Odds, ends and rotten milk

Weird title I know but I wasn't sure how else to sum up this blog post! Let's start with the rotten milk first. You'll be glad you did. Honest.

Let me set the scene. Fabric cut ready to sew. Black ink pen. Curious toddler. Do you see where I'm going here? Yeah Little Miss decided to redecorate my fabric. Not real impressed. Particularly as I had spent ages trying to make my pattern pieces fit these last scraps of Riley Blake fabric I had laying around (making bunny rabbit softies in case you're wondering). I thought to consign it to the bin, but that's difficult to do - even with scribbled on fabric!

So I took my dilemma to the QCA girls and Fiona to the rescue! She checked out the Spotless remedy and came up with rotten milk. Yes I did think that was a bit crazy but at this point I was desperate. Over to my Mum's to get some milk (dairy free here, no 'real' milk!). We soured the milk by adding vinegar then painted the icky milk solids (resembling baby sick) onto the pen scribble and let it sit. A bit of scrubbing with dishwashing detergent and a trip through the washing maching to get rid of the milk - the scribble is gone! I am seriously amazed!!!I kind of wish I had taken before and after photos to show you how amazing it actually is. Next time, hey, as I'm sure there'll be a next time!

Let me also add - I tried the hairspray trick. It does NOT work. It makes the scribble far worse! I thought that bit of fabric was well and truly a goner. But the rotten milk even got that scribble out. It really is quite a remarkable trick. So parents with curious toddlers who keep pens in the house - remember this. Rotten milk can be a fabric saver! Just make sure it's an item that can go in the washing machine afterwards so you don't have that lingering milk smell!

Right now for some photo goodness. Because really a blog post without photos is boring. Even when discussing fascinating stuff like the uses for rotten milk. So without further ado, here are my blocks for Marieka for March in the QCA Bee.

Colours requested were greys, yellows and blacks. The pattern is Garden Fence and there's a great tutorial by Hyacinth Quilt Designs. One of the girls from Quilt Clob helped me out with that wavy yellow/grey fabric on the left as I'm afraid yellow and greys are not colours I have much of in my stash! I did have some Half Moon modern yellow polka dots and Grey Heath which just paired up beautifully I think (block on the right). Can't wait to see this quilt put together!

My Dare to be Square quilting book arrived today. Do you know it's my first quilting book? I have a number of magazines but I have never committed to a whole book before! But this one, I am loving.

Mini review time.
What I love: it covers the basics, with great tips and lots of photos. Then it has the awesome patterns. All of them are made out of squares and rectangles. No circles, triangles or crazy shapes to be found here. Oh there is -one- triangle in the owl pattern but that's it - impressive hey! They are fab modern patterns and I found the book really encouraged me to step out of my matchy-matchy box and try different fabrics together. Plus anyone who pauses to ponder the word 'rhombus' in the introduction is okay by me!

What I don't love: Need more patterns haha! I love them all and want to make them all and then I want more to make! Hope there'll be another Boo Davis book coming out!

So with that said, I have started a project! I am making the owl quilt from the front cover. In pinks with a white background. Whew boy is it a lot of cutting. I spent most of the afternoon just cutting the fabrics. My dining table looked a bit like this:

Okay that's an exaggeration. This photo is after I tidied it hehe!

Then I ran out of time to start sewing. Have to do the preschool run. So I packed away all my pieces into Mr Men zip bags. As you do when you're a mum to a preschooler. Then found some more pieces on the floor. As you do when you're a mum to a toddler.

So keen to start one this. But! Silly me - didn't have quite enough of the white fabric I'm planning to use for the background. So I might have to work something out. But that's okay. It just means I'm adding my own touch to the quilt right? Wish me luck!!