Hello,

I am new to quilting and have just commenced making blocks from Lynne Edward’s sampler quilt book. No housework has been done since setting eyes on her book!

For several of her blocks I need a fabric marker so I purchased a Quilter's Choice marking pencil, couldn’t get it to work for me so used a normal pencil as I couldn’t wait! It’s in the seam and on the wrong side of the material so doesn’t matter but I really would like a marker pencil.

Please could you give me advice on what to buy? I’m in UK.

Many thanks.

I like the SEWLINE pencil. It is a propelling pencil and the refills come in a selection of colours. It is the best of all I have tried. I find some dry up so quickly, and are a waste of money

Welcome to the board from Southern California!!

I use a water soluable marker and have used a air eraserable one too, however with the humidity with summer coming on the air one does erase in the humidity. The water markers I find at quilt shops and are blue for water, and the air ones are purple ..........or at least that is how it is here. But, I have also used chalk too.............calla USA

Sall, I saw a tip once about keeping both the air-erase and water soluble markers in a plastic bag and laying them horizontally between uses. Wow, does that work! Mine are not the Sewline ones, but some are "Mark-be-gone" and made in Japan ones.

I'd like to give you 2 cents on what not to use. Crayola Washable markers are not really washable. DON'T use them.

A regular pencil works just fine - it'll wash out in the end. And for marking dark fabric I use a Nonce pen (white). I am not sure if you can get that in the UK, but you can order it from Hancocks in Paducah (www.hancocks-paducah.com) I am in Germany and stock up when I am in the States. But I have used a regular white pencil when I ran out, and that worked okay too. Don't use the pens that you can make disappear with cold water (sounds just great, doesn't it!) but that blue color can come back, and then it's permanent. It's also permanent if you mark your quilt/pieces and the sun shines on it - the color changes to brown and is permanent. A hot iron has the same effect.

I think I've tried alot of different marking pens/pencils.... I always go back to the air/water markers, blue for water, purple for air.....I tried a Bohn marking pencil, but the chalk breaks...I haven't tried the Sewline yet, but I will.....

Same colourway in the UK for the markers.

Welcome from another Brit :)

I noticed the Quilter's Choice pencils works better if you get the tip damp.