To Bake or Not to Bake: test results (updated)

Okay, so last time I wrote about a marker I picked up to test out for use on cups, bowls, etc.  You can read about that here.

I hadn't wanted to wash the bowl I'd got my daughter to draw on, so I tried it out on a large mug I already had.

I'm glad I didn't try and wash that bowl.  The "permanent" Painters marker washed right off.

So I bought a couple of plain white serving platters to continue testing, then did a bit of research.  I decided to try several different types of marker that I have, then bake one of the platters.  I then tested the durability by first hand washing them, then putting them through the dishwasher.

Here are the results.


First up, here are my platters and my selection of markers.

As you can see, I've got quite a few Sharpies.  Actually, mine are the plain old regular Sharpies with fine tips.  My daughter passed on her large chisel tip Sharpies, as well as a couple of brush tip Sharpies.

I've also got the Painters marker from before, a couple of Studio brand metallic markers that are similar to the fine tip Sharpies, plus I picked up a pair of Studio brand dual tip markers in gold and silver.  These are the type that, like the Painters marker, need to be primed first, by pushing the tip in several times until the ink gets absorbed and begins to flow.





I made things easy for myself by simply writing out the names of the different types of markers on both platters.

The Painters marker wrote well, with a nice deep black and clean lines.  I was also very happy with how the Studio dual-tip markers wrote.  They flowed beautifully, had nice crisp lines and good, metallic colour.

The Studio metallic markers, on the other hand, sucked on this surface.  The gold looks more yellow, and the silver is barely visible at all.

The brush tip Sharpies were a bit unusual to work with, but the colour and coverage was pretty good.  The other Sharpies were... okay.  The black isn't as opaque and crisp as the Painters.  The red and yellow in the flowers were nice.  For the leaves, I used two different greens, with a darker green outline filled with a lighter green.  The second green smudged the inner line for the leaves' vein away, making it look like it was never there.  The chisel tips did not have very good coverage, though the colours of all the Sharpies stayed nice and bright.


 On taking the photos, I noticed this, though.  I managed to smudge some of the gold with my hand on both platters.  I had done the Painters marker first, then the dual tips, then turned the platters to do the others.  I must have smudged it while writing in the black Sharper on the other side.

So, something to remember; when using the dual tip markers, they need a bit more time to dry than expected.

Once the platters were marked up, I left them to sit overnight.  Except I got busy, and overnight ended up being a couple of days before I could go to the next step.  Baking one of them.

After looking around online, I decided to bake one of them at 425F for about 35 minutes.  I put it in before preheating the oven, because I figured it would be safer that way.  Once the oven was preheated, I set the timer to 35 minutes.  When the time was up, I shut off the oven and left the platter there to cool slowly.




It's pretty clear which one of these was baked!!

While the brush tip Sharpies held up well, the chisel and fine tip did not hold up at all.  Pretty dramatic.

I was really happy to see how well the dual tip and Painters markers held up.  The gold and silver kept their metallic shine quiet well.

I think my biggest surprise was the silver metallic marker.  It became more visible, and changed into a pinkish colour.

I left these overnight before I moved on to the next step: hand washing.





Wow.

I put both in the sink and started washing the baked platter first.  I was not at all gentle about it, either.  The brush tip pink started to come off, so I just rubbed harder until it all came off.  The brown brush tip didn't even fade, but the Sharpies all faded just a bit while hand washing.

Then, as I rinsed off the soap, I saw the water hitting the platter below.  The water stream was hitting the end with the metallic marker, which had already washed off.  As I watched, the last letters of the Painters marker just lifted off and went away.  As in, the letters still kept their shape as they lifted off.  Unlike the dual tip markers, which began to spread as soon as the water touched them.

By the time I finished washing it, there were just the faintest traces of Sharpie left in a couple of places.

That left one last test.  The dishwasher.

I put them both in, even though the one was basically clean already.  I wanted to see if the tiny bits of pink and black I could see would wash off or not.




They didn't.  The unbaked platter still has the tiniest specks of colour left in a couple of places.

Let's take a closer look at the baked platter.















Here is the ordinary black Sharpie with fine tip.  It faded a little more, but otherwise held up to the dishwasher rather well.

The coverage and opacity is rather poor, though.
















The Studio metallic markers were pretty much unchanged.  So while their colour did not transfer well, and the silver, which was barely visible at first, darkened and changed colour, once baked, it stays.














I am really happy with how the Painters marker held out.  It comes in a variety of colours, and if they all hold out as well as the black did, I will be very pleased.

The instructions on the package says "permanent", but says nothing about using heat to make it permanent.  Given how well it writes and how the opacity holds out, I'm really glad that baking it worked.  I'll happily pick up more of these.








I think I'm happiest with the gold and silver Studio dual tip markers.  They write beautifully on the surface.  The lines are clean and crisp and the opacity holds up really, really well.  The photo does not do the metallic shine justice.

These guys are winners.

They are also Dollarama purchases.  I can't even find them online!  I don't know if they're exclusive to  Dollarama or what, but when I do a search, I'm finding everything but this particular brand.  Which is weird.
Maybe I need to stock up when I get the chance, just in case!!

Update - March 8, 2016:  Thank you, Panya, for sending me info and links in the comments!  These markers are as EK Success metallic writer pens.  Along with her link to a silver one on Amazon, I found it in the colours, green and purple. (Get Crafting! affiliate links)





And finally, the other Sharpies.

Nope.

While the black managed to stay, the colours just ... didn't.  The bright blue chisel tip changed the most.  I think that's kind of a brown now.  The green outline (also chisel tip) became blue.  The red fine point markers turned orange.  The yellow disappeared.  The greens for the leaves turned blue, then went away.





There you have it.  A range of markers and colours, baked and unbaked, hand washed and dishwasher tested.

It now makes me wonder about all those Pinterest photos of gorgeously decorated dishes, cups, etc.  So many of them are said to be done in Sharpie, and most do not mention being baked at all.  How did they hold up, AFTER the photos were taken?  The one site I found that did a test used only black Sharpie on plain white plates, baked.  The person used a large tipped marker (not sure if it was chisel, but most likely) to fill in large, bold letters, unlike the simple letters I did.  It held up extremely well, while mine didn't, though at least the black fine tip and brown brush did did hold up better than the bright colours.

After this test, I wouldn't use Sharpies at all.  I'll stick to Painters (which comes in a range of colours) and Studio dual tip metallics (they didn't come in any other colours).

Craft and Gift Idea links

For those who are looking for some craft ideas and how-to's for Christmas gifts or decorations, here are some of my related posts and articles.

Decorations:

Get Spicy: Here is a step-by-step of the fragrant decorations we made for our tree in 2011.

Quick and Easy Garland and Easy Crochet Garland: Two versions of a spiral crochet garland with contrasting edging.

Temari:  This is a link to a series of posts, which you will find in reverse order.  These step-by-step posts were done in 2011 using 3 inch cores, but they can be made in a variety of sizes - our Christmas tree has them in 1 1/2 inch and 2 inch cores.  They make great gifts as well as decorations.

Christmas Sachets: These step-by-step decorations go back to 2008 (posts are in reverse order).  We don't have many left, but their scent still lingers.

 Apple Cinnamon Cookie-cutter decorations:  These were our 2009 decorations.  You'll find the step-by-step to make them in Part One, then finish them in Part Two.

Eight Point Star ornaments: these yarn wrapped ornaments are fast, easy and addictive!

Plastic Canvas ornaments: A step-by-step for two different plastic canvas shapes.

Crochet Covered Christmas ornaments: A free pattern.

Christmas Light Luminaries: Step-by-step instructions to modify a string of Christmas lights, these can be used all year, by just wrapping them with seasonal garlands.

Hand Crafted Gift Ideas:

3 Hour Crochet Cowl: A free pattern for a simple cowl, with ideas for modifications.

Simple Lap Blanket: Another free crochet pattern.

Salt Jar Luminaries: A step-by-step for candle luminaries.

A Pot of Roses: These everlasting flowers will be sure to bring cheer to a loved one!

Gift Idea Product, Move and Book Reviews:

Over at Squidoo, writers have been given quest challenges to do reviews on various themes.  Here are some of mine that might inspire some gift-giving ideas.

Endhiran (Robot) Movie Review

Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Disney's Missing Princess

Star Wars Original Trilogy - Unaltered

For the Well Rounded Crocheter - Plus Size Crochet

The Philosopher's Kitchen, for the Historical Foodie

Wabash Familiy Farms Popcorn Maker

Recipes to Enjoy:

Making Chevre de Provence (you'll need to start these a week before you need them)

Tourtiere

Mulled Wine

Christmas Goose step-by-step, Part One, Part Two, Part Three

Quick and Easy Garland

Here's a garland I made up using the new Martha Stewart yarn, Glitter Eyelash.

When I first saw the new line of Martha Stewart yarns, I have to admit I had low expectations for the eyelash yarn.  That's because I have low expectation for eyelash yarn in general.  I find them a major pain to work with, and heaven help you if you make a mistake and need to undo it!

I was impressed with this yarn, however.  First off, there's a nice range of colours with marvelous sparkle to them.  Then I actually picked up a ball.  I had expected it to be scratchy from the glitter strands, but it was surprisingly soft.  I was impressed.

So when I decided to make a last minute decoration for the staff decorated tree at the Michaels I teach at, I picked up a couple of balls in Blue Topaz.  I decided to make a garland similar to one I have made before, using glow in the dark yarn. 

Once actually working with the yarn, I was again impressed.  It was smooth to work with and there was no tangling of any kind.  Very nice.  

For the garland pictured below, I used a 5.00mm hook and some white yarn I had on hand (Loops and Threads Impeccable) along with the Glitter Eyelash.

To start, make a chain to the desired length.  I never measured the final length for this, but I'm guessing it was about 13-15 feet long.

To make a gentle spiral, two stitches are worked into each chain in the foundation.

Start by making a loop by working a sc into the 6th chain from the hook, or whatever number of chains for the size of loop you want. Work 1 hdc in the next ch.

Place a stitch marker at the opposite end of the foundation chain, 7 ch from the end or the number of ch in your loop plus 2.

Work 2 dc into each ch to the marker.  Work 1 hdc into the ch the marker is in.  Create a loop by working a sc into the next ch and the last chain together.

Fasten off yarn.

Join with Glitter Eyelash into the hdc stitch at either end of the garland.  Work 1 sc into each stitch to the hdc at the opposite end.

Fasten off yarn.





When I first started this, I had intended to make a denser glitter row by working 1 ch in between each sc.  It was looking great, but used far more yarn than I had.  Unfortunately, I had already worked about 1 3/4 balls of Glitter Eyelash before I realized there was no way I had enough to finish the entire garland.  I would have needed almost 4 balls to finish it that way (which, by the way, I recommend as a variation.  Just make sure you have lots of Glitter Eyelash).

I had to do the one thing I dreaded most with an eyelash yarn.  I would need to undo nearly two balls worth. 

Much to my surprise, it came undone as smoothly as any basic yarn!  There were no tangles at all, no catches, no twisting.  It was beautiful! 



To store the garland, wrap it around a core of some kind.  I used the thick cardboard tube from a package of extra wide aluminum foil.  There's a couple of spots of sticky glue where the foil was attached to the tube, which I covered with tape.  Just hook the loop around one end of the tube, then wind the garland around it.  To fit this garland onto the tube, I had to jam it together pretty tightly.  The tube also makes it easier to place the garland on your tree.  Just hook a loop onto your tree, then unwind it as you go.

This garland took me about 3 hours to do, including the time it took to rip all the eyelash yarn and work it back up again.  This can easily be worked up in a single evening.

As for the Glitter Eyelash yarn from Martha Stewart, I definitely recommend it!  It's got great colours, lovely sparkle, a soft texture, is lovely to work with, and is even a delight to undo if you make a mistake.  Fantastic stuff!

Product review: Red Heart Eco-ways recycled blend yarn

Product: Red Heart Eco-Ways recycled blend yarn
Net wt 4oz/ 113 g
186 yds/170 m

worsted, medium (4) weight
recommended hook and needle size: 5.00 mm
care instructions: machine wash warm, gentle cycle, tumble dry on low
70% acrylic
30% recycled polyester

colour used: misty violet

The back of the label includes a form to get a deal on a subscription to Crochet Today magazine.

In the last while, there have been a lot of new yarns out labelled green, eco, etc. They tend to be quite a bit more expensive than comparable yarns, so I waited until I saw some on clearance before picking up a skein to try out.

I picked up the Eco-ways yarn at a local Michaels, and I must admit to being surprised to see any eco-yarns on clearance, considering how recently they started carrying them in the first place.

I'll be upfront at the start that, these days, I view products that are labelled green, eco, organic, "all natural" and so on as a point against the product, not for it. Call me cynical, but I'm finding that these buzz words are more about marketing than actual environmental responsibility. Too many turn out not to be any better for the environment than their counterparts, but it's a great way to charge considerably higher prices for them. So off the hop, this product has a point against it.

In its favour, when I picked the yarn, I was impressed with how lovely and soft the yarn felt, and I really liked the colours. I had no real plans for it, though I did end up using it to make a quick gift bag to hold a wine bottle. I made it and gave it away in the same day, so I didn't get a chance to take any photos of it. After going through some pattern books, I decided to work up a lacy pattern with the remaining yarn to test it out.



The resulting item is just long enough to use as a neckwarmer or something like it. This is the finished pattern, before blocking.



A closer look at the pattern, before blocking.




I decided to wet block the piece, soaking it in the sink and rolling it up in a towel to absorb the excess water before pinning it out. It took maybe 20 hours to dry.




Finally, a look at the pattern after blocking.

I like the stitch definition, and there's a decent drape to the resulting fabric. I could see using a pattern like this to make a stole with this yarn. I did, however, have some issues with it.

First off, I quickly found the yarn split easily. This was a considerable issue when doing the bobbles in the pattern (4 dc together). I frequently had to undo stitches because I couldn't untangle the split yarn from the hook in the middle of working a stitch.

A surprise for me, especially considering how nice and soft the yarn felt, plus how open the pattern is, was how course and stiff it felt after it was worked into a pattern.

My conclusion: I'm on the fence with this yarn. There are things I like about it, but with how much trouble it was to work with because of the splitting, I really didn't enjoy using it, which is another point against. The stitch definition is a point in favour. I love the colours and how the yarn feels before being worked, but it was surprisingly course after being worked up, so there's two points for, but another against. In the end, I don't know that I would consider it worth the higher regular retail price, but I wouldn't turn my nose up at it if I found more on the clearance shelf.

I'm going to try throwing it in the wash and see how it turns out, though I don't plan to put it in the drier. We don't have anything else that requires tumble drying on low to toss it in with, and putting it in the drier all by itself would hardly be eco-friendly.


update: In the end, I just threw it in with a regular wash and dry. It came out quite beautifully, losing the stiffness and courseness I'd been unhappy with. It came out quite lovely. So the only issue still remaining is the yarn's propensity for splitting.

Product review - rosewood hook

I finally got some photos of the crochet hook we got my younger daughter for Christmas. Unfortunately, we can't find the packaging for it, so I have no idea what company made it. Nor can I find it at the store's website. :-( I'll have to go back and look it up later.



Carved of rosewood, it has a wonderfully shaped hook and throat. My daughter loves how the yarn slides on the wood, with just the right amount of friction.



The hook is longer than most, with this attractive decorative end. It feels quite comfortable in the hand, too.

There is only one downside. If you look closely on the left edge in this photo, you can just see some flecks of colour. That's what's left of the size stamp that was there, rubbed off already from use. It's a size 4.00mm hook - at least that's what I remember it being. With my memory, I wouldn't say for sure. *L* I've got a size gauge somewhere, so I can double check.

My daughter loves it enough that she wanted to find more in larger sizes, even at a cost of over $16. To her, it's worth every penny. Unfortunately, they didn't have anything larger than 4.00mm, and they have no way of knowing when they'll be getting more, or what ranged of sizes they'll come in. It seems another company decides what gets sent for these hand crafted hooks and knitting needles. *sigh* Ah, well.

When I find out what brand it is, I'll be sure to pass that on, as my daughter highly recommends this hook.

Product review: The Crochet Lite (TM)

Today I finally filled the 4.0mm gap in my crochet hooks. I would have preferred an aluminum hook like I usually use, but after looking in several stores, I just couldn't find any in this size. I'd been looking for a while and the only ones I could find were cheap plastic hooks that didn't have nicely rounded necks on the hooks. They had almost sharp edges.


I'm cheap, but I'm not that cheap, so I broke down and spent a bit extra to buy this. (click on photo for full size image. Other images available here.) It cost $5.47 at Walmart.

It's a novelty hook by Widget Products Inc. They make all sorts of items with lights in them, though in the stores locally I've only seen the knitting needles and crochet hooks.

As you can see in the photo, this is labeled as an F 4.0mm hook. In the pattern instructions I've been looking at that I bought this for, they called the 4.0mm hook a G. What I have at home in my aluminum hooks are an F/5 - 3.75mm and a G/6 - 4.25mm.

Which probably explains why I can't find the 4.0mm in an aluminum hook.

I've started up a project just to try it out, and I really like it. The yarn I'm using is a mohair blend with lots of loose hairs sticking out that could be easy to get hung up on. It hasn't been a problem so far. The hook feels comfortable in my hand, and it's smooth to work with. The only potential problem I see is that the switch for the light rubs against the palm near the outside of my hand. It's not a big deal for short stints with the hook, but I can imagine that spot getting rubbed raw after a while.

As for the light - it's cute and all, but it's not much use to actually work with, though the package says "Crochet anywhere ... Even in the Dark!" There's a bright light in the loops being worked on, which gets a bit harsh on the eyes, but it doesn't light up enough of the project to see the next loops that need to be worked into. It does look really cool in the dark, though. *L*

My conclusion: Although I didn't like paying extra to get the size I wanted (did I mention I'm cheap? *L*), I would say it was worth it. As cute as the light is, gimmicks like this are normally a reason for me NOT to buy something. The hook itself, however, is well made and comfortable to use. The design is quite ergonomic, though the cost is a little more than half the price of the ergonomic hooks I've seen.

I would definitely be willing to buy these in other sizes.