Laundry is a big thing in our house with 3 oversized dirty boys. The notion of being at the lake for a full month without a washer and dryer was too much. Mom lives next door, and my sister a couple miles away, but I don't want to take dirty clothes with me to visit every day. Why oh why can't we just be nudists? Stupid modest boys.

Here's a laundry question. I have a t-shirt with some signatures in marker on it. Is there anything I can do to set the ink before washing it?

So, a funny moment for the baseball fans... a friend of mine is in San Diego for a company convention, and they were at a Padres game (apparently in a swanky box). He called me at 1am ET and woke me up to ask me what the word eephus meant. Of course, he didn't tell me he was at a baseball game at first, so I tried two dictionaries before I googled and found the Eephus pitch.

brenda, I'm sorry I have no ideas to offer for your marker.

Brenda, could you try tracing very carefully over the signatures with a Sharpie? Or get a practice t-shirt of about the same quality cloth/dye/age, use a similiar marker and try to see if various washing methods affect it?

Heh, just read up about the Eephus (no explanation of why it's called that, though). I am once again reminded that psychology and personality play a very big role in sports, and perhaps especially baseball.

Brenda, could you try tracing very carefully over the signatures with a Sharpie?

Oh, I'd screw that up in a hearbeat.

Or get a practice t-shirt of about the same quality cloth/dye/age, use a similiar marker and try to see if various washing methods affect it?

That's a thought. I've got a bunch of shirts that I'm ready to get rid of anyway.

Eh, it's not a huge deal. Hell, I see this band three or six times a year anyway, I can just make 'em sign again. [They're kind of my Kane, if that makes sense to anybody.] But I thought it'd be a shame if it all came out on the first wash, you know?

Maybe I'll wait a while and see if anyone has some sure-fire tip. Whoot! Excuse to put off doing the laundry.

You could try throwing the shirt in the dryer first, to set the ink.

There are spray fixatives for pencil work on paper. Art stores would have it, and you could ask if it would work on fabric. Or maybe someone at a screenprinter or art and hobby supply store would know. Also possibly someone at a fabric store that offers lots of crafting classes. 'Cause I sure don't know.

I don't know -- I bet you anything putting it in the dryer for a bit first will set it just fine.

I should try the dryer thing. I have a number of shirts that they boys have that are signed and I've avoided washing them. It makes sense since the dryer surely sets stains.