I bet right about now you guys are longing for the days when I wasn't around to yap so much.
I am having a serious problemo today.
I have a project I have been working on since February.
I was dumb enough to use this for my chalk markings http://www.joann.com/chalk-cartridge-set/xprd357399/
well now I can't get the dang green lines off my white cotton.
I tried rinsing, washing with soap and even those tide on the go spot removers- they get blood stains out but not green chalk lines- go figure
any suggestions for getting these wretched lines out??
Non chlorine bleach? Bit harsh...
Clothes whitening sachets: (http://www.dr-beckmann.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Glowhite-Main-Image.jpg)
Kate, would that harm the embroidery that is on the fabric??
You'd probably need to test it, but it certainly didn't harm my mum's embroidered cotton duvet cover after tea got spilled on it and left a stain! Tea vanished, embroidery fresh as a daisy.
Kate has a great idea! I'm not familiar with the product she posted, but my go-to product for cleaning delicate needlework AND budging stubborn stains is Orvus (http://www.joann.com/orvus-quilt-soap-8-ounce/prd34638/). For this, I'd use enough of the product so that the water feels slippery (when I wash needlework, I use a dishpan and put about 2 teaspoons of the Orvus in the water. For a bathtub's worth, just keep adding until the water feels right?), and soak at least overnight.
Orvus is terrific at washing away everyday grime picked up on needlework as you do it; cleaning vintage linens and quilts; and soaking out stubborn stains (we used it to soak tobacco smoke/grime and makeup off a vintage linen movie costume). I will say, though, that I used it recently on my embroidered smock, and it DIDN'T actually get out all of the water-soluble ink I used to mark the cutting line (altho' I had overmarked it with Sharpie, so I suspect that had something to do with that).
Anyway. It cannot hurt.
Good luck!!
You can try soaking the project in Dreft (baby laundry detergent) overnight.
I know that when my son was an infant, any formula that got on his clothes or bedding would stain the fabric yellow. No amount of washing or bleaching helped, and I was faced with an ever growing pile of T-shirts with stains down the front.
The Dreft box said it would get set in stains out of the cotton, so I soaked his old, formula stained baby shirts and Onesies over night in a bucket with Dreft per the instructions, not really expecting much improvement.
The set in stains were completely gone by morning! The shirts looked like new. It is a very mild detergent and will not fade colors.
Thank you ladies.
I think i will try all three.
gem, Rowen, can I get those products at the grocery store or wally world?
For some more ideas, here's a list of similar discussions on Pattern Review:
http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/sewingclasses/search.pl
If that link doesn't come through, I'll come back and post the links to the individual threads. Or you can just search the boards there for "chalk."
Good luck!
***
ETA: Auryn, just saw your post. You should be able to get Dreft at the grocery store; I buy my Orvus at a quilt shop.
I use and recommend that particular chalk pen to anyone and everyone! I have not had issues with it staining cotton, I am going to use some scrap fabric and see if I can get it to come out, have you used Oxyclean? It typically works with anything my kids can get on garb. Might I suggest the Blue Water Erasable from now on?
Cilean
Well
found Dreft at the grocery store, but they wanted $11 for a little bottle and I didn't have that much cash on me.
Ended up trying the OXyclean super strength stain pretreating gel stick- didn't work at all- even with an over night soak
and
Clorox bleach pen- this worked like a charm- only had to stand the gel bleach for about 3 minutes each and it all came off- only draw back is I have to be REALLY careful not to get any on the embroidery thread because it will bleach the thread almost instantly.
Cilean, I am a magnet for things going wrong for me that don't happen to other ppl. I am always the variance in a bell curve.
I am going to hit up the fabric store this weekend to get a water soluble pencil for marking
Thank you all for putting up with me.
To prove that I really am working on something and not just messing with you
this is what I have been working on and why getting the lines off was so important. I started off just making these for myself and to give as gifts but they have been so heavily requested that I am giving a shot at selling them and seeing if people like them.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/109385857/cotton-steampunk-airship-handkerchief
Lovely! Love the clouds especially.
Interestingly enough, your chalk pens were the subject of Mary Corbet's blog today!
http://www.needlenthread.com/2012/09/bohin-chalk-liner-embroidery-design-transfer.html
You might have a read and then leave a comment about your experience.
I have one tool in my arsenal that has been handy for a lot of things. Michaels, JoAnn, Hobby Lobby all carry it. It's called Mona Lisa Pink Soap and it will get dried oil paint out of fine-art paintbrushes. It will also get latex-enamel paint out of a satin or taffeta dress without discoloring or harming the fabric. I have used it on many project and I'll swear by the stuff.
Marga
Gonna go read now gem ;)
thanks captmarga, I will look for it next time I am at Joanns
This is the piece I just finished, plan on carrying it around every day and I really didn't want green marking lines all over it
(http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l487/AurynsLair/Handkerchiefs/hanky8-1.jpg)
Soooo... this thread actually is NOT about how to remove the chalk lines from a crime scene, then...? Hmmm... I guess that would probably have been in another forum, huh? ;)
Hope you found something that works! I know how hard you've been working on these, and I would hate to think it might be wasted effort!!!