I can Ikat; you can, too!

Try saying that five times fast!

Every now and then a piece which is up for sale will stick around a little longer than I anticipate. And as they sit lonely in our garage awaiting a new home, fresh ideas for how to refinish them start to bubble up - not all the time, but sometimes. I've posted 're-do's on here before and I've got my favorite re-do to show you today! It's not really a re-do as much as an add-on. 

Here is a very simple little drop leaf table I did a few months ago. I painted the top and the legs in Old White by Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. Drawer left in original finish with original antique hardware.

After it sat and collected dust for a while, I felt like playing with it a little more

Ikat is a super trendy pattern right now; as it should be! It is fun, vibrant, and brings a laid back, relaxed vibe to traditionally formal spaces such as living rooms and dining rooms. There are a zillion variations of ikat when you google image the print. What's not to love? I decided to try my hand at creating an ikat pattern on my unsold table with a simple kitchen sponge, plastic plate, and one of my favorite Annie Sloan Chalk Paint colors, French Linen. I cut my kitchen sponge down to the simple ikat shape, (basically a diamond, but I left my long edges rounded). 

Then I dipped my sponge into the paint, wiped the excess across the edge of the plate, and pressed it onto my table in imperfect rows. I eyeballed my rows to stay consistent but it wasn't precise. (You can also see the dark wax I added to the top surface)

My little bird, itchin' to help.

And a very good help she was!

Our little table before rubbing it down using a medium grit sanding sponge - my favorite distressing tool. I wanted the pattern to look faded and worn, which was an effect the sponge already helped create with it's natural texture.

Then I took a pretty standard break for some twin love before sealing our table up and bringing it in for pictures.

{Wouldn't you know it, this table sold before I even had the chance to post it here}

So there you have it; an easy DIY ikat project you can easily do from home! This would also be cool to try on canvas to create your own custom art. Or tea towels. Hmmm...Christmas is 5mo away... :)

Thank you for reading!

~Chelsea