Had to get to Photobucket through your other thread. Jeri: I don't see anything wrong w/this, except, maybe you could put the tess closer together so there wouldn't be so much grout. If I were doing this, I'd mix up about 1 1/2 cup - two cups at a time, put down a little puddle of tess about as big as your piece of tess, push it in, then on the next little puddle right close to the first one, push and move the tess as close to the other piece as possible. Don't spread out a whole bunch of mortar at a time. Just do a little area at a time, push/move close and so on. YES, use gloves. Then when you're ready to put the screen down, put just enough mortar to lay it down and mash it in so the mortar oozes up into the screen. You w/have already self-grouted, so there shouldn't be any spaces for it to ooze up into. Hope this makes sense. This shouldn't be that hard. Just a piece at a time - a spoonfull of mortar, push in the tess, next spoonful, push in and move close to the last piece.

I am willing to give it another go, and I'll do as you suggested..... then if that fails, I'm going to wait for my hub because two heads are better than one.

I'll post the pics again right here in the thread for anyone to see.
thanks for your help,
mfbpa

Here's the second picture after I tried to wipe it off and push it around with my finger, more like I was grouting it.

Like I said - I don't see one thing wrong w/this. It's a wonderful mosaic. I'd just push your pieces closer together. You can even layer in this method. If you see an empty spot, stick a piece of something flatter in there w/a little mortar. You're being too critical of yourself. W/practice, you're gonna love the push/sqush method.

I agree with what Slow said, pieces closer together. This is going to be fabulous when it is done!

I think it looks pretty darn good. I use gloves when I grout because it stains my hands, but I love thinset because I dont need them and I think thinset feels awesome compared to grout.

Well, I've been thinking about all this and I think the push squish is great, and I think the work on netting is great too, but together is what is giving me issues. Ive googled mesh mosaics and push squish but so far have not found one that does both, meaning, attach the Tess to screen then lay the screen on top of mortar and push the whole thing in....

Most that use the netting method, grout afterwards. Or if they use the push squish they just apply mortar to actual surface then push....

I couldn't get enough mortar to come up evenly between the tess. That could have been my spacing as you guys suggested so i am going to try it again. If it makes me unhappy again, (g) I will lay pieces out on a tray and then apply mortar to the wall and push in one piece at a time.

Sidebar.... Am I supposed to apply any coating/sealer over the finished mortar?

Thanks,
Mfbpa

Everyone has to find his/her comfort zones in the work they do. I think your first efforts are great. IMO, it is not necessary to seall. I never did, unless it was some inside things on which I preferred a glossy finish to the grout rather than dull.