Need suggestions for finishing

bev2009

11 years ago

I've been wanting to make a mug rug as a thank-you gift for my daughter's friend who did me a favor. I don't like thank-you's sitting on my to do list for so long. So I got busy yesterday and designed and made the rug. I had bought the fabric for her a couple of months ago. She loves bees and is a teacher. The backing is bees and the alphabet, but it is not a juvenile print. The applique bee hive came out well, as did the FMQ bees and the curvy seam joining sky and grass. However, I only have black and white thread for my machine so the bees don't show up so well. It just doesn't look finished to me. I think some embroidery would like nice...some tall grass blades, some flowers, but I haven't embroidered in 30 years. I may have some thread stored in the basement. Is it OK to embroider even though I have the backing on. It will show on the back. (The darker blue sky is just wet fabric from wiping off the marking pen.) Suggestions?

Comments (10)

nanajayne
11 years ago
I think it is fine just the way it is. You have done a nice job.
If you do decide to do a little hand embroidery you really can just go through the top layer and not the back but I honestly don't believe you need it.
loisflan
11 years ago
Bev, I think it is very sweet the way it is, but I can see what you mean. I think a little grass or maybe a daisy would give you the more complete look you are trying to achieve. I would do as Jayne suggests - only go through the top layer with your embroidery stitches.
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littlehelen_gw
11 years ago
Ditto what Lois and Nanajayne said...perhaps a bumble flying in black/yellow and white??
V.
bev2009
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks, ladies, for the kind words and suggestions. I'm leaving today for a few days out-of-town, so this will wait until I get home. I'll post pictures when it is complete. I can't wait to visit a new quilt shop! Hehehe.
wendyfaye
11 years ago
Oh, how cute is that?

Very nice, as is, but can't wait to see it after you've 'spiced it up' a tad.

Faye
lola99
11 years ago
I think your mug rug is very cute and a great thank-you for your daughter's friend.

I recently added embroidery to a quilt after the back was on. As others have suggested, I choose to only sew through the top. It was certainly harder than embroidering all the way through, but it looked nice. I found creative ways to hide the knot on the top of the fabric (I was writing words, so I made my knot into the dot on the top of an "i" or part of a comma). In your case, you could incorporate the knot into the center of a simple flower or some other design element. Just a thought...
bev2009
Original Author
11 years ago
I got out pencil and paper to sketch out some designs. Nothing I did wowed me. I pulled out my bit of embroidery thread and out of the six greens, nothing went well, and the other colors that I might have used for flowers or something seemed to bright. So, since I couldn't be guaranteed of decent stitches (since I haven't embroidered in years)I am going with the suggestions to leave it as is. LOL Thanks for your suggestions!
nanajayne
11 years ago
Sound good to me. I like it as it is.
rosajoe_gw
11 years ago
It is so cute! I also like is as is, she will love it.
Rosa
geezerfolks_SharonG_FL
11 years ago
I don't see a problem with leaving it as is, either. I think it's cute!

SharonG/FL