When marking your quilt top for quilting, how do you mark your quilt? :?: :?: :?:

Hi Stephanie, I'm a hand quilter so I use chalk or pencils specifically made for fabric.
Not sure if this is what you wanted though. :)

I use silver, yellow pencils and chalk and I have started using the new Pilot Frixion pens. They are fantastic. I get then in a pack of 6 colors. Just be sure you read and follow the directions. I am also a hand quilter. I have had bad experiences with the blue and purple pens.

I just purchased my first Frixion while on the Shop Hop this month. Are you finding any problems with them? Or do all colours just disappear with the heat of the iron? How have they worked on the dark fabrics?

I love the one I have so far .... though I'm totally scared it'll not keep working that way!! :)

Disappearing ink pens and Ponce Chalk pad for stencils

I love the Frixion pen! It irons out!

And stencils for the design. I hand quilt too.

I'm just finishing up a king on the frame. I made the motifs with paper and traced around them with a sliver of soap. this only works on darker fabrics.

Where do u buy friction pens??

SewLine markers

Beware of the Frixon pens. The ink doesn't really fully disappear when ironed. It just isn't visible. Put the fabric in a cold place and the pen markings will reappear.

Kids love to use them for making 'secret messages.'

ali

I love the Frixion pen! It irons out![/quote]

Me too! I just wish they would come out with a white one

Me too! I just wish they would come out with a white one[/quote]

Ditto

Thank you. I just bought one last week but haven't used it yet. I'll have a conniption fit of epic proportions if it doesn't 'air' out.

They don't "air out" ... it disappears when you press.

Me too! I just wish they would come out with a white one[/quote]

There were several lighter colours for using on darks. Yellow for sure, and I can't remember what other colours.

I use Derwent watercolour pencils - mainly a dark or light grey they come out either by using a damp cloth or washing the whole quilt

I also use the Derwent watercolour pencils for dark fabrics. For light fabrics I do needlemarking.

If you're doing MQ I would say try to do as much as possible freehand. I find this easier than following a marked line anyway. If I DO mark, which is rare (perhaps a circle for a flower centre for eg) I use a blue pen. I've also made freezer paper templates to iron on then sew around (not THROUGH).

I got some 'bout a month ago. Of course I had to choose the package with a purple one! (It has red and green, too.) I've used them a LOT and no problems whatsoever. Comes right off with an iron. So easy. Way better than dealing with smearing chalk or markers that disappear before you've finished quilting.

I make a stencil of my motif and mark it with dressmakers chalk. Now if I could just get that sewing machine to accurately follow the chalk lines! One would wonder if I have been QUI (quilting under the influence) :oops:

To remove chalk lines, you can either rub them off with old pantyhose or you can wash your quilt.

Thanks for the info! Plus they are such a nice fine point. Have you tried the cold test that someone mentioned as a problem? Also, have you tried any lights on the dark fabrics ... always such a problem when marking!

I usually use chalk (white only) as this is the easiest to remove, I use the one by Clover. I have also used a pounce pad, but be very cautious of the blue, never use full strength or it will not come out, also be sure you get the iron off kind much easier to remove. I have used the blue water soluable marker, don't leave on too long and just spritz with water to remove. Just remember it might come back later it will sink down into the batting.
Jo

I love the ones that are purple and they air out. It's wonderful to quilt with. for some of my FMQ I just wing it. I don't mark for meandering.

I am a hand quilter and use either the Silver or white Berol markers or the Ultimate pencil marker for quilts. They all wash out, have never had a problem. I can even rub the markings off with the rubber fingers I use on my quilting hand.

The Frixion pens are easy to use and the marks disappear when ironed, but as mentioned by others the marks ARE NOT eliminated. They WILL reappear with very cold temperatures. So, if you're giving the quilt to someone in colder climates you might want to warn them and let them know that they may need to iron their quilt if it's been in a cold vehicle etc. in the winter.

I USE REGULAR NO 2 LEAD THE MARKS WASH OUT GUESS I AM FROM THE OLD SCHOOL OF QUILTERS AND I ONLY HAND QUILT

I could not get the yellow chalk marks out of my quilt

I have had problems with some of the marking pencils not washing out fully. So I draw out the pattern on rice paper the size of the block and pin it to the quilt and then sew the design onto each block then pull the paper off afterwords.

I've had problems with multicolored chalk. Many of the colors don't come out.

I have a Bohn(sp?) pencil I bought. The lead is super fine and it looks similar to what Fons and Porter uses. It's not chalk, they call it resin. I use the yellow and white the most. I use it for piecing as well as quilting and I quilt by hand and machine.

One great thing about the frixon pens is they iron out, but if you accidently iron it out and would like it back, just put your fabric in the freezer and the mark re-appears like majic!

beware of frixion pens. They iron out but reappear when the quilt is washed or when exposed to cold. I would do several tests before marking a quilt with them. If it's a small wall hanging that you will wash and iron they would be fine, but if it's a quilt that will go out of your possession and the person washes it, the lines will reappear and look terrible. That person would not know they have to iron out the marks. Test, test, test.

I use a longarm and seldom mark detail on my quilts but I do mark broad guidelines to be sure the spacing comes out right. For that I use the cheapest chalk money can buy. It brushes off with very little effort. Better chalks often contain paraffin or waxes that cause it to cling. This won't work for detail but it works very nicely for setting design spacing.

I use Crayola, fine line, washable markers and haven't had any problems with them. Make sure to follow directions for washing out the marks.

I have a frixion pen and wondered if it would reappear somewhere down the road. Thanks for the information.

Frixion pens are available online at Amazon.com , Staples.com also enter Pilot Frixion Gel pens on google and it will give you locations. I found one location that had a 12 pack of colors. I got mine from Staples and had them the next day by UPS. Staples may have a coupon for 2.00 off that they will apply too.

I bought some too, but haven't played with them on fabric yet. Not to worried about any marks showing up in cold weather, as it would disappear with a hot iron. They do sound neat though!
I found a marking pencil kit by Singer today. Has anyone used this brand of pencils. No instructions with them, so am curious? Will test them on some scraps first, to see... Not sure how to remove the marks, any info would be appreciated!

I haven't tried this method, but it sounds interesting:

Put Glad Press'n Seal on top of a design. Trace the pattern with a permanent marker. Take the marked plastic wrap and press it onto your sandwiched quilt top. Quilt through the plastic wrap. Remove the plastic when finished quilting.

I have used this method several times & love it! It's only a problem if your quilting design lines get close together, or cross alot. The little tiny sections make it harder to get the PressN'Seal off, so I watch that, but love it otherwise! Another good technique!

Hi all!
Just read and only say something about the Pilot Frixion: some cloth brands NOT go with the iron!
I accompany a piece of a photo where you see that I could not follow the line stroke cushion (embroidery actually) and the iron line was not. You see the embroidery and brand line.
That happened to me several fabrics of different colors, both clear and dark.
I advise you to try a piece of each fabric to use, before dialing the Pilot, because again, some will not be the brand.
I'm using Multi-Function Sewline Trio Fabric Pencil, because I find it very useful.
A hug!