Bleeding Binding Tape

Something Diane Stoffel spoke about in class was about pre-washing cotton binding tape.  I had learned this previously and even posted something similar to what I'm about to write about in a previous post. 

Since my Lollipop Bouquet is ready to be bound figured it was time for me to pre-wash the binding tape.  I unrolled a few yards ~ enough to bind Lollipop and enough to bind the next not yet hooked rug and soaked in very warm soapy water.  Here is was bled out of the black binding tape. 

After rinsing the binding tape I put it on the line to dry since it is so nice out and to put it in the dryer would have given me lots of knots.

So hey, why not take advantage of this free dye?  Seems I have lots of bits and pieces of tan wool so decided to change the color a little into more of an old looking piece of wool or 'dirty muddy' as Lucille Festa calls it.  This is what I started with.

Below are the results; the binding tape is dry and rolled up.  The two wool strips on the left is the color I started with and on the right is a somewhat darker samplings of the tan.  Maybe not quite as muddy as I'd hoped but guess I put too much wool in the pot for the amount of dye.  But you get the idea. 

So when it comes time to put binding on your rug, think about what could happen if the rug got wet and how that binding tape could bleed into your wool. 

Have a great day.  The weather here will be higher than normal for this time of year.... think it is to be 85 today.

Saundra