Colored pencils for quilting details
 

I recently read that colored pencils can be used to create shadows, textures and details on quilts and can be made permanent with a fabric medium and heat. I know there are fabric paints, but this use of pencils ( maybe permanent markers too?) is something many of the board members might be familiar with and possibly use. I also read that you work on the dull side, not with sharp points and once you have the look you are seeking, you then apply a thin coat of medium and it transfers /migrates to the front, but this sounds a bit sketchy and we all know that the internet can sometimes be very misleading. Before I go out and buy a bunch of supplies and learn that this is bogus and I have wasted my money and time...I am appealing to the experts. If this is true, can you give me a heads up as to what you use, a bit about how it is done ( maybe with some references for me to read) and what to avoid? I have searched here and found a few previous postings mentioning inktense pencils, and if price is any indication that they are the best choice... then they are number one, but are they or any pencil worth pursing to add the extra pizzaz to your quilt?

I have never heard of going from the back to the front. I will be interested to hear more of this.

I once made a wall hanging with the outline of Texas, and items that are related. One was a covered wagon and a campfire. I drew the smoke with a light grey pencil. This quilt will not be washed so I don't have to think about it being permanent. I do not know if this helps you at all Basketman, but I just wanted to participate.

I also think that the 'permanent' effects of coloring with any type of marker depends in part on the fabric itself. How the thread is prepared prior to weaving may make it more or less accepting of markers, crayons, dye etc.
This theory goes out the window, however, for marking quilt lines... seems like sometimes these are permanent no matter what you do.

Can't look up right now have to move car for streetsweeper. There was a lady here that did some Iris's out of pencil. Do a search and see if it will come up. I will check back later in the day as I saw someone at a quilt show that was doing that and I will look for info.

Sorry....Can't help much. I bought the inktense to try 'someday'! Did see a quilt show guest(name escapes me) who demonstrated them sometime last year. She did some beautiful work. Just 'Google' and see what comes up.

The type of pencil you get makes a difference as well. Inktense pencils are basically watercolors made in pencil form. You can apply to the front or back of the fabric. You apply the pigment with the pencil then add a liquid to get it to behave like a watercolor or paint and to help set it (if you aren't doing a heat set). Some people use aloe vera gel so the color doesn't bleed/wick away into adjacent areas as readily due to the gels viscosity. If you blend them with water or aloe vera gel they can then be heat set with an iron. If you don't want to heat set then use a fabric medium. There are tons of blogs, images and how to's out in the blogosphere. Just google it.

Edited to add you can also color with wax crayons and then apply an iron (with pressing cloth or newspaper to absorb the excess wax). But you can't color with regular colored pencils you would get at walmart unless they are the kind that will react with a liquid.

Check out Irena Bluhm..she is the queen of working with colored pencils. I took a class of hers years ago. Never really did anything with it but it is filed away in my brain. Also have one of her books and a DVD. Irena does spectacular work.

I just use crayons and paper towels. You can go as light or dark as you want.

I just got a set of the "Inktense" pencils for Christmas and I intend to do a lot of experimenting with them.

Really, any time you get a new art medium, experimentation is the only way to really know how it's going to work for you. Someone else's experiences might not be relevant at all, due to several factors that you can't know about or control. (relative humidity, type of fabric, how hard they pressed, detergents used, etc.)

My plan is to make some test sandwiches with a bunch of different fabric combinations (solid vs. print; muslin vs. quilting cottons; pre-washed vs. unwashed; fabric softener vs. no fabric softener....); I want to test using them before and after quilting (and before AND after quilting), intend to test them for colorfastness by running them through several washes with a variety of detergents....and mostly just to play and see how they behave for me! I will test drawing then wetting then drawing more; I will test various art styles; I will test on damp fabric....anything and everything I can think of. I write notes right on the test pieces w/Sharpie and save them for later reference.

This is a good thread though, I'd never heard the idea of using the aloe gel.

I attended a class just last Saturday that was all about using colored pencils and other markers in quilts. The instructor encouraged the use of watercolor pencils, regular colored pencils, fabric paints, and anything else that would enhance your quilt. The main thing is to do a test to be sure it won't wash out or bleed. And always check with the manufacturer regarding how to make the color washable. Some use heat, others dont. Stay away from Sharpies tho--they look nice but bleed later.