Laminated Cotton's back in stock!

CHARISMA laminated cotton!

TART Laminated Cotton!

TEA GARDEN FLORAL and  TEA GARDEN TILE

INDIGO LATTICE!

Great Idea: Chalk Cloth Wine Glass Markers

I am totally in love with this fun little project that Mandy of Fabric, Paper, Glue made! Grab up your chalk cloth scraps or buy a fat quarter and make up a batch for your and for your best hostess friends! I know I'll be taking a bottle of wine and a dozen of these to the next party we are invited too!

Learn how to make Mandy's Wine Markers at her blog. Then head over and check out her Etsy shop!! I am SSSSOOOOO in love with her pillows!! I want a XOXO pillow set for my bed room, I know you will too!!

Q and A: Wash or Wipe?

One of the things I like best about laminated cotton is that you can just wipe it clean with a damp cloth and some gentle non-bleach spray and be done with clean up. But sometimes things get messy, and I mean really messy!! So, can you wash laminated cotton in the washer? Yes it can be washed and dried, but you have to know that the texture of the laminated cotton changes when machine washed. I believe that the cotton on the back is shrinking slightly. I really don't think that the shrinkage is of importance, I don't think you would need to pre-wash it if you were making a baby bib or changing mat.

The laminate on the right hand side has been machine washed and dried, the middle one never washed,  and the swatch on the left has been machine washed and dries and then ironed with med-high temp iron. As you can see the texture is different but still intact and very usable. I've tested the same swatch by washing and drying it about 4-5 times.

  From right to left: Machine wash and never washed. 

Like I said earlier, I really don't like to machine wash laminated cotton if I don't have to. I wipe down my tablecloths because I really, really hate to iron almost as much as I hate a wrinkly tablecloth. I take a wet wash cloth to our messy snack bags and leave them open so they can dry out, scrubbing them with a veggie brush if they're really yucky.

So even though you can wash and dry laminated cotton cotton I my advise is wipe it up when you can, especially if your project is big like a tablecloth.

 From right to left: Machine wash and never washed.

It's a darn good thing that I have Oilcloth Addict spy's everywhere!! While I was on car pool duty one of my best friends, Suzanne, spotted Chalk Cloth on the beer tasting table that Martha showcased on yesterday's Today Show. You know we love our chalk cloth, the more ways to use it the better!

To get this look, all you need is enough chalk cloth yardage to span the width of your table and then you can use painters tape to adhere it to the bottom of the table top. Easy and fun, once the beer tasting party is over, just roll it up and store it for the next party or kids play date!

Want to cover the whole table top? Here is one of my favorite ways to use chalk cloth, a custom chalk cloth table topper! I cut down chalk cloth to the exact size and shape of our Thanksgiving table, kids of all ages had fun doodling through desert! 

Please don't tell Martha that our pie was from the freezer!! I would die if she know!

Check out Sewing with Oilcloth for more great chalk cloth projects, my chalk cloth table runner pattern would be perfect for a beer tasting party. You can download that for free at SWO's  Amazon page!