Remember that I was going to tea dye the front of my mat after I had finished to give a more "prim" look to the homespun fabric. Well, I decided to just leave it as it was...no tea dying...I kind of liked the look as it was...
OH, and I also decided this would be a mat and not a pillow. So I cut a piece of black flannel for the backing and did not like the way it looked as the black of the flannel and black of the cotton just did not match. So I cut a piece of black cotton and washed the sizing out of it. Pinned it on and finally getting back to it --I finished about 10 minutes ago. Went to press it up ---back side first---and believe it or not, I knocked over my glass of tea!!!! ON THE BACK SIDE....Duh! If I was going to spill the tea--should have been the front side so I would have gotten my "tea dyed" look....
I did take a quick picture and now it is sitting on my work table --waiting to dry. And yes, I did wash off the tea.....Could just see some ants coming to visit my "watermellon" that was smelling like tea!!!
It was a fun project--but I do prefer to hook with wool. Fun to try new things.... Lesson learned if I do this again---I think the fabric I purchased was a thinner cotton fabric than the other piece I did many years ago. The first piece I did was a pumpkin pillow for fall. And I loved the little strings and prim look---but dang, this fabric was fraying like crazy. I have cut and cut and gathered strings forever!!! I also had to pack in the fabric so much as it pulled out very easy. I decided to iron on interfacing on the back of the piece--before I added the black backing, just to help hold the fabric strips in.
Sure I have more lessons to add, but got to run. We are heading down to Ft. Benning, Ga. tomorrow as my grandson is graduating from Basic and AIT this friday. So very proud of him. 3 weeks of airborne training, then on to Special Forces training at Ft. Bragg, NC. He is a very special man. Lots of Army men in this family!!
Pictures were taken really quick.....When I get back and the mat is "dry"....I will take a picture when I put the mat in (on) its new home--at least its summer home!!
Take care my friends and have a wonderful week,
Margaret
