Hi, what is the best product/way to mark a finished quilt top? I want to do decorative stitching with my machine maybe even free motion and I'm not sure how to go about it.

I have seen iron-on transfer patterns, transfer pens, and other stuff. I bought a quilter's marker-like pen that promises to wash out or just dissapear, but it does dissapear before I have finished sewing along my pattern.

I have a design in a pattern book that I want to put along a boarder but am not sure how to get in onto my quilt so I can see it to stitch over it. I am good at free hand drawing but am just not sure.

How do you guys do this?????? Do you use a stencil and trace it on??

HELP lol!

I use fabric chulk. comes in many styles, can buy it at a fabric store , my girl friend owns a cleaners and she uses that , it comes right off when you want , and does not stay on .. if you can not find one in the store , go to the cleaners in your area and they can tell you where to get it..

PS: that chulk is better than the quilters marker, it stays until you do not want it lol it is the best

I just bought a Pounce on-line, but haven't received it yet. I'm hoping that will the trick. It is chalk on a sponge, that you pat over the stencils. Do a search on-line and you will see what I mean.

This past weekend I went to a quilt show in Modesto, CA. While there, I bought a marking pen, made by Pilot, called FriXion ball. The marks are removed by friction; either by rubbing with the end of the pen, or by ironing. I watched a demonstration and it was amazing. I intend to give it a try on my next quilt project.
ETA: These pens are available from various office supply stores, Amazon, etc., in several colors. And no, I don't own any stock in the company. :mrgreen:

I want to try the Frixion ones!

Me too!! Thanks for the info :)

The Frixion pens are AWESOME! I bought a couple at the Houston quilt show and then got more from Staples. You will love them. I have several colors but I use the black and orange the most.

Are you using the Frixion highlighters or pens?
What happens if you don't remove it all and it is washed?

I like Golden Threads Quilting paper - draw on the paper, tape or pin it to top (works well for borders), stitch over all, rip paper away.

I wonder why I haven't seen these?! Sounds awesome. Gonna have to check it out. Tks.

I use several methods. I love to use the blue/purple pens for lighter backgrounds. I use the golden threads paper a lot also (but you have to tear that off). For borders, one of the best ideas is to use toilet paper...its the perfect width (usually) and really easy to tear off!

You will need to either get a light box or use your window to trace the pattern on your blocks or whatever if you are using a pen/pencil. If you use one of the papers, just trace over the pattern, pin in place and go. if you are using a stitch regulator, you will have to go with a pen/pencil as the laser light can't count the threads through the paper though...Another good way to mark is to use...or darn...I can't think of the name of it..its that fabric that is very loosly woven and has holes in it...you trace the pattern on that fabric, then position that on your blocks and trace over it again...it leaves the marks on your blocks where the holes in the fabric are--clear as mud?? Sorry my brain isn't working this morning.

I'm going to look for that new pen!

Right now I'm using a chalk pencil on a dark chocolate background.

Forgot to mention that I like "borders by the roll" a lot, too. Comes in various widths and is self-adhesive. You sew on the lines and tear it away also.

Thanks for all the good info!!! :P :P :P

Just an FYI, I have looked at Walmart and Office Depot and could not find the Pilot pen there. I am going to try Staples or will have to order from Amazon.

Walgreens has them for a little less, may not have the colors you want. I saw them on their website.

Thanks, will go to Staples to buy Frixion Pens. Have just about every marker on the market including the Pounce and not very happy with them. Will also be trying the Crayola washable markers, heard they wash out very nicely with a little bit of soap and water.

I think I've tried them all except the paper. I've found the chalk pencils to work best with stencils. Sometimes I have to photocopy the image to the size I want and then I use a double-bladed exacto (from The Stencil Company) to cut the lines (sometimes I just use the paper and sometimes cardboard).

I loved the Clover pens but they sure do disappear! The blue Dritz pens work but don't last long and that gets expensive. I like the Fons & Porter or Sewline lots of colors) or Bohn mechanical chalk pencils. I can change the chalk to the color I need (for one quilt I used 3 different colors).

Just read about someone using freezer paper instead of the Golden Threads paper.

I use the Fons and Porter marker that has interchangable leads. The color comes out with a spritz of water. You can make your marks as light or as dark as you need. I think there are now 4 or 5 colors. Black, white, green, yellow and pink. They are great, but I am anxious to find he frixion ones at Staples. I wonder who else carries them, Staples is far away for me, unless I order online

Oddly enough, I use the leftover soap (bars). No cost and work well especially on darker fabric.

I have read somewhere on here that a quilter has used clear contact paper to trace the pattern onto; then took off the backing and adhered it to the quilt. Afterwards just tear away the paper and you have the pattern! I'm going to try this when I get back into my sewing room.

[quote=Nathan's Mimi]I have read somewhere on here that a quilter has used clear contact paper to trace the pattern onto; then took off the backing and adhered it to the quilt. Afterwards just tear away the paper and you have the pattern! I'm going to try this when I get back into my sewing room.[quote=sewing4kix]

You might want to check with your sewing machine dealer to see if using a glue backed product like that will void your warranty if you have a problem. I have a Bernina and my guy says not to do this.

I tried using the Glad Press N Seal on my old Singer machine. You can draw on it easily with a marker and it adhered great to the top, then reality hit. It was the biggest gunkiest gluey mess that I said never again..the glue would gunk up the needle and the PnS was really hard to get off my quilt.

How do you shape your leftover soap to use as a pencil?

Year ago we made our own "pouncers" out of muslin & filled them with baby powder (for dark fabrics) or powdered cocoa (for lighter fabrics). They worked & always washed out, besides making the quilt smell good.

I just bought one yesterday at the local supermarket, didn't know you could use it on fabric. With limited eyesight I need all the help I can get, can no longer see pencil marks. Will try it as soon as I'm finished reading all of the board. Thanks for sharing :thumbup:

You can also pounce with cornstarch--much cheper.

A little tidbit. Ink in the FriXion pen will become colorless if exposed to extreme heat. Place the pen in the freezer to restore ink color.

[quote=sandpat][quote=Nathan's Mimi]I have read somewhere on here that a quilter has used clear contact paper to trace the pattern onto; then took off the backing and adhered it to the quilt. Afterwards just tear away the paper and you have the pattern! I'm going to try this when I get back into my sewing room.

Where did you find orange? I went in Pilot web site and they only show red, blue and black. Was hoping for something brighter.
Sorry I jumped the gun. I googled and found more colors. Thanks

I tried the Press n' Seal. Lays down nicely, no problem stitching over it. But when it was time to to remove it................. arrrrgggghhh. Pulls off well in the large areas but is a b___h to get out of the tiny areas. If anyone has found a way to easily get it off in those areas, let us know.

I use the soap bars also. I shape the edges by sharpening like a lead pencil. I use my scissor blade. Works great.

Wished I still used bar soap for this reason! We only use liquid shower gel, or liquid soap by the sink. I wanna try that FriXion!

Save a couple little bars from a hotel/motel stay?? :wink:

Instead of buying a light box, I have a sew-steady table (clear acrylic) that fits up to my machine. I have the large one. I lay my Ott-Lite under it, tape the pattern (which I have copied on my printer) to the top of the table and trace the pattern onto my fabric. Of course I can't do it once I sandwich the batting and backing together. I am interested in that Pilot pen. I use the blue water-soluble pen. The problem is I live near the ocean and my sewing is under the window that gets the ocean breeze so after a time the ink dissapears!

I have also heard that if you use the air dissolve purple pen and don't wash the fabric soon after that it "burns" a mark into the fabric even tho it seems to have dissapeared. I have only used it for clothing so I don't know but don't what to find out.

I've tried the frixion pen yesterday and found that it does do some damage to the fabric, won't use it again

try ordinary transfer paper, pin it on with safety pins and tear of. Tears of real easy no need to get your tweezers out

Don't pat it on, just swipe across the stencil. I have found that works much better and not so messy.

What damage did it do?

It left the fabric thinner and removed some of the color

Here's a link to a blog review about the paper http://www.katiesquiltingcorner.com/...ing-paper.html