We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming

To talk about blue wash out markers! I had several emails before 10 am this morning about blue wash out markers. I talked about blue wash out markers here, but we will revisit the topic.

I use the Clover Water Soluble Marker-Fine Point. I am able to find them at my local Hancock's Fabrics, in the QUILTING section. I have also found them online at createforless.com I am not affiliated with either, yadda yadda.

Yes I DO press over it, often multiple times with a hot iron and steam. I have not had any problem with the blue marker not coming out. This has been MY experience. A few things to keep in mind.

• You can't leave the blue markings on a project for multiple YEARS, and expect it not to have reacted with the fabric. If you are putting a project away to return to after your grandchildren are grown, wash out the marks first. If you are going to work on it in the coming weeks/months, you should be fine.
• I rinse my project THOROUGHLY before any soap touches it. The way I describe this to people is; rinse, rinse, rinse it thoroughly under cold running water. When you are sure it is rinsed well......rinse it again. 

• Then I wash the project. I often use Delicare to wash my projects in the bathroom sink. Smells great and I like the fact that it is pink. I have simple needs. It is available at my local grocery store or online.
• NEVER use Oxi-Clean, per Gail Doane's instructions. Her experience has been that Oxi-Clean will set the marker and turn it brown.

Why don't I use pencil? Pencil is evil. Pure and simple. I used pencil on this christening gown, shown in this post.  After I spent over 100 hours embroidering this gown, I spent a WEEK trying to get the pencil out. I was sick over it.

Did I prepare my fabric you ask? Yes I did. I pressed and starched my fabric multiple times to lay down a protective layer of starch over the fabric. I used a very light touch when tracing my complex design. That has been the conventional wisdom in the past. It did not work. When you stitch a MULTI-layered, padded satin stitch monogram over pencil, it is NEVER coming out! Thankfully, the baby's mother didn't notice it. Of course, I can see it a mile away. And let it get wet! It might as well be a billboard.

So blue marker it is. The only glitch I have had using a blue marker is tracing an embroidery design through the printed pattern paper. I was too heavy handed with the tracing and allowed too much ink from the blue pen to saturate the pattern. It transferred the ink from the pattern to my fabric underneath. Luckily, I was able to cover it with the embroidery and no one was the wiser. My advice is to trace your design either onto tracing paper or lightweight interfacing first or to place your pattern UNDER your fabric to trace directly onto the fabric from the pattern.

And as always, you do not need to take my word for gospel. This is what works for me. If in doubt, test the product in your own home, with your own tap water and your own iron. That is the only way to know for sure and put your mind at ease.

So that is my take on using a blue wash out marker. I love getting questions because it means you are reading and wanting to learn and try for yourself. So keep those questions coming.

We now return to thinking of spring.

Let the embroidery begin! and 100 posts!

Have my fabric washed, dried, ironed, starched and the center panel traced. I traced while Peter Rabbit is hanging to dry

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Think this baby is Irish? I also traced a few non obnoxious shamrocks on the yoke and some will go around the hem if time permits. I plan to use padded satin stitch, trailing, seed stitch, stem stitch, shadow work, lazy daisies, granitos and applique cord in this design.

To answer a question before I get asked...

Yes I do trace my embroidery with a blue wash out marker. NO I don't use pencil. For me pencil is evil. Yes I starched my fabric before tracing (about 6-8 layers), yes I used a #2 pencil, yes I have tried an Ultimate Marking pencil (Ultimate evil as far as I am concerned), yes I have used a #3 pencil. You want to know when and if you will want to commit hari kari? Spend 100+ hours on an embroidered panel and not have the *&#! pencil come out. No matter how long you soaked it or what you soaked it in. So no, I don't trace with pencil.

I use the blue marker by Clover. They have a fine point and a wide point point marker. The fine point is not a felt tip, it is something hard. So it makes a fine line and doesn't dry out as quickly as some others. I buy them by the 3's. If I keep the pen moving as I trace it doesn't bleed out into a fuzzy line either. Of course if I left it in one place I would have bleed lines.

Now there is one drawback to tracing in blue wash out marker. Watch your water glass! Don't ask how I know.

And HAPPY ONE HUNDRETH POST! How fitting that the first post introducing myself to blog land was about christening gowns as well? I am off now to gather threads and hoop the part(s) that need to be shadow worked first.