Up North

I use one that writes in purple and dissapears after a day or so I love them. I also am worried about the frixon pens. It has been below zero here and no matter how I tested they came back when they got cold.

maminstl

I have a recently completed quilt that has been washed and dried, that I used frixion pens on quite extensively - blue, red and orange. It is sitting out in my car right now so will take a look at it when I get home and see what it looks like. My quilts are generally in the house, so I don't really care about that freezing thing. I love the frixion, but I am not making heirlooms, nor show quilts. Other than that, I use chalk pencils, lead pencil, most anything that I believe will wash out.

Marcia D

I only use removable stencils. I've only been quilting a few years so I'm not experienced with safe markers and gadgets. I love the stencil because you tape it down, follow along the lines, then tear it off and it's done!! I have some extras that I will be happy to share for you to test with. Just PM me if you want to try it.

LivelyLady

I love frixon pens and chalk. I also use washable markers and have not any problem removing the marks. Of course, I starch the crap out of my top, so I'm really only marking on the starch. LOL

MadQuilter

Whichever marking method you decide on, it is always a good idea to test it on a piece of scrap fabric to see if it will remove and if it leaves a mark (some pens apparently bleach out the fabric).

I have used the pounce powder with a foam brush. It irons off without a problem but it is only visible on darker fabric. For light fabric I use the light blue wash-away pen. I just have to remember to dab the quilt lines BEFORE getting it near a heat source such as an iron.

One time I was super-smart and I used both pounce AND the blue pen. It was a real bugger getting all the blue marker washed off BEFORE ironign off the pounce. Won't do that again!

I also like the white ceramic pen for marking, as well as goldenthreads paper or tissue paper. Seal and press is supposed to be good too but I have not tried it.

ManiacQuilter2

Never would have thought of that Tartan. How clever!! I have always used Clover Chaco slim liner marker and the white powder chalk removes very easily. You'll find them at JAF. But DO NOT EVER USE THE YELLOW OR THE BLUE!!!

maviskw

I did a test with the frixon pens. Ironed two scraps with pen marks on. Put them into the freezer. Marks came back. then washed one, ironed them again and back into the freezer. The marks did not come back on the washed one.

QuiltE

Look very closely ... did it leave a ghost mark, or perhaps a bleach mark?
It has been my experience that it does .... even with washing it out.
It may not be obvious on a lighter fabric ...

BuzzinBumble

You got lots of good advice Charlotte, so I won't ramble on and on, but I wanted to add my two cents here.
While I love the Frixion pens for marking and they iron off like a dream, there is one caveat: the red pen left faded lines on my dark fabrics. It looks like it removed some of the fabric dye. That was a great way to put it QuiltE - it left a "ghost mark". Luckily for me, this was not in a place that shows. This might happen with other pen colors as well.
Using a pounce is great too.
The best advice you got was to always test on leftover fabric first.
Enjoy your quilting journey!

anorton

And, yes, I have used the soapstone pencils, both light and dark, and like them.