RUBE GOLDBERG LIVES! (in me)

Jeez! 

In all the time I've been making rugs and using gripper frames, I don't think I've ever done what I did today.  I was moving the punch-hooked rug on the large frame and for the first time ever I cut both hands and bled all over the rug.  As I said, jeez! 

Fortunately, it only showed on the border, which will be entirely cut away as I begin binding.

Best of all, I have no pictures of this event,  You won't be seeing it.

Despite that, I did accomplish one thing I've been meaning to do for a very long time:

...I created a Rube Goldberg solution to the problem of having to sit down the entire time while I work on the rug.  [There really was a real Rube.]  How's that (above) for making Rube proud of me?

Before I tucked it up, it looked like this...which gives you an idea of the size of this rug (some of the rug is hanging down in back of the frame and can't be seen):

I used these clamps from the Wool & Dye Works in Florence MA to neaten it all up:

By the time I left, it looked like this:

Yes, much neater.  And since the frame is sitting on top of two plastic boxes, it's the perfect height for standing while punching.  I can also easily lift it off the boxes and make it the perfect height for sitting and punching.  My intention is to alternate sitting and standing, about a half an hour each, every time I work on the rug.  Last week I sat down and punched for about 5 hours straight, and when I finally got up to go home I realized that was a very bad idea.  Waaaaaay too much sitting. 

I am pleased with this solution; I tried it out today and enjoyed myself.

And here is my new dye cabinet.  It was cheap cheap cheap (and looks it, I know) and hardly elegant ($30 at Michael's with a coupon) but it rolls and it will do the trick.  Plus the gaudy colored plastic drawers mean I can sort the dyes by color, making them easier to locate quickly.  You can see the sorted jars sitting just inside. 

When I was unable to go to the studio over the weekend, I made a bunch of additional Knitted Knockers.  I love knitting for that cause.  The picture below shows them un-stuffed.  To see what they actually look like when ready to be used by mastectomy survivors, see my last post on this topic.

After sending off my last batch of Knitted Knockers, I got a postcard with a thank-you message.

Such a wonderful organization. 

I only wish they hadn't bought into the entire "pink ribbon" thing, but unfortunately, most of the public doesn't know the disturbing history of the pink ribbon--not to mention the insult to Charlotte Haley and her inspiring, original project.

In case I didn't make it clear above, my hands are fine--no lingering injuries from those powerful gripper strips (or at least only minor ones that will have healed by tomorrow).  A good reminder to be more careful when punching near the border of the rug.