Quilt Along #17, Update Blue Marker removal , Momma robin

Quilt Along 17 ~ circuit board

This weeks lesson  ~ circuit board.  Oh what fun !  At first I struggled when I thought about the pattern, the L,U, F and E, as I viewed the video, and trying to get the image in my mind as I wrote the pattern in my journal, I found this was difficult.  Then, I just told myself this is the same type of lettering we used to use  all the time, before computers, whenever we made posters… and once I had that image in my mind the lettering flowed quite smoothly from my fingertips, as I already had so many images in my mind from all those posters made long ago, and it was just waiting to be used from days gone by!   Thanks Leah ~

This photo is my sampler book of quilt alongs ~
On each sample block I create, I include a buttonhole in the end, I cut it , and then insert my ring through it.  This fabric book holds all my samples we have done in the Quilt Alongs (QA) and FMQ challenge 2012.  You can purchase round rings like this at office supply and even quilt stores, or use an old shower curtain ring for keeping your samples handy.  I use different fabric and thread colors on my blocks which allows for a quick reference!  I also write notes on my samples in ink, and on black fabric, well, white thread works just fine :)

Update on my blue marked lines on my applique quilt borders ~

Experimenting ~ more learning by doing J 

If you have been following my blog, you know I ran out of blue marker for marking the borders with the crosshatching pattern!  The first of three borders I marked in blue water washout marker; when I ran out of ink, I resorted to a yellow chalk liner, which was very hard to see and came off as I worked on the quilt ~ not good.  But all the blue marker rinsed out in cool clear water just fine. 

My second border also had one application of spray starch and I marked it with the EZ color wash-out pencil… Well, that did not want to come off, even with hours of soaking… I scrubbed it, and then tried the mildest regular toothpaste, not gel and no whiteners.  I took a regular toothbrush and had at it, on each line.   It all came out, but took hours to do, over a few days.

My third border also had 1 layer of regular spray starch and then a coating of HEAVY STARCH.  This time the blue pencil was harder to get on the fabric, because of the layer of heavy starch, which is a good sign.  Then once quilted, I soaked it in cool water, then soaked in warm water and scrubbed…  most of the marks came off!  I then moved up to a battery powered toothbrush, and Colgate whitening toothpaste, not gel, and the rest of the marks came off!  So much faster and easier than the last border ~ The extra heavy spray starched helped~ The only thing that remains, and I can live with it, is at the intersections of stitching you can still see a little blue residue. Maybe it will come out in the wash, and if it bothers me, I will add beads at the intersections…

This is a quilt I am going to use, Lord willing J 

Update on momma Robin ~

She raised three beautiful baby birds, if you look close, you may see their little beaks just at the top of the nest.  Once the family flew away, alas, we found out what happened to the fourth little blue egg.

Now on to beading the rest of the blocks J

Thanks for reading ~

Godspeed,

mary