I have a problem with marking my quilt
 

I am getting ready to mark a special quilt (gift). It is my first appliqué quilt and the background is white on white fabric. I have several marking pens/pencils, and I'm so embarrassed to admit this, but I don't know how they are supposed to be removed. My second problem is that I don't remember what fabric I used. I cut a small piece of all the white fabrics that I have and marked them with the markers and washed them (pined together), but most held onto the markings. I tried a simple pencil--wouldn't wash out. Four of the pencils are chalk and white. The others are labeled 1) "blue water soluble pencil"--didn't wash out, 2) "Quilters Pencil" and is silver but writes much like a pencil--didn't wash out but faded, and 3) fine point Mark-B-Gone pen--didn't wash out. Has anyone used any of these pencils/pens, and how do you get them off of your quilt? I feel so stupid since I've been quilting for 25 years, but haven't quilted my own quilts, I've always been afraid that the marks wouldn't wash out. My DH said why didn't you label them--duh where was he when I started my collection? Thanks for any advise you can offer.
Sue

I use crayola washable markers. They wash out every time, so far.

Be sure to test with each fabric if you try these...they usually come out, but I had one that didn't. My favorite is Blue Line Eraser. Has worked on everything I've tried so far. :)

http://www.bluelineeraser.com/

I'm surprised to hear you had a problem with the Mark-B-Gone. I use it all the time and have never had a problem. I also use the Crayola washable markers as mentioned above.

Thanks everyone. I washed in warm water, do you think that was the problem?
Sue

With the blue markers that are supposed to erase in water, I have read that using vinegar on the marks will remove them (even if they have been heat set, which you are not supposed to do). Maybe try vinegar on scraps to see if it will work on your fabrics. This is for the Mark-B-Gone type pen.

Sue,

You echo my frustrations with marking utensils! You didn't mention if you were hand or machine quilting. If you are machine quilting, I highly recommend water soluble stabilizer. You trace your design onto it, pin it to your top and quilt right through it.
Best of luck to you!

I also use the Crayola washable markers and have had no problems washing them out.

Thanks katier825 for the link. I saw a blogger using this erasing pen and wondered where you could buy it! That's awesome. Have you tried the white marking pen from the same people..I.e. Blue line eraser people? Just wonder how that works.

I used the sewline erasable pencil, with the pink leads, to draw the circles on my white quilt top (day of horrors pictures) I had difficulty using the eraser to remove the lines but after washing in warm (30º) wash they had completely disappeared.

Terri I rember at the Floriani workshop she said to always use water solable.I never thought to use it on my quilting designs. Thanks for a great idea.
Gale

If you are hand quilting you can always use painters tape. I have used this for grids. I always worry about using markers and not having them come out.

I just watched a nancy utube and she was showing how to center an em design on white she said she used air erasable.Never heard of it but she probably sells it on Nancy`s notions. Anyone se these?
Gale

I use frixion pens to mark my quilts. The heat of an iron causes the pen to disappear. When i finish a quilt, I always machine wash them. I know there are a lot of people who don't like them, but they are my favorite, go to pen.

I was looking at them today. It said on the container to wash the fabric in hot water. I do not wash anything in hot water. How hot is the water that you use to wash them out?

I have used the frixion pens and seem to like them; if it gets real cold the marks may come back but warm up and they go away again. Also I use soap slivers and perhaps a gold or green sliver might show up on the white?

What size washable Crayola markers do you use? broad, fine tip? I use the vinyl stencils to mark my designs, are the broad points too thick?

FINE tip washable markers will work best with your slotted quilting stencils.

Marking white fabric is the most challenging of all. And the white on white is more difficult yet because of the printing process. I like to use the Crayola washable markers (fine tip). I have never had a problem washing it out with just warm water in the washing machine. I also like to do designs on paper and just tear it away. The bits that sometimes get left behind also wash away. I have used Golden Threads but I prefer a paper that I get in the office supply store that is 12 inches by 20 yards or so. I just cut it to the width I need and draw on it, pin it to my quilt, stitch, tear it off and wash. Works well for me.To do a border I tape the strips together and draw the design. I can easily adjust the border length so it fits and the pattern fits perfectly.

That's good to know. Just be careful and pretest a small scrap. I recommended them to another quilter, and she very huffily informed me that the Crayola markers didn't wash out. It made me feel awful. So try it, but pretest.

I like the Clover chalk liners, the kind with the little clicky wheel. You just have to be careful not to brush all the chalk off too soon.

I've also used the blue mark-b-gone pens and had no trouble getting the ink out. I just spritz with my water bottle and rub the water in a bit and they're gone. Never had any re-appear so far. I have an "eraser" pen that I tried once but it also "erased" some of the dye from the fabric so the lines were made visible due to that. Urgh! I stick to plain water now.

I haven't tried golden thread paper yet but so far I prefer parchment paper (the kind you use in baking) better than tissue paper. Tissue paper ripped when I was wrestling my quilt in the machine where the parchment paper didn't. It tears away fine and you can see through it to trace your design.

Try gluing Golden Threads paper onto your quilt and then marking the quilting lines on the paper. Quilt on the lines marked on the paper and then rip away the paper.

Alternative: draw design onto Golden Threads paper, stitch with denim needle with no thread and use the Golden Threads stitched paper as a stencil that you put on the quilt with a pounce pad.

Yeah, you have to always remember that the markers can be heat set even if they're supposedly washable. So don't iron over the markings!

My favorite is the air erase markers. You don't even have to wash. Just wait a couple of days and the disappear. Of course, this means you have to mark and quilt on the same day! But they are awesome, have never let me down.

Test any pen on a hidden zone of your quilt.

Paper similar to the Golden Threads can be purchased at Amazon or at an art or stationary supply. It's just rolled tracing paper.

I can't help you with your present problem but, in future, try Frixion ballpoint pens; they come in an assortment of colours and are brilliant. When finished quilting, just hover a steam iron over the lines and they disappear immediately - and don't come back!

Winia I just tested crayola washable markers and they washed out in cold water just fine :)

I am not familiar with Crayola Washable Markers. Where do you get them?
Mariah

Have you thought of cross hatching the quilt?? That is when you sew diagonal stitches at a 45 degree angle to the quilt. You can do it one directions but it looks best going both ways. You can mark the quilt with simple painter's tape. This is a technique that is used a lot with applique. I use a Clover Hera marker that puts a temporary grove in the quilt top that does wash out. EB has been demonstrating this marking technique but then clover is a sponsor.