Put your foot down 333

Put your foot down 333 is a weekly linky party every Thursday. Stop by and share your WIP’s, UFO’s, finishes, or any fiber arts projects. Thank you all for returning each week and sharing your projects.

Whats under my foot

The current state of my sewing room looking in. There is a very narrow path on the right side that allows me to paint. You can see how warm the walls are and they are just too dark for me, it always feels dirty in there even when it’s clean.

In 2025, Illinois implemented a statewide “PaintCare fee” on all paint sales to fund a recycling program. Paying a large tax as a small business owner, high property taxes, high fuel tax, Chicago bail out taxes and every other tax our democratic state taxes us on, I took a stand. Though it was a small stand I felt better knowing I could make my own paint and avoid paying Illinois yet another crazy tax.

This is the slant wall in my sewing room that I painted with milk paint that I made. There was no priming prior to painting because apparently milk paint loves raw wood, and that is what I was painting. I am making small batches and learning as I go. The last batch, and 4th application provided the most coverage and I think one more coat will completely block all the wood coloring showing through. Then again, I may take a warm wet rag and give it a more white wash affect/effect.

Milk paint recipe

Or, I may paint it green. The milk paint recipe if you would like to try making your own…

• 1 cup Non Fat Milk Powder
• 1 1/2 cup of warm water
• 1 1/2 tablespoon of Borax
• 2 tablespoon Titanium Dioxide. Add more for a more opaque white.

Directions

1. Add milk powder to 1 cup of warm water in a large bowel or quart jar. Shake or stir until the lumps are gone.
2. Bring to boil 1/2 cup water, add Borax and stir to dissolve.
3. Let it cool to room temp, then add to milk powder mixture. Stir well. I let this sit all afternoon (3-4 hours), stirring occasionally. After dinner, pour a little of the paint mixture into a small bowl and add the Titanium Dioxide and stir until mixed well.
4. Pour back into paint mixture, mix well and refrigerate. I have read you should use this within a couple of days, at this point I have used it within 3 days.

Before beginning to paint shake mixture well, and occasionally while painting. You will notice the paint getting a little thinner and that means it’s time to shake or stir. The great thing about milk paint is, you can add as much pigment as you like, if it is not thin enough you can add more water, if your first batch is too thin-use less water. Just remember to write down the changes you have made.

For instance, Batch 1: too thin, I added 1/4c milk powder to mixture. Batch 2, adjusted recipe to reflect the addition of milk powder to match Batch 1 and added 1 tspn more colorant.

Your shares from Put your foot down 332

Hop over to Songbird Designs to check out this WIP.

Visit Melva Loves Scraps to see what Little House Sampler Quilt Sew Along is all about.

Put your foot down 333

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