marking a quilt
 

I Am making a quilt as you go Dresden Plate quilt. Is there a good marker for marking the quilting design to quilt by. Straight line quilting is all I can do. I need to mark the design to quilt it. Thank-you for your help

My favorite markers are Crayola Ultra-Clean Washable markers (the thin ones.) I've drawn all over quilts that I'm working on, and even ironed over the marks and let them set for weeks, and they've always washed out, every single time.

Good luck with your Dresden Plate! :thumbup:

For darker fabrics, a white chalk like the Bohin refillable cartridge marker is good.

For lighter fabrics, one of the blue water-soluble pens like Dritz Mark B Gone.

I use Crayola washable markers and have had no problems, but I also starch the crap out of my quilts for easier FMQ so I am actually marking on the starch and not the fabric.

I use a product called Magic Chalk on dark fabrics. It goes away with steam. It comes in a square or in pencil form. I also use Crayola Ultra clean and have never had a problem with them not washing out. I do avoid using the yellow. My biggest problem is marking items that won't be washed before going to their new home-some of my guild work. There are some who feel that the recipient will think the item is "used" if washed. That idea limits the use of some very effective tools.

If you are doing all straight lines, you might consider using painters tape or a cheap masking tape, if you are just putting it on and stitching right away. I do this, but I never leave the tape on for longer than just that sewing session.

I have used all of the above and an old bar of soap on dark tops.

Thanks for the advice. I am using a disappearing pen {blue{ it goes away when spray so far so good but it is running out and wondered what to buy next. The block background that I am marking is white, I do not want to wash it before I give it to my sister.

I just used the Clover wash away pencil (blue) on my last quilt and I loved it. The blue pens don't last me through a quilt. This was easy to sharpen and dark enough for me to see. Normally I used the Crayola Ultra-Wash but you said you didn't want to wash before gifting.

A tip I read from Diane Gaudynski is to have at least 3 of the blue water soluble markers at your disposal for marking a quilt. Alternate them throughout the marking process. This way they last longer overall. I always have at least 3 working blue water solubles and if one starts acting like it won't recharge for me I go out and buy a couple more.

Do know that simply spraying water on them is not getting rid of the ink and it can re-appear. The only thing that gets it totally out is a thorough soaking either in your bathtub or in the washer. Not sure why you wouldn't want to wash the quilt before gifting it. If you do it in cold water and air dry it flat or block it, the quilt won't look washed (as in getting the crinkled look) at all but it will be clean.

I recall reading here when the discussion came up about washing prior to gifting that someone had gifted a quilt and the recipient thought she had ruined it after the first time she washed it. She was afraid to tell the person who made it so hid it away. I can't remember how the quilter finally found out and assured her that was normal. Also it is a good idea to wash to ensure you won't have any seams popping or a bleeder fabric in the quilt so you can fix those issues before gifting.

I think a lot of non quilters could think that they ruined a quilt after the first wash because it does look different.
The quilt should be washed before gifting so your sister won't think it is ruined after the first time she washes it and it looks so drastically different. Especially if you are using a batting that will shrink like cotton, an 80/20 blend, bamboo or wool.

Pardon my correction, but if you do chose to use any type of tape labeled “masking” tape, be sure you remove it if your quilt becomes a UFO or WIP, not doing so, risks the tape adhesive degrading into the fabric and leaving a nasty, impossible to remove residue. Painters tape may be safe to leave on, but I would not, after losing a small quilt to masking tape nastiness. Just want to help avoid you learning the same lesson.

Great ideas in this discussion! Thanks to all of you.