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The Sew What’s New Archive

This archived content is from Mary Wilkins’ sewing and quilting message board “Sew What’s New,” which was retired in August 2007. It is being provided by “Sew What’s Up,” which serves as the new home for many members of “Sew What’s New.”
From: Christine0329
Date: 01-23-2006, 05:50 PM (1 of 9)
IS there anyway to color in the block with a permanent color (a shade of green) that will still be transparent for the design to show through? I was thinking of something like a pigma pen, but I think coloring in each block with the pen might end up as uneven. Does anyone have any advice?

I am making a baby quilt and I am fairly new to quilting. I wanted to start it right away because it is for my first GS, due in about 2 1/2 months. I bought flannel at JoAnn's to make it. I will not buy quilting fabric there because there was no telling what the quality was. After washing the fabric, it was clear some pieces were of poor quality. One even bled out all the color from some parts of the design. I plan to take that piece back. I digress...

Because I was so anxious to start the quilt, I had to make do with some fabric choices. One choice has turned out to be lousy in that it didn't have enough depth of color, and just gets lost visually. It wouldn't be so bad except that it is needed to complete the lines of on point squares. The fabric itself seems decent and is almost not recognizable as flannel, more like a soft cotton. It has dark images on a light background, shades of green with a little pink. Thanks!
User: Christine0329
Member since: 01-23-2006
Total posts: 12
From: nativetexan
Date: 01-23-2006, 06:44 PM (2 of 9)
perhaps you could tea dye the faded fabric? try a piece and see what it looks like. steep some tea bags, cool and add your fabric for awhile. I've never done it but some quilters do that often. good luck.
CC
http://photos.yahoo.com/ccase5
User: nativetexan
Member since: 11-15-2005
Total posts: 57
From: HeyJudee
Date: 01-23-2006, 08:29 PM (3 of 9)
I read an article on SWN a month or two ago on using shaving cream to dye fabric. But when I looked for the article...I wasn't able to find it. But here is a link to another article about it.

http://www.husqvarnaviking.com/education/pdf/AS28_1904.pdf

When I read the SWN article, I thought it would be fun to try...I guess that in future, I will print things when I find the instructions. :bg:
TTFN from
Judy
User: HeyJudee
Member since: 01-25-2005
Total posts: 1366
From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 01-23-2006, 08:38 PM (4 of 9)
Did you use the search window at the top of these threads?? I used it not long ago for the magic pillow cases and was surprised when it found it so quickly for me (instantly) and even had the words I searched on in red letters.. I had never used this feature before and I've been on this site almost daily for over 3 years.. LOL
Sew With Love
Libby
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002
Total posts: 2022
From: HeyJudee
Date: 01-23-2006, 08:44 PM (5 of 9)
Libby, I use the Search at the top of the page all the time. But it only searches the forums. It wasn't in a post but actually an article that was posted on the Home page. I even tried searching using the Search on the home page but couldn't come up with it. :bluesmile
TTFN from
Judy
User: HeyJudee
Member since: 01-25-2005
Total posts: 1366
From: Christine0329
Date: 01-23-2006, 10:56 PM (6 of 9)
Thanks all for your replies. The fabric is already sewn in the block so I can't do anything like I could if I was dealing with the just that piece of fabric. I knew I shouldn't have bought it and then I knew I shouldn't bother sewing it into the block. I guess I though someone would miraculously change the fabric so that it would be OK.

I returned to JoAnn's today to take back the fabric that bled out color in the strangest way. No problem getting a refund on that. I went to their craft area and found semi-opaque acrylic paint and another product that says when mixed with acrylic paint, it will allow the paint to be used on fabric. It needs to be set, I am assuming by ironing over it when it is dry, then it will be permanent and can be laundered. I'm going to experiment with it. Another customer suggested I make sure that the color doesn't bleed into surrounding blocks before doing it on the actual quilt. Has anyone tried this techique or similar product?
If the paint is a flop, I will try the RIT dye technique. It does look promising. I think the biggest concern with this would also be the color bleeding to another block, but I can only be sure by experimenting. Thank goodness I have a lot of this material left over.
User: Christine0329
Member since: 01-23-2006
Total posts: 12
From: plrlegal
Date: 01-24-2006, 06:16 PM (7 of 9)
Have you tried crayons? Take a piece of your fabric, iron freezer paper to the back of it (for stability) and then try coloring the area with crayons. After you have colored, lay a piece of a brown paper bag over the colored area and iron with a hot iron (no steam) to set the color. You can use regular crayons for this process.

Patsy
Patsy
User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001
Total posts: 318
From: Christine0329
Date: 01-25-2006, 11:18 AM (8 of 9)
What a great idea? I never thought of it. Haven't had crayons in the house for a long time. I will experiment with crayons and with the acrylic paint. Thanks!
User: Christine0329
Member since: 01-23-2006
Total posts: 12
From: Christine0329
Date: 01-30-2006, 02:10 PM (9 of 9)
The paint didn't work as it made the fabric too stiff. I have an Babylock Ellegante so I decided to embroider something in the block. I needed a dark green and it took me a while to find something that could go on a baby quilt that was green. The baby will have a last name that is clearly Irish and I believe the baby will have an Irish sounding first name, so...I am embroidering a little shamrock on the offending blocks. The embroidery is very simple and it looks nice. Yea. Now to finish it!
User: Christine0329
Member since: 01-23-2006
Total posts: 12
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