I have put the fact that the line reappears in cold to good use.... discovered by accident! I had traced an intricate embroidery design onto my fabric with the friction pen. Then I ironed a stabiliser to the back of my fabric. Oh no! my whole design was erased. Because I had heard that cold makes the line reappear, I decided to put my piece in the freezer. A couple of hours later, my design was back. Now I use this method every time I trace an embroidery design. I use the frixon pens for other markings too...really like them.

I looked up Nancy's Notions Gel Pens out of curiosity and found they are made by Pilot, who also makes the Frixion pen, so they are probably similar products in different packaging.

I like using Frixion, found they run out of ink fast, and leave a white line on fabrics, so I use them sparingly in the seam where the lines won't matter.

I've been using the Frixion pens for quite a while and have had no problems with them. I like the blue, black and red ones. Have to try putting them in the freezer to revive them. Great tip, thanks! The quilts I make are to be used and loved, not judged in shows, so if a line comes back some day, so be it. :-)

When frixion pens first came on the market, we tested them, and found ironing did erase the markings, and yes the freezer brought the marks back, but once the item has been washed the marks are permanently gone. You can also use your blow dryer to remove the marks, should they return from the cold. If you are flying with your items the marks could come back from the cold if packed in your luggage - again the blow dryer works. Becareful if you are sending your items to a quilt show and you are not attending - the marks could be there for all to see if your items are exposed to the cold. This actually happened to our quilt submission and when it came back our administrator was horrified, that it had actually been hung up with the marks showing.......OMGoodness!

I found some of the pens didn't last very long, I believe it has something to do with shelf life, therefore I don't take the first package off the shelf, you may want to take the last one in the pile or off the hook - also keep your pens in a zip lock bag, away from the air - we tried them standing up in a pen holder and then some in zip lock bags, the zip lock pens are still working and we have had to throw out most of the one from the pen container....just saying

I have used them for as long as I have known them to be out and have had no problems. I haven't had the ink come back but don't store them in the cold. I would not use them on a quilt I wanted judged just in case of a problem but my quilts are to be used not for just show.

I use frixion pens all the time. Yes the lines do come back when frozen. The reason I know is I sent hours marking a piece then ironed it on accident. Everything disappeared. Then I remembered that if frozen it comes back. I threw my quilt in the freezer for an hour and wala it came back.
But I also heard that a good washing take the marks away.
Since I live in So. Cal I don't thing freezing is a problem.
I will continue using them.

Looks like a frixion pen to me. Frixion pens are also gel pens that are removed w/ steam. Many vendors will make the exact same product, change the packaging, but the same product.

Don't people wash quilts when they're finished working on them? I can't imagine not washing it. The ink is removed when the quilt is washed. My hands have been touching the quilt for months, it's been absorbing the dust and dirt in the air for months.....

someone else mentioned it earlier - the chemicals in the fabrics are still there, my question is the pens that "disappear" in the air", how do we know the ink has really disappeared? It's just not able to be seen?

I do tell the recipients of my quilts that I used the frixion, i have washed it, so the marks should not ever come back, but if for some reason they do, take the iron to it and they'll disappear again.

ETA: I have not experienced the ink running out "fast". I have marked a king size w/ intriquite quilting and have used the same pen. Maybe i got lucky. I'm currently marking a quilt in the frame, and even w/ no support underneath the quilt, it marks same. Sorry to those who seem they have to "mark slowly".

I love these marking pens, so far never had any problems with them, do like the fine point didn't know they have a extra fine point

Get The 7mm ...the 5mm may be too "fine". Read the packaging.
sandy

I've found that the line comes back if the item gets cold. I used the pen to mark on some linen for cross stitching motifs and when I put it in my car in the winter to take to work the lines started reappearing after I had ironed them off. Don't know if that would happen on cotton but it did on the Belfast linen.

Edit - ok I didn't read all the other posts that said the same thing. Sorry.