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Book Project + Giveaway: Wool Binding Kitchen Rug for Hand-Stitched Home

Book Project + Giveaway: Wool Binding Kitchen Rug for Hand-Stitched Home | Red-Handled Scissors

Photo credit: Burcu Avsar, 2014, used with permission from The Taunton Press

A little more than a year ago, I took a trip to Portland, OR, and had a crazy-fun all-day craft party with some of my very favorite people on the planet. During this melding of creative minds, I finally got to meet my friend Susan Beal—who just happens to be the author of some of my favorite sewing (affiliate link) and quilting (affiliate link) books—in person, and awesomeness ensued. By the end of the day, I had visited the amazing Pendleton Woolen Mill Store, and had agreed to design a wool binding kitchen rug project for her upcoming book from The Taunton Press, Hand-stitched Home: Projects to Sew with Pendleton & Other Wools (affiliate link). I guess you could say it was a pretty great trip! ;P

Book Project + Giveaway: Wool Binding Kitchen Rug for Hand-Stitched Home | Red-Handled Scissors

And, now that the book is out and available for all of your holiday gift-giving needs, I’m so excited that I can finally show you the rug!

Here’s an inside look at the project and design process, plus a chance to win a copy of the book:

Book Project + Giveaway: Wool Binding Kitchen Rug for Hand-Stitched Home | Red-Handled Scissors

My wool binding kitchen rug is actually a small but sturdy quilt, made by piecing together strips of wool binding (similar to bias binding, but used to bind the edges of wool blankets), then quilting the rug top to a durable wool fabric for added cushion.

Book Project + Giveaway: Wool Binding Kitchen Rug for Hand-Stitched Home | Red-Handled Scissors

If you’re not familiar with wool binding, here’s what it looks like before it’s stitched together.

See? Don’t those sturdy, gorgeous strips just beg to be part of a piecing project? When I saw them, I just couldn’t resist giving it a try. (I never did like to play by the rules.)

Book Project + Giveaway: Wool Binding Kitchen Rug for Hand-Stitched Home | Red-Handled Scissors

Book Project + Giveaway: Wool Binding Kitchen Rug for Hand-Stitched Home | Red-Handled Scissors

The rug that ended up in the book is a mixture of muted blues, grays, and a few pops of red, but this is definitely a project that can be customized to fit your own personal style and decor.

Case in point: The rainbow explosion pictured above was the first version of my design. It looked cool, sure, but it was WAY too bright to play nicely with the rest of the projects in the book. It also looked totally ridiculous in my kitchen. (But it seemed like a good idea at the time!)

Book Project + Giveaway: Wool Binding Kitchen Rug for Hand-Stitched Home | Red-Handled Scissors

Ah, the final design. I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time resisting a modern splash of saturated red in a sea of calming blues.

THE GIVEAWAY: Enter to win a copy of the book!

Book Project + Giveaway: Wool Binding Kitchen Rug for Hand-Stitched Home | Red-Handled Scissors

Want to see more? The Taunton Press has generously provided a copy of the book for me to give away to one lucky reader! (US only, please.)

Here’s how to enter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can also buy a copy using my affiliate link:

Or you can click here to buy the book directly from the publisher.

30 comments

  1. Jo Karen Macaulay says:

    This book inspires me to find a Pendelton outlet and buy up LOTS of wool!!! I am going to have to beg my Oregon connections to send me wool…..

  2. Marsha says:

    I am a quilter and a “woolie”, one who loves to work with wool. This book looks like it could keep me busy for a lot of days! I’d love to be the winner! Thanks for the opportunity.

  3. Vicki Seals says:

    Hmm, that looks like something I could probably manage. I really like both of the rugs you made. Thanks for the chance to win! vickise at gmail dot com

  4. Sheri says:

    I love the rainbow rug! This looks like a fun book. I’ve never worked with wool binding, this would be a good chance to try it. Thanks for the giveaway.

  5. Kathy E. says:

    To me, there is nothing more comforting that having hand-made items in the home. It gives it warmth and personality. I love to look around my home and see things I’ve made, or items my loved ones have made for me.

  6. Valerie says:

    I’m in the process of buying a new house and boy would this come in handy learning to make new, crafty (and cost-effective) items custom tailored for my home! Not to mention how pretty this book will look on the bookshelf! Thank you.

  7. Kim McM says:

    This books looks like it would be right up my alley- I love to make things and my home is my castle. I want to see more of the projects! P.S. I like both of your rugs, but I like the blue and red one the best. :)

  8. lesley says:

    i am a newbie to most crafts and am currently trying to teach myself how to sew and quilt. this could only help! i would love to learn more skills and to be able to make my first quilt (or quilting project) in 2015!

  9. Crystal says:

    I love utilizing Pendleton wool scraps, and am so inspired by this project. I have used this binding to edge play capes for my daughters, and the weight and feel of it is perfect. Thank you for the giveaway chance, I would love a copy of this book. Happy Holidays!

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