Penny Serenade

A trip to a living history museum introduced Burlington, Wisconsin, homeowner Karen Martinsen to penny rugs—and changed her life. “We were raising three boys, so purchasing an antique one was out of the question,” she recalls. “I knew I could make them, so one day, I decided to try it. My love for them has grown since.”

Learning the handicraft even inspired her to launch a business creating and selling rugs and rug patterns. Making penny rugs requires “a lot of math,” says Karen, noting that penny flower bouquets, like the one seen above, are a good beginner’s project. The design and instructions are courtesy of her friend Teresa Miller of Teresa’s Primitive Treasures (www. teresasprimtreasures.etsy.com). Karen and Teresa recommend creating as many penny flowers as you need in a variety of colors to assemble bouquets that will last a lifetime. Follow their instructions for making your own woolly wildflowers:

1Cut two large circles and one small circle from your favorite coordinating or contrasting colors of wool fabric. The large circles will form the outer flower, and the small circle will be used as the flower center.

2Make a stem by cutting a piece of wire to the length you will need to fit your desired jar or vase. Bend the top over ¼ inch with needle-nose pliers to form a loop so you have something to attach to the inside of the flower.

3Lay the small wool circle on one of the large circles and appliqué in place using a blanket stitch and black #8 pearl cotton thread or black floss.

4After stitching the center circle in place, secure the wire to the back of the flower using an X-stitch that shows on the front of the flower. Add a few more tiny stitches to the back of the flower to secure the wire without going through both layers of wool.

5Place the second large circle atop the back of the flower with the stem sandwiched in between. Stitch the two circles together with a blanket stitch around the edges. Cut tiny leaves from wool and knot them around the wire, pulling tight. Secure with a tiny stitch if needed.

“Make it comfortable, choose colors you like and styles you like, and, remember, it doesn’t hurt to mix Colonial, country and primitive and even add a touch of whimsy.”

Right: “Nothing is just for show in my house,” Karen says. “We use everything.” A case in point is the den’s bluegray cupboard, which stores the wool Karen uses for her penny rug projects. She tucked new baskets underneath for additional organization. A pillow on the chair echoes the round forms in the rug below.

Above: Open to the family room, the former dining room now functions as a workroom/office for Karen and a small den. Karen removed old wallpaper, painted the walls a caramel hue and combined several stencils to create a unique design. The box on the custom desk conceals a computer. Made to look like a dry sink, the desk doubles as a buffet during the holidays. Antique crocks offer attractive magazine storage.