Crayons anyone?

Crayon blocks are fun, easy and not a mess to do. You can use regular crayons, but Prang brand has more pigment so will give a little more color. You can blend colors, over color to make the color deeper and so on. You can just draw/color on plain fabric, or use any kind of predrawn design. (Embroidery transfer designs are great. or trace any coloring book page, appliqué pattern, etc. onto your fabric.) Details can be added with Pigma pens if desired.

There is no "scraping", unless you need to try to remove the crayon before pressing. (good luck with that ) After coloring, layer clean paper towels, fabric with crayon drawing, and more paper towels. Press thoroughly to remove the wax and set the color into the fibers. Repeat as needed to get the depth of color, shading and so on you want. Yes these are washable, they may fade some over time, but fabric do too.

If you are concerned about fading, make the colors a little darker than you want them. It will work out fine.

This is lots of fun to do, and can bring out the child in anyone.

Pati, > There have been magazine articles recently on the possibilities of using

IF you do the method where you draw on regular paper then press that design on to the fabric, you will get a mirror image. I've done that method too. However, coloring directly on the fabric is much easier, in my experience. You may want a very fine sandpaper to place under the fabric to keep it from moving as you color, or iron the fabric to freezer paper.

As for the "lots of color, coat with a layer of black and scratch through" technique, I have a feeling that doing that, then transferring it to fabric would leave a mess of black and not much else. When you transfer the pigment, the wax sort of "bleeds" as it melts, all your lines will be blurred somewhat. That is one reason to use something like a fabric pen (Pigma, either fine line or one of the brush types, or Fabrico, or such) to add details and definition.

Oh, I did use the color a picture > I'm still with my first cup of coffee. The magazine instructions mentioned

Rick actually volunteered, back when I was working full time+. He decided that since I did most of the cooking, he should do the dishes. As long as I don't critique the way he loads the dishwasher. So I bite my tongue and let him have at it.

He even disassembled the drain area because it was getting blocked. I mentioned that there was an odor in the dishwasher. He hadn't noticed. sigh. But he cleaned it out, soaked the parts in anti-calcium stuff and got the dishwasher working better. Also picked up the hinges we needed for one of the kitchen cabinets and the door is ready to be held in place while the last step is done.

He does try. Sometimes he is also very try> It's easy to get him to help clean... just don't take his stuff off the

I have to admit that DH is really pretty good about helping with dishes and cleaning, particularly since I'm working full time and he's kind of retired - he even fixes my lunch ever day. I did learn a long time ago, though, not to criticize the way he did things and to be sure to thank him for whatever he does (and he does the same to me). Actually, he does a lot of the things that I really hate to do (I'll never go down in history as being a good housekeeper!), so I don't complain if it isn't done the way I would have done it if I'd ever gotten around to doing it in the first place!

Sounds like you two make a good team! "Thank you" sure goes a long way in this world, as does the absence of criticism... :)

-- Jo in Scotland

I have dinner cooked for me on Mondays and Fridays which is a real treat.

I don't criticise as its lovely to have a meal cooked for me - but I do wish he would do gravy - I need gravy! Needless to say he is not a gravy person, so just doesn't see the need.

Howdy!

We all did this 15-20 yrs ago in Vacation Bible School, kids had to make a quilt block, then got to do their own t-shirts to keep. They loved it. The quilts washed well. Using the paper towels (or cheap muslin) as a blotting tool is good. Using sandpaper as a stabilizer for the fabric while applying crayon is another useful tip. I think I'll skip the crayon shavings, thanks. Some things just don't need that extra color coating. ;-)

Cheers! R/Sandy --w/ much admiration for 1st grade school teachers

When ironing: blank news print (paper) works very well, I get/buy roll ends at the newspaper printing plant or other commercial printers in my area.

Bonnie, in Middletown, VA