Black-Eyed Susans --Finished!

I used to have Black-Eyed Susans in my flower garden and for a while, it seemed like they took over the entire area, but for some reason, they've disappeared and this year, moonflowers have taken over. I need to do some thinning out and plant some more Black-eyed Susan seeds next year. I really love them and they look so nice in a vase.

So, yes, this is ready to Ebay list tonight. The candle mat and the pinkeep. I decided to try the design on a black background and I'm glad I did. I'm happy with my design.

I'm considering selling the pattern for this too so I'm making one with an off-white background now so that I can show the comparisons.

This is how it stated out and I probably could sell it just like this ... with no other embellishments. But, nooooo, I HAVE to add more to this ....

So I added some little curly-qs. And it looks like it needs some leaves now, so I'll get those cut out and attached next .....

But in between finding the green for the leaves and cutting them out, I added more details with vines.

Once the leaves were all cut out and laid out, I decided the leaf color was too bright so it's back to my wool stash to find some other colors. Thankfully, the leaves don't use up much wool, so I didn't have to dye any.

The deeper olive color is looking much nicer compared to that brighter green.

Just about finished here. Notice that lint roller? I keep that handy while stitching. Wool tends to be "sticky", especially black wool. It picks up lint and threads easily so to keep it neat and easier to de-lint after it's finished, every once in a while, I'll pick the mat up, give it a good shake and then roll the lint roller over it. They're a buck at the dollar store and it's well worth it.

I've actually seen pictures on Ebay of handmade things with lint and hairs and fibers on them and wonder why the heck they couldn't spend half a minute with their friend, the lint roller. I certainly don't want someone elses lint all over something that I just purchased

Just a few final steps with this and I'll be done. Do you notice those puckers in the center of the mat? Wool tends to stretch a bit while stitching/working with it but the wonderful thing about 100% wool is that a lightly applied steam iron will shrink it right back into place. (don't try this with wool felt because the steam will take those nice puckered bumps right out of the felt, making it flat and ugh, shiney)

So before I sew on the backing, I steamed it flat. It's so easy to do and just takes a few minutes.

I flipped it upside down, applied a pressing cloth and then very light pressed it with the steam turned up full blast on my iron. I let it cool for a couple minutes and it's completely flat and perfect.

It flattened the flowers too but that's not a problem. I pinched them a bit to fluff them up.
I just need to sew the backing on now and then I'll give it another final steam pressing so that the sewn edges lay flat.

Done! Bad picture there ... I spend so much ridiculous time trying to get decent pictures. It's the cameras fault. Well, no, it's me and not taking the time to properly use the camera.

In other news, Thank you Casserole Carol and Mark for going out to dinner with us last night.

We will have to do that again ... you pick the restaurant this time ... we're getting tired of always making that decision.

My Jimmy is on vacation again this week, so not sure how much sewing will get done between doing vacation things and babysitting.

(The pumpkin penny rug that I will be giving away is coming along nicely so expect the giveaway in about 2 weeks!)

Happy Day Everyone!