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Magnet strips from magnet boards
Tue, Jan 21, 2014 10:34 PM
Posted by Lynn
Has anyone had a problem with black smudges from the black magnet strips that come with the magnet boards on their fabric. The project affected is on ivory aida so the smudges are visible. I do not recall having this problem in the past but may not have noticed it on another color fabric or maybe it just washed out. Does anyone know if these smudges come out with washing. If not, I will just have it framed right up to the stitching. Any ideas on how I can cover the magnets in the future but still use them for the magnet board would be very helpful. The only thing I can think of is to slip it inside a clear sheet protector if it fits. Thanks.
  • Hide Replies
    Reply from Judy
    Tuesday, January 21, 2014 11:37 PM
    Hi Lynn,

    I guess I'm not understanding your question. You're getting black smudges on your fabric from your magnets that you use on your magnet board? How are the magnets coming in contact with the fabric if they are holding your pattern down on the magnet board? Sorry for the dumb question just trying to understand how this happens. Happy stitching...Judy :) Go to top

    • Reply from Lynn
      Friday, January 24, 2014 5:46 PM
      I pack my projects in ziploc bags and the fabric must have came in contact with a dislodged magnet from the board. I never really thought about the magnets leaving marks on the fabric ): since I have been stitching for years and this has never happened before. Go to top
  • Reply from connie
    Saturday, January 25, 2014 8:46 AM
    Once in a while I get smudges on my fingers from moving the strips - then all I do is clean the strips with soap and water and be sure my hands are clean. But the strips never come in contact with the material. Go to top
  • Reply from kate
    Saturday, January 25, 2014 9:54 AM
    How are you using you strips and board? The strips should be holding the pattern on the board and moved as needed. They should not be coming in contact with your material. Go to top
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    Reply from darla
    Monday, January 27, 2014 12:40 AM
    You can try rubbing chalk on it before washing. I have used this method for greasy marks and it works well. If the spot is on a part of the cloth that isn't stitched, and the cloth is white, you can put a small amount of bleach on a q-tip and just dab it on the spot. Wash quickly before the bleach spreads to the stitching. I once spent over 100 hours on a project, just to have some generic red thread bleed. The red wouldn't come out so I had to re-stitch that section. There was a lot of blank spaces in the pattern and some of it was stained so I ended up filling in all of the blank spaces with white. Another 25+ hours of work! (That's why I will only use DMC floss now). It's more work, but it will cover most of the spot if you can't get it out. I usually keep my cloth by itself in a ziplock bag, separate from everything else, to help keep it clean. Since you're already using ziplock bags, this shouldn't be a problem for you. Good luck! Go to top
    • Reply from Lynn
      Tuesday, January 28, 2014 10:27 PM
      Thanks. I will try this to fix the "unfortunate mishap". Someone also said a little lemon juice on just the spot may work as well to remove it and then wash as usual. Since the fabric is ivory I will avoid bleach. Sorry to hear you had to stitch 25 extra hours to cover the discoloration on your fabric from bleeding thread, certainly a major undertaking. Thanks for your ideas. I figured someone here likely has had to try and remove a small spot from their fabric at one time or other. Luckily this project is not near the size you were dealing with. Go to top
  • Reply from darla
    Wednesday, January 29, 2014 1:54 PM
    Glad I could help! The lemon idea sounds better than bleach, but test it on some extra fabric first. It might 'bleach out' some of the ivory color, too. One of the reasons I like this site so much is that there is usually someone out there who has an answer to most problems. (Thanks again, Anita and Anita's husband!) Have a great day!

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