Could it Get Any Worse?

My first 2019 blog post was about a bumbling start with 2019 with a quilt design faux pax. Well, I'm sad to say that it was only the beginning of a rough quilting-related start to 2019.

I decided to spend Saturday prepping quilts for upcoming shows. Quilting Guild of The Villages has its local show on January 25-26, and for my two entries I needed to make custom-made bags labeled with personal info and the quilt number. I also have three quilts to ready, and paperwork to complete, to ship to Austin, Texas by January 24 for QuiltCon in Nashville.

So I went over my quilts with a fine-tooth comb, so to speak - burying and clipping random threads, running a lint-roller over fabric, and generally making sure each quilt was pristine. Unfortunately, I had forgotten that I had some light white quilting marks on "Roulette" from using a Clover white marking pen - I thought. (Read on. Clover white marking pens are great!)

"Roulette," accepted into QuiltCon

After pressing to steam-heat remove the quilt marks, the marks did not come out, as expected from a Clover white marking pen that erases with water.

I decided to created a test sample using the same Kona Silver and same white marking pen.

I couldn't get the marks out after trying Dawn dishwashing liquid, white vinegar, rubbing alcohol, salt, S-23 stain remover, Norwex laundry soap, and even a Mr. Clean Eraser - many of these suggestions coming from commenters to my Instagram post about it.

The quilt, after being immersed in water.

As it was Saturday, I sent an email to Clover, questioning what I did wrong with their white marking pen. Or could I have a defective pen?

Monday I called Clover (Ontario, California), and Connie in customer service was very helpful. She said that the heat from the dryer - several months ago when the quilt was completed, I had wet and partially tumbled dry the quilt - probably set the white marker. She said to make a spray of two parts white vinegar and five parts water, spray the quilt and let it sit. If the marks didn't come out, add baking soda to the solution to make a paste.

It was at that point that I decided to make another test sample of fabric to work on.... and noticed this about the two pens in my tool chest. Top half picture: They are identical!

Bottom half picture: The pen contents are completely different!

I believe I mistakenly grabbed the upper pen, marking some quilting designs with a Sakura Gelly Roll pen, a permanent white marking pen, used to make quilt labels!

How totally embarrassing.

Because I needed to be honest, and as painful as it was to admit fault, on Instagram I publicly apologized to Clover. And I do so here as well.

I am ashamed. Devastated. And heartbroken because I cannot knowingly submit a quilt to QuiltCon with these permanent marks, however unnoticeable they may seem.

From two feet away, the quilt looks fabulous!

But under the scrutiny of a judge, perhaps using a magnifying glass, Roulette would not stand the test. Those white lines can clearly be seen.

Since realizing that these white marks are from a permanent pen, I have used the test sample piece to try removing ink with lighter fluid, hair spray, and acetone. Nothing touches it.

So I will, with great disappointment, withdraw Roulette from QuiltCon. And still be grateful that I have two other quilts in the show.

By the way...  I thought I kept my quilt markers separate from permanent marking pens. All my other Gelly Roll pens are in a plastic container in the closet! I cannot remember when or how the white Gelly Roll pen may have gotten mixed-in with my quilt-marking pens. It doesn't matter now.

This is humiliating to share with blog readers, but I do so in the hope that you will be very careful to not let this happen to you. Double-check what pen you grab for a particular task. Linda