic, for yourself. Don't be afraid to change it up or scrap it and start over.

Play around with this tonight and do go online to etsy or ebay and check out penny rugs. Since you are a budding artist and wouldn't dream of copying any of the work displayed, do check it out to see how others do their penny rugs, mug mats and/or candle mats. And if you truly want inspiration, you have GOT to see what this lady can do! A wool Goddess, that Sue Spargo!

I want you to also check out your cupboards and bathroom for circles. I used a shot glass for the pink pennys!

Get your butcher paper ready and if you have a very inexpensive stamp pad, any color will do, along with a stapler....now, if you have any questions, please, please ask! Do you want to get to it tomorrow or wait a few days? Let me know your consensus...