A few weeks ago there was a thread about using the Pilot Friexon gel erasable pens to mark your quilt lines. I found the pens at Target, package of 3, black, blue and red.

First of all, I love the way they write on paper.

Next I tested them on fabric, I used (washed in Tide laundry detergent without fabric softner) dry, white, bleached muslin.

I drew a line across the fabric in each color. With a permanent black Sharpie, I blocked off 3 sections.

Section #1: erased with the attached eraser on each pen.
This sorta smudged the color, stretched the fabric, but didn't completely remove the line.

Section #2: Ironed the lines without steam. All three lines completely removed.

Section #3: Washed the lines with Suave shampoo (that's what I had at the bathroom sink, was too lazy to run to laundry room for laundry detergent). The lines faded considerably but didn't completely remove.

I then placed the entire piece in the washer, laundered it like I would a finished quilt then air dried it.

Section #1: The erased lines almost completely removed, all the smugging completely removed.

Section #2: Ironed lines stayed gone.

Section #3: No change in the lines.

Then I put the piece in the freezer for about 5 hours.
All the lines Returned, section #3, the lines washed were a little fainter, but still there.

Conclusion: I don't think I'd mark my quilt with these pens. Like I said in the beginning, I really like the way these pens write, esp. the nice fine line. I hope I haven't broken any restrictions by stating brand names, but these are the products I use.

Then I thought maybe using a white eyeliner pencil for marking, works well, but the point is too soft and kept breaking, marks well without smudging and washed out well.

I'm by no means a scientist!!

Thank you for posting this.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who does at home product tests!!!

bummer, I have a set coming in the mail this week.

so glad you tried it out and reported back! good to know!

I have used these pens successfully a few times now. Yes, when cold the marks came back in an unwashed piece, but I hit it with the iron, and it disappeared again. Maybe I'm using a different version of the pens? The ones I have do not have an eraser attached. I have been very happy with the results I have achieved.

Thanks for the experiment results. Saves the rest of us the time and money to do. I truly wish I could find s marker that really worked well. So far the only ones that kinda worked were the Fons&Porter chalk pens but they do break easily.

thanks for posting your experiment. helpful info

A quilting scientist!

OOOHHH NOOOOOOO! I just made a quillow for a very snooty and uppidy friend of a friend.....and marked all over with the frixon pen...

A friend of mine just told me how she loves her flexion pen to mark her material for embroidery. The thread would cover up the markings anyway.

Who knew.

ali

THANK YOU for posting your tests and results...
might be great for embroidery work, but who needs more chemicals on their quilt?