Help! Solution to marking a quilt!
 

I have been trying to mark my flimsy for quilting. It is a scrap quilt and there are lots of color variations. The only thing I have found that shows up is an orange chalk marker. The chalk is thick enough that it makes a line I can see. I use Dritz Chalk Cartridge. The difficulty is they only sell replacement chalk with a set of colors and there is only one orange piece. I have to pay over $8.00 to get the replacement chalk.

Does anyone have any ideas? Frixxion pens don't work because they are too thin so I have to go back and forth and back and forth. I can't use a chaco (rolling) chalk marker because I'm doing a Bishop's Fan design and the markers won't make a curve.

Would tailor's chalk work, do you think? Or any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

I like using ultra washable markers from Crayola. Lots of colors to choose from, and, so far, all have washed out really well for me.
be careful with the tailor's chalk. some of them have wax as a base, and are very hard to wash out. those are meant to mark pieces in the seam allowances, etc. where the marks don't show in the finished garment.

testing everything is always a good idea.

Another vote for washable markers.

Are you hand or machine quilting? I work mostly with scrap quilts and have vision problems. Most people don't want to go to the fuss and extra work but with machine quilting I often draw my designs onto parchment paper I get at the dollar store (1x25 feet), sew through the whole thing and then rip out the paper. There's some disadvantages to this, one is that pencil and/or pen may transfer through to white thread and the little shreds of paper go everywhere, but it gives me the finish I want but can't see well enough to do.

That sounds like a wonderful idea...I will have to keep it in mind for my next quilt!

I do love the washable Crayola markers, but the problem with using them is that you have to machine wash the quilt when you are done. Many people who gift their quilts don't want to wash them. They prefer the look (for gifting) of an unwashed quilt. What are your thoughts on that?

I would also be very concerned that orange chalk will not wash out. I only use white chalk or the blue water soluble pens, and I prefer the chalk. I have some washable Crayola markers and will try them out someday.

I always wash a quilt before gifting it. Otherwise, it will look different after it is washed and will surprise the recipient, thinking they did something wrong, liked it before, not after. I put in a note that the quilt has already been washed and dried with no special care, so just treat it like any other piece of laundry. I think if a recipient thinks they need to do special things to a quilt chances are it will live in a closet or be given away. I use crayons ultra washable markers, always test first, and have never had a problem. I also baste with Elmers washable school glue, drizzled on straight from the bottle, not diluted and sprayed, and not painted on with a brush. That always washes out too.

some colored chalk doesn't wash out well--I have trouble with both yellow and green. And had green Ultra Clean Markers not wash out either--but the owner said she'd starched it and that might have been the issue. I also use just plain white (steer clear of dust-free as it has a wax in it) chalk most of the time. recently at a machine quilters guild meeting we talked about using Golden Threads paper when needing to mark white fabrics with very specific designs.