Marking tools ??
 

I would like some input as to what is your favourite tool pen/chalk/pencil or whatever, for marking designs on your quilt that you can then follow the pattern & sew. I have been using the chalk markers from Connecting Threads & the white is fine but the yellow & blue leave marks behind on my quilts that is hard to remove. Any & all ideas would be gratefully appreciated.

Crayola Ultra Clean fine tip markers (Wal-Mart or Target) for everything except the darkest colors. The white or pale pink Crayola Ultra Clean crayons for black or navy. Both easily come out in the wash. The crayons I usually can get out just by rubbing with a damp piece of batting.

I took a longarming class from Jamie Wallen. He said he doesn't understand why people keep coming up with new marking tools when there are perfect ones already available. He uses Bohin white chalk markers on dark colors and blue Mark B Gone pens (or similar brand) on whites. He says never ever use a Frixion pen because the marks can come back with changes in temperature or pressure. On the other hand, I took a class from another instructor the next day and she uses Frixion pens.

I use white chalk or soap on darks and a purple air vanishing pen on whites/lights. In both cases, I wait until just before I'm ready to quilt a section to mark it rather than marking the whole quilt at once. I've had the vanishing purple marks go away in as little as a couple of hours when it's particularly humid. The chalk will rub off and need to be re-done if you mark too far ahead. The soap stays put better than the chalk for anything that will not be quilted immediately, but I wouldn't expect to mark a quilt using any of these methods and then plan on leaving it unquilted for more than a couple of hours maybe a day at most.

Rob

It depend on the fabric you are marking. For crosshatching, I like the Hera marker sold on JAF. If it is dark fabric, I use WHITE powder chalk (NEVER color chalk). If it is a light color fabric, I use either the blue be gone or the purple be gone depending on how quickly I will get to quilting it.

I should add that most of the marking is do is for placement if I'm using rulers to FMQ, or to help me remember where I am on a larger quilt if I'm doing non-ruler FMQ. It's rare for me to mark a design to actually stitch along, though I have done it on occasion.
Rob

chalk pencil the most - clover and sewline, markers- clover sometime, frixion and pounce-rare

Recently attended a Ricky Tims Super Seminar with Alex Anderson, she said the same thing - don't ever, ever use it, it's NOT designed for quilting. I'm thankful I never got sucked into that hype.

I have used all the above at sometime. I like white chalk liner of any kind. If on white I use the fade away of any make just before I quilt in small sections as I've had it fade away while still sewing.

I use the white Bohin pencil on dark fabrics and a plain old #2 lead mechanical pencil for light fabrics. Have not had an issue with either coming out in the wash. Sometimes the #2 lead if I mark heavily on a white fabric but any of those are usually covered up by the stitching.