Hera Marker
 

This thing has been kicking around in my sewing room for years but I never had much success using it to mark a quilt top. I saw a pin on Pinterest on how to use it. Imagine my surprise when it actually worked for marking cross hatch lines so I could do the orange peel design on a pillow back. I always tried to just mark the top but it needs the batt under the top to show good lines. Here is a picture of the marks on a scrap so you can clearly see the lines. I will definitely use it more often now.[ATTACH=CONFIG]553684[/ATTACH]

I've used it to score many different things. I have 2. Got one at JoAnn's and another at an estate sale for 10cents. Saw quilter use it for marking as she went along for hand quilting.

I have one of those that I have only used a few times because it didn't seem to mark all that well. I may start using it more now that I know how. lol

I have several of these bone folders I used to use for dad making, must try it on my quilts

I have never tried it. What makes it work? the thin edge or is the marker made out of a special material?

OK - this thread has solved a mystery for me. I inherited a little unknown thing-a-ma-bob which is about 3 inches long - didn't know what it was, but it was found in a box with some old tiny spools of thread. The previous owner was a very skilled quilter, I know that. The little bronze middle piece has Chinese characters marked on the other side. I put it with my sewing implements, thought it was a corner-pusher-outer when I used it to turn some fabric rightside out. Now I think it's a marker for the same function Tartan mentioned. One side has a flat surface, the other side, pictured, is slightly rounded. What else could it be?

i just bought one but haven't used it yet. thanks for the tip

I think yours might be dual (or more) purpose, it looks like a good point turner outer! and it looks like a good hera marker!

A lot of the notions that I've purchased has been because I saw it or them used by Eleanor Burns. I saw her using the Hera marker years ago and I especially like using it with my straight line quilting. I'm nowhere near mine at the moment but I also thought it said how to use it on the packaging (yes I do keep my original packaging).

[QUOTE=Jane Quilter;7598305]I have never tried it. What makes it work? the thin edge or is the marker made out of a special material?[/QUOTE. i put the piece of fabric with a 80/20 batt behind it on my sewing table. I placed my ruler where I wanted the line and I used the thin curved edge to draw along the ruler (pressing firmly) pulling it towards myself. I have an arborite sewing table so I didn't have to worry about leaving marks on my table. I would protect the surface of a wood table.

I've used mine for making very thin bias strips for applique. Using my trusty ruler on fabric, cut the first edge, move the ruler over 1/4" use Hera marker to make the fold, mover ruler another 1/4" cut. The Hera marker also does the trick for sewing on silk.
PS: K roll, I'm not sure that that's a sewing tool at all but it sure is pretty and you might want to take that to a Chinese antiquities person.

I've used one for many years. It's also used for paper crafts. They are made from hard plastic or bone and leave a crease mark. Nothing to wash out.
Now to the mystery post!
The meaning is usually pretty obvious when auto correct tries to 'help' but this is intriguing!

Thank you so much for sharing this!! I believe I need to get one of those! :-)

I have use a Hera marker since they first came out. It is important when marking the lines on a large quilt to keep checking back with your center line so you don't add extra width to you lines.

Goodness you can't be that old! LOL. I have my great grandmother's hera marker made from some kind of bone. She said it belonged to her grandmother! I have one of the new ones with the point turner at the end and I like it too.

I meant when Clover came out with their white plastic Hera marker. That is what was shown in Tartan's picture:
http://www.joann.com/clover-hera-marker/9620873.html

Tartan - did you make both the horizontal and the vertical lines in your sample with the hera marker?

I must be doing something wrong because I can never see the marks well enough using the hera marker. Maybe I'm not pressing down hard enough?

How did it affect the batting underneath?

hugs,
Charlotte

[QUOTE=Pudge;7598553]Tartan - did you make both the horizontal and the vertical lines in your sample with the hera marker? yes, the cross hatch lines you see are just with the rounded thin edge of the Hera tool (pressing firmly along my ruler edge.)

Charlotte-I can just kind of see the marks on the batt but it doesn't appear to compress the batt.

Wow. I'm going to Joanns to pick up a Clover hera marker this afternoon. Thanks for your post, you helped me a lot!

We were taught in 4th grade how to fold legal and letter paper for mailing and a scoring tool that looked like the hera marker was used to make the creases. The teacher had a basket full of them donated by the local stationary store. The teacher had a fancy one.

Thanks! I want to try this.

Charlotte

Does it just makes a crease or if it actually draws a line on the fabric?

"OK - this thread has solved a mystery for me. I inherited a little unknown thing-a-ma-bob which is about 3 inches long - didn't know what it was, but it was found in a box with some old tiny spools of thread. The previous owner was a very skilled quilter, I know that. The little bronze middle piece has Chinese characters marked on the other side. I put it with my sewing implements, thought it was a corner-pusher-outer when I used it to turn some fabric rightside out. Now I think it's a marker for the same function Tartan mentioned. One side has a flat surface, the other side, pictured, is slightly rounded. What else could it be?"

It looks like a hera marker made out of jade and silver to me.

Well that was some great useful information. I can now pull mine out and actually use it.

You are not the only one. Yes, I did it with the batting underneath.
I gave up and use painter's tape now.

What she said. Yes, yes, yes. All of you experienced quilters sharing your knowledge is very helpful.

It is also great for those who finger press and my neighbor makes home made cards. She uses it for scoring to help with prefolding. She makes boxes out of the inexpensive shirt boxes and uses her Hera on those to score.

I wonder if the Hera marker would work better with NON-starched fabric?
I starch all my fabric so maybe that's why I can't get those marks to show well.

House of White Birches publishing must have sent these out by the millions in the 1980s.
I know mine as a bone fid for some reason, and have used it lots of times for marking small quilts.

I still have the little cutting mat they sent out except I use it in the kitchen.

I have one that came in a box of used notions and now I know what it is, thank you.

Thank you so much. I've had one in my sewing room for 6 years and haven't used it. Now I will. What a great group this is.

I use mine quite often but I tend to forget about it. It does work well so I need to get it out & put it where I can see it & then I'll remember to use it! lol Thanks for the info.

I use it all the time for marking lines. You have found a great tool.

Thank you for this post. I've had one of these for years and couldn't figure out how to use it.

I remember all those free notions sent in the mail! I remember at one national quilt show one quilter had made earrings from the hera markers White Birches sent out. LOL Everyone knew what they were at first sight. White Birches had a great marketing. The company was bought out by Annies.

I think I may have at least 1 or 2 Hera markers that I probably got for renewing a quilting magazine years ago, but have never used it.