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 Troubleshooting Flip Flops and Tuition in the School of Hard Knocks Q: My friend recently purchased needlepoint flip flops through an online store. The site suggested that its flip flops could be "worn in the ocean" with no problem. And - these flip flops were available at a lesser price than those you make yourself or find already made in a brick and mortar store. She bought a pair and headed to the beach. What a disaster. They held up well for a while and then began to look like hell. The colors didn't run but the sand got stuck inside the needlepoint and the colors changed from being in the water. There are also little pieces of string peeping through the needlepoint on the top. My question is this: What is the best way to take care of needlepoint flip flops after you've worn them in the ocean. Can they be salvaged and reconstructed? Sincerely, Lucy's friend Elizabeth A: Elizabeth - All I can say is - oops. You've just paid tuition in the School of Hard Knocks. Remember hearing from a friend that most things that seem to be too good to be true - are usually too good to be true Most fabrics made of natural fibers eventually rot and can change color when exposed to water and sun. Needlepoint is no exception. It is a fabric made by weaving thread through a scrim or canvas. For flip flops, the stitched needlepoint is glued, then edge-stitched to the leather upper if properly constructed. Water is also known to deteriorate the glue. But the biggest problem is the constant bending of the wet needlepoint canvas. It eventually snaps and will start to show through the needlepoint top until it looks like tiny little white or brown worms peeking out of it. Imagine a piece of wire that you bend to and fro many times until it breaks. The same thing happens with needlepoint canvas when it is exposed to water for too long a period and worked out of shape. This is particularly true of dog collars. They last a long time if used dry, but if a pup is allowed to swim around in a needlepoint collar - the canvas is apt to pop loose. If you really want needlepoint flip flops that you can wear in the ocean, make sure they are stitched on a plastic canvas with acrylic or plastic fibers. This will take care of the breakage and/or rotting problem. The flip flops may not look as nice as some of the better needlepoint pieces found in needlepoint shops that you make yourself, but you won't have to worry about them at all when you wear them to the beach. I can't comment on the leather soles. I do know that I have ruined many a pair of shoes by stepping in puddles of water. They never did look the same after this occurred. Alice |