Markers don't stay on shirts!?
 

So here's a funny story. If you were at the Lansing competition, they you'd know Dean Kamen was there. So everyone attacked him and got them to sign everything they own. I had him sign my shirt. Now, before he signed my shirt, two girls on our team were with me. Now, me being a guy and not had much experience with doing my own laundry, and both of them I assumed might know more then nothing about it, I asked them, "If Dean Kamen signs my shirt with this marker will it come off?"
"Nope, it should stay on."
"Okay, good!"
So, we have 3 days for shirts on our team. Dean signed my Friday shirt. So I got out my Friday shirt today, looked on the sleeve, and apparently it didn't stay! So Dean Kamen's signature was washed out from my shirt :rolleyes: Oh well I guess. Maybe I'll see him next year sometime where he can sign something else I don't wash.

Moral: If Dean Kamen/Paul Gudonis/Woodie Flowers/anyone you feel is important signed any article of clothing you own, be careful about washing it ;)

Re: Markers don't stay on shirts!?
 

I have a volunteer shirt where Dean Kamen and Woodie Flowers signed in ATL last year; I haven't worn the shirt since I was volunteering last April. I am afraid it will wash out ><

Re: Markers don't stay on shirts!?
 

Dang technological advances in detergent technology! Curses!!!

Re: Markers don't stay on shirts!?
 

:D I blame FIRST! With them, engineering has just been to successful!

Re: Markers don't stay on shirts!?
 

yeah the same thing happened to me with sharpie some how i thought it was permanent had woodie sign my shirt while he was at an off season comp last year got to talk to him one on one kinda cool but it washed of

Re: Markers don't stay on shirts!?
 

I've had Dean sign my '08 competition shirt and it hasn't worn out through many washings (though it has faded a bit.)

Next time, try getting a laundry marker to bring for shirt signing. It would probably stay a lot better.

Re: Markers don't stay on shirts!?
 

Thanks for the advice!

Re: Markers don't stay on shirts!?
 

Most inks need to be set to help prevent them from washing out.

Get some parchment paper (non wax kind) and take your iron and heat the shirt.

Also washing inside-out will help.

Re: Markers don't stay on shirts!?
 

or also i know most of our team gets ppl to sign the silk screened part and it stays and just fades a little just didnt think of it when i got woddie to sign mine

Re: Markers don't stay on shirts!?
 

Hmm....maybe you could consider it a lucky shirt? Never wash the lucky shirt, the luck gets washed out.:p

Re: Markers don't stay on shirts!?
 

It seems to me that when I was doing tye-dyed shirts (a very long time ago) we soaked the shirts in vinegar and let them air dry to set the dyes into the fabric. I wonder if the same thing would work on a signature?

Re: Markers don't stay on shirts!?
 

that's also a good thing to do with your black shirts.

Re: Markers don't stay on shirts!?
 

They are just two regular guys, I don't see the significance of having their signatures.

Re: Markers don't stay on shirts!?
 

Well, I'd say they were a better choice for inspiration than it could have been. Anyhow, it doesn't matter - the tips mentioned here don't depend on whose signature it is. :)

Actually, that is an interesting philosophical question. I'd have say, the main reason to collect signatures is as a memento, to remind you of the experience. Also, it is a way of showing your support for those you respect. Finally, it is a method for showing others your pride and happiness at meeting whomever. I personally don't collect signatures, but it seems like a reasonable thing to do.

Finally, why Kamen and friends? Because mainly, he founded this competition that we enjoy so much, and because they have worked on things that help many people, which we admire.

-Sam

PS.
Thank you for a question that I would not have thought through had you not asked.

Re: Markers don't stay on shirts!?
 

You know, Zultraranger, Woodie Flowers could say the same thing about the 10,000+ students at competitions he goes to every year.

So why does he have a jacket (or more than one?) covered with student signatures?

Because he sees something that maybe we don't. Because we, the students and mentors of FIRST, are his heroes. (At least, that's the reasoning I've heard.) And yet, we're even more "regular" than an MIT professor of engineering.

Think about it.

Re: Markers don't stay on shirts!?
 

This is my first year with FIRST, and I had no idea who Woodie Flowers was last year at Mayhem. Now I'm soooo angry for not getting him to sign my shirt. ARG!:mad:

Re: Markers don't stay on shirts!?
 

I can't think, the beautiful picture of you is distracting me.

Re: Markers don't stay on shirts!?
 

Ok, your first post was a reasonable response. I am not a fan of signatures either. However, please avoid being rude.

Re: Markers don't stay on shirts!?
 

You should have had him sign your shirt using his laser vision...

Oh you didn't know he could do that?

Re: Markers don't stay on shirts!?
 

Who'da thunk I would be getting laundry tips from CD! :D

P.S: Grammar police, please don't get on my back about the improper English.

Re: Markers don't stay on shirts!?
 

You know, despite this rather crass way of putting it, they'd pretty much agree with you. I had the opportunity to speak with Woodie in Atlanta a couple years ago, and mentioned how much one of our team members appreciated meeting him and shaking his hand the day before. "Never gonna wash it again." Woodie got a truly dumbfounded look - at least as dumbfounded as an MIT professor can get - and said he didn't understand why the kids looked up to him and even idolized him so much. I could only reply, much better him than some other public figures they could pick as role models.

Re: Markers don't stay on shirts!?
 

For my "Koko Ed is My Homeboy" shirts I used special fabrics markers to sign them permanently.

Re: Markers don't stay on shirts!?
 

Ed! I'm so glad to hear that! As I read this thread a feeling of panic had started to come over me... I was about to run to the laundry basket where my freshly washed Koko Ed shirt is waiting for me to fold and put it away! :ahh: Now I can relax and get back to scanning CD and watching the regional web casts! :)

Re: Markers don't stay on shirts!?
 

If they weren't permanent I would have printed the shirts with my signature (that actually might be a better way to go about it anyways. I got really tired of signing all those shirts after about the 10th shirt).