Marking a quilt top
 

What is the best thing to use to mark a black or dark blue quilt top (other than chalk) that will not disappearing before fmqing?

I use this https://www.amazon.com/Dritz-7757-Po.../dp/B001UAKL4Y

I save and shave down soap bars when they get too small to use in the shower. Or I use those little bars of soap from hotels.

What a great idea. And better yet, we all have them laying about. So we can literally "use them all up".

I use Taylor’s chalk. It has a nice sharp edge, makes clear smooth thin lines.

This is my go-to marking pencil for coloured fabrics - it irons off and I've never had a problem getting it to come off.
https://www.clover-usa.com/en/marking-tools/245-white-ink-marker.html

wow, white pen that is air erasable. hmmm. but 10 to 30 seconds, would make me a fast quilter. I may try this yet. black is difficult to see marks on.

Bar soap. It's safe and will wash out.

I like Roxanne's pencils: white for dark fabrics, silver on white fabrics. I also use the chalk marker with the tiny wheel when the mark doesn't have to stay on long, because it makes such a fine line.

General's "Charcoal" white pencil stays on better than chalk. It brushes off with a lint brush, or rubber nubby on a Seam Fix seam ripper.

I use soap. I have tried other things I found in my LQS but soap does the trick for me.

Great ideas, I've used the tape also for painting on quilts

I use the Dritz Heat Erasing Pens. I picked the up at JAF. I am not seeing any left over residue on the fabrics after washing.

I just finished hand quilting a dark purple border on a quilt. I used a Sewline fabric marker. It's like a mechanical pencil and can use various colors of "lead". It was in my stash of possibilities and, since I liked it, they probably don't make it any more. Label says to not iron over it but it can be brushed off or wiped off with water. Honestly, once quilted, I didn't think the marking was noticeable. I marked one side of the quilt at a time. I don't know how it would have behaved if I had marked the entire quilt.

I use a sliver of ivory soap. When the sliver gets too dull to make a thin mark -wash your hands with it and let it dry to get that nice thin edge back. I’ve always got A bunch of slivers ready to go in my sewing room-they last a long time and by having multiples I can use the wash and dry method to sharpen them rather than having to shave them and then clean up shavings.

Rob

I have a question about marking. Do any of you still you the frixion marker? It was so great to begin with and then there were so many bad reports so while I still use it now and then with no problems, I am curious as to any problems you may have had with this product.

I really like the pink one. If I rub it off with a damp cloth, it comes off better than if I just spritz with water, and roll it in the dryer. I had one quilt that the pink came back every time I took it outside during winter, for about 3 weeks. After that it never came back.

I will not use it because per the manufacturer, the pens are not designed for use on fabric, and I'm not talking just about the fact that the lines reappear when it's cold. That, to me, is indicative of a larger problem, and who knows what effects the ink will have on the fabric as the years go by. I'd rather use something that is designed specifically for fabrics, is acid-free, and known to be safe.

I absolutely refuse to use Frixion pens. The manufacturer has said over and over that they’re not made for fabric. I’m not ruining my hard word!

Pounce chalk works good for me. It comes in different colors too. Some iron off others wash right off. Do a section at a time.