I went to a retreat this weekend with some friends. A few had just gone up to Paducah, KY and came back with some neat stuff. One of the things I LOVE is this new pen. A friend sold me one of her extras, they come in different colors, for $3.00.
It marks very easily on fabric, like a roller ball pen, and then irons off like MAGIC!~
No instructions came with mine, I don't know where she got it, except somewhere in that area. There is what a appears to be an eraser on the end, but the best way to remove is by iron.
Thought I'd share.
OH!~ written on it is: remove by friction
PILOT Ball FriXion

I can read "Pilot", but what else does it say on the pen? Can these be purchased in Staples or are they unique to LQS?

you can search this forum for information on this pen. its been out for over a year now and their is a lot of controversy regarding this pen.

some say its ok to use and others say its not safe.

i have see many blog posts about this pen where people made samples and the markings never went away.

do not use on dark fabric, it absolutly ruins them.

I'm sorry, I don't know. I wrote all I know. I will try to find out. It works great for me and I love it. I'm very behind on things, so was thrilled to find this.

you can buy them at many office supply stores for a lot cheaper then what the LQS charges.

I got mine at Staples at the back to school sale and they were really cheap. I haven't had any trouble with them, so far. No dark colors, have to remember that. My pens are black anyway so I guess that doesn't matter to me.

FriXion

http://www.google.com/search?q=FRIXI...=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=&oe=

Also if you enter Frixion in the search block at the top of the message board you will get lots of threads to check out here.

Had NO idea or I'd not have even mentioned it.
I'm always so behind on everything. Should have known ya'll had already covered this... still kind of new here.

BEWARE!! The pen marks will disapear with heat, but if it gets cold (like up north), they will reappear! We did a test at a LQS. So DON't use it to mark your quilt for quilting.

The marks come back when subjected to extreme cold weather. I tested it by ironing away and then placing in the freezer. The marks came back. I then ironed away and washed the sample and returned to the freezer. The marks still came back, but not as vivid. The pen has it's place like marking half square triangles, but I wouldn't use it on an area that would show.

Here's a link to the posts on this forum
http://www.quiltingboard.com/search....Frixion&u=&s=0

The posts sound like that old nursery rhyme,
When it was good it was very very good, but when it went bad it was horrid
Both great results and disasters.

I have tested every pen I could find, and haven't been happy with any of them. I am getting ready to test a chalk pen I recently bought and hope that it works better than the others. It is new and I got it at the LQS. I didn't buy the actual pen only the refills. They fit in a mechanical pencil that I already have. I wouldn't try those pens since the marks return in the cold. I wonder if you are supposed to erase the marks since there is an eraser on the pen.
Sue

I think it is wonderful for marking a sew line or cut line, so I will use these. I won't mark a quilt top, as I have great luck with a chalk or light pencil mark.
I don't get hung up on detail, as my quilts will be washed and washed and loved, none will ever go in shows or museums. So... I thank ya'll for your input.

These pens are fine to use for marking fabric for me. Many quilt bloggers have tested and retested them. One blogger, a chemist, tested the pens on fabric with starch, no starch, washed, ironed, and frozen. I forgot all the results but the chemical analysis showed the pens do not harm cotton fabric. Quilt bloggers are in the thousands online and one bad product, the news travels in seconds to millions of followers. Same with a great new product.

.

That was my gut feeling. I live in the south where the cold is not a factor and don't plan on having a quilt show in my freezer. lol
I think it is fine for cutting and sewing lines. I think the pioneer women would have flipped over this! Lord, we are so spoiled, aren't we?!?!

ditto

Please let us know how the chalk pen tested out. Thanks.

yep i bought two but never used them. i don't care for things that iron off. i'm scared they will come back and on a quilt i'd be extremely upset if they did.

I'm using them. I love them.

IMHO, it's fine if you don't plan on putting your quilt in the freezer.... :-)

I have 2 of these, haven't used them yet! got them at my local fabric store. 8-)

I have them and love them - touch it with an iron and its gone. Also, there is an eraser on the end of the pen and you can erase lines too.

I LOVE these pens. So what if the lines reappear if frozen. Usually am cutting along a line so I don't care. They have a fine point and this is something I cannot get from other pencils and chalks.

exactly and I have never stored a quilt in a freezer so I think it will be ok...

I need a fabric pen that will NOT come off, for people signing friendship quilts. We have been making them for teachers we had in Beaverton high school 50 years ago.

It get really cold here I would be afraid even transporting a quilt in the winter that it might come back so I will not use them for marking the top. I tested them too at first it was magic then when cold even out on the deck it came back.

Plus my bedroom has no heat. I don't want lines on the top of my quilt all winter long...

I ordered a set of 5 (different colors) extra fine point from Amazon for just over $10. Love them

I found them on: apenloversparadise.com
Click on Ball Frixion.

Individually they only come in red, blue and black and are $2.35 ea. But if you order the 8 pk. pouch, you can get in 8 different colors and are $21.95

It is an erasable pen. The friction of erasing makes the ink dissappear. (It says not to use for signing important papers.) So, I can see why ironing would make the ink dissappear.

DITTO on this one :D

I've seen them before.You can get them at an office supply store. I tested it on a scrap of fabric, yes the line when away when you ironed it,but I stuck it in the freezer and the mark came back. I know.....who sticks a quilt in the freezer, but what I'm trying to point out is that the chemical is still in the fabric. What will happen to those markings 10 years from now? I'd use it with caution.

The owner of my LQS advised not to use on Blacks & Reds.

PLEASE do more research....there are plenty of topics here on QB about this pen..even some with TUTES about how the ink does NOT fully leave the fabric.

Why not use on Black and Red fabric?

I just bought 3 of them at my local quilt store, I think that would be your best bet to find them. Very reasonable here, $1.50 each. I have used them already, they work great.

Lana

Want all to know that our applique group did some testing with these pens, and we approve. Once the fabric is washed the cemical that is in the ink disapears forever and no matter how cold it get it never comes back.
Toddy

It does not completely iron or erase away.