Thread: Question about pens for hand embroidery marking..... help please.

I use the micron pens to trace my hand embroidery patterns. Lead pencil smudge, air erasable don't last long enough, and chalk is messy. I have used silk, different linens, cotton, etc fabrics. The pens are permanent but you can get different colors, like red or black, etc. A lot of hand embroidering, like stump work, may take a good while to do, so a permanent pen is a good thing with all the handling of the fabric while embroidering. The thing about the micron pens is that the tracing line is very fine and your tracings have to be accurately done. However, you need to find what works for you...

Originally Posted by Tartan

I used my Frixion pen to write on a lap quilt that I wanted to put Red Work on. It erases with a hot iron and they are about $2 at Staples. Before I start a controversy, yes I know the marks will come back in the freezer. Since I don't plan on freezing my lap quilt, or flying it to a show in a cold shipping container, it worked great for me. If you decide to go with a water solvable pen, make sure to check if your floss bleeds when wet.

Actually if you wash it after you iron the marks do not come back in the freezer if you don't want them to come back

Originally Posted by himnherr

Oooohh thanks! I'll go check out clover tomorrow. I couldn't stand to see black peeking out from underneath.

I guess I'm the most frugal here--I go to DOLLARTREE store and get the pkg of 20 washable markers-fineline, for $1, and I've been using them for drawing quilt designs on the backings for FMQ. 20 colors from blk to yellow..I love them. Of course, I'd test on fabric that is not cotton, but they work on poly/cotton--I just toss in the washer afterwards. They are found in the children's crafts/school supplies.

I use the micron pen, the really fine tip one and I use the brown ink. I have never had a problem with the ink line showing.

I too use the Frixion pen. If I make a mistake I can just iron away the mistake and redo. Once washed it never comes back!!!

I have done tons of redwork and bluework, etc. I use the permanent pens with the finest point I can find and a light hand. I also use red for redwork or tan for other colors. I find black or dark colors too stark and likely to show.

Originally Posted by sweetana3

I have done tons of redwork and bluework, etc. I use the permanent pens with the finest point I can find and a light hand. I also use red for redwork or tan for other colors. I find black or dark colors too stark and likely to show.

I totally agree with sweetana3, I like to use a like color to the thread color, that way it might not show if my stitching is not right on.