Originally Posted by janeknapp

Do any of you use watercolor pencils or Inktense pencils to color fabric for use in your quilting?

I learned about this when trying to find something for my mother to do in the nursing home. Now I'm hooked on it, too. I use Derwent watercolor pencils and Derwent Inktense pencils (ink that is permanent color ). I use the dry pencils to color/shade the design. Then I brush on aloe vera gel using a very short, small, stiff brush. The gel activates the color, so it goes into the fabric but prevents bleeding. Water is very hard to control and will allow the color to bleed.

Here is my first journal quilt, 8" x 10", that I finished yesterday. I found an image on the internet, enlarged and cropped it, printed in black/white, traced the major lines in pen, and traced the design on fabric. I use a high quality muslin (Legacy Studio from Jo-Ann's) or a high quality cotton sateen (draw on the shiny side).

Originally Posted by janeknapp

Right now there are six kids in my neighborhood who are using my Derwent watercolor and Inktense pencils to color a design. They are making a rose, head of a tiger, parrot, red-eyed tree frog, teddy bear, and Kyle Busch's race car. (Once a teacher...always a teacher.)

The teddy bear is finished along with the quilting.

Originally Posted by janeknapp

I'm not sure I told you that you need to heat set the watercolored fabric for about one minute. It's good to use a pressing cloth and then follow up for the last 15 seconds on both sides of the fabric. After heat setting, wash the gel out under running water.

Gee, I'm glad for all of your questions and the multiple posts, because maybe now I could do a tutorial and not forget anything. I blame it on senior moments, fibromyalgia fog, and chemo brain. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. : )