I'm trying to mark a stencil quilting pattern on my quilt and can't get anything to show up on the material.
I've used white, pink and blue washable fabric pencils and an air eraser pen. Nothing works.
What else can I use?
Welcome to the Quilting Board!
I'm trying to mark a stencil quilting pattern on my quilt and can't get anything to show up on the material.
I've used white, pink and blue washable fabric pencils and an air eraser pen. Nothing works.
What else can I use?
Try a sliver of white bar soap. (Not sure how you can get it down to a sliver if you don't have a used bar handy, though.)
Have you tried fixion felt pens? Or maybe tailors chalk.
First I like your quilt. If you use a bar soap do not get one that is scented at all. Have you tried the chalk or that pounce thing? Tailor's chalk is supposed to be good for marking. I believe Ivory soap is unscented. warm a sharp knife under some hot water cut a sliver off and try that. be careful with the sharp knife.
I was going to suggest chalk as well, or a ceramic pencil. Fons and Porter make one that I have heard many quilters like.
I have been very successful with unscented Dove soap. I use the bar until it's flat and has thin edges. Let it dry very well and store in a covered jar. I have a problem using thin pieces of soap in the bath because of arthritis in the fingers. Learned years ago to stick the new wet bar to the old wet bar and l let it dry very well. Usually it sticks the first time. Then I can continue to use the "double bar" until the old bar in time is used up. But I do keep slivers for marking. [Not sure what the soap will do to my sewing machine.]
Last edited by GailG; 12-27-2014 at 08:34 PM.
One step at a time, always forward.
If you are machine quilting, you could make tissue paper patterns to stitch through. (There is a product called Golden Thread paper that you can stitch through also.) With tissue paper, cut several squares the size of your block, draw the pattern on one square, stack up your squares and pin the corners, stitch over the drawn pattern with the machine needle without thread, take the pins out of the squares and you will have several copies to pin on the sandwich and stitch the pattern. Carefully tear away the tissue when finished.
I use Golden Threads paper for quilting some designs. Usually, I just draw the design on the paper w/ultra washable Crayola markers, then stitch thru it. I lightly spray the back of the paper with adhesive spray + a few pins to hold it in place.Originally Posted by Tartan
"Proud Parent of an American Airman"
I have also used parchment paper (like you use for baking). It tears away easily and is a little sturdier than tissue paper yet you can still see through it to trace your pattern. I found that if I had to wrestle my quilt around very much in the machine the tissue paper ripped easily. I do sections at a time.
I have used tissue paper the way Tartan suggested, it works great!
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