Three Hundred

What a surprise to see that my last post was number 299!  That meant my next post (this one) would be Three Hundred.  It's hard to believe I've had that much to say about quilting from my little corner of the world.  And what pressure!  This post has to be something just a little more significant than a project update.

So I'd like to share a marking tip for dark fabrics that I was recently reminded of, and started using.

Mom's little box of soap slivers, lower right.

Soap.

Yep, that simple old, nearly used up, last little silver of bar soap.

While going through my mother's drawers of sewing notions and supplies I came across a little box filled with little slivers of bar soap.  Memories flooded over me, seeing her use a simple, and basically free, little piece of soap to mark darts and button holes on dark fabrics.

Her mother, and grandmother were both excellent seamstresses, and I would not be surprised that this tip is generations old.

Marking Allietare blacks

I was just about to start marking the diagonals on the black squares for Allietare, and put two-and-two together.  Works like a charm! It makes a much crisper line than chalk, and doesn't keep breaking like my white marking pencils.

It works to mark my quilting lines on this dark burgundy sashing too.  And it's going to wash out, 100%  every time.  It's soap!  The firmer brands like Fels Naptha will get a sharper edge than brands with lotions in them.  So, the perfect marking tool for dark fabrics might already be in your laundry room!

Marking sashings for Cabin in the Woods.

Thanks for coming along with me to Quilt Awhile.  Your encouragement and comments keep me going when the quilting gets tough.  It's so great to have you as friends!
Jean