Marking your quilts
 

What do you use for marking quilting lines on your quilt? I have Frixion Pens & tried them today for the first time. Thankfully I marked on scrap fabric. I cannot get the lines to disappear. The instructions say it comes off with friction but it does not work for me.

I use white soap slivers to mark dark fabrics. Haven't found anything I really like for light fabrics.

I use the Crayola colored washable felt tiped pens and have never had any problems with it washing out.

artists washable crayons for me easy to use and come of with a damp cloth or by washing

Iron your scraps; the lines should come out. It is actually the heat that removes the lines.

i use hb pencils and pray it comes out. so far, so good, but i am nervous about the one i am currently hand quilting.

i have tried so many things. the pens fade, and the chemicals make me a little nervous. plus, if your design is intricate they can get a bit pricey. they don't go very far....

i quilt in a hoop, so chalk, soapstone and even soap wear off. and i'm not a great quilter yet, so i need a line to follow. giving myself the vague idea of where to go just looks like i had a vague idea of where i was going....

not my favorite part of quilting, the marking....

aileen

I use Frixon pens all the time and the lines just disappear when I put a hot iron on them. I have a pink and blue pen and used them on both light and dark fabric.

I like the chalk wheels in the pen, also the Ultimate Quilt Pounce white powder, if using a stencil. Had a problem with the blue Ultimate powder coming out once, so now it's white or blacklight (also white) powder only for me. Roxanne's silver and white pencils are great, too.

The frixion is my favorite - as others have said - use a hot iron on them. People have said that on dark fabrics the lines turn white. They also say that washing it will cause the white line to go away - I have never gotten around to testing that by washing it. Someday....I like it best because if I start marking and change my mind or realize that my vision isn't going to work - a quick swipe w/ a hot iron allows me to start over.

People complain about the frixion coming back when quilts are put in freezer - but I won't have my quilts in really cold places. But when i wash the quilt when I'm finished - the pen comes out anyway...

My 2nd favorite is the Fons and Porter pencil. I like the white lead to mark on the black fabrics...

As w/ anything used - always test it first.

i'm with Prism99, i use soap slivers to mark the fabric. my soap is beige, so it shows up on white also. i only mark small areas at a time.

Thanks for all of your comments. I ironed the Frixion & it came out. It doesn't say that on the instructions. It just says friction removes it. I'm also going to try the soap slivers.

I bought a pkg of pencils where you push the top to bring down more lead. When I wash the quilt, I just spray it lightly with Spray n Wash. Hasn't failed yet. I'm tired of buying all the fancy tools for quilting. Would rather spend my money on more fabric!

I like the dissappearing ink pens.
Of course you do have to do the quilting before the ink dissappears.
I also like the purple wash out pens.

I, too, use a plain old mechanical pencil with #2 lead on light fabrics. I have been using the Bohin white mechanical pencil on light fabrics and really like it alot. No issues with either of these washing out. I hand quilt - usually in a hoop - and generally mark as I go. The #2 pencil doesn't rub off or disappear but the white definitely does if rubbed with fabric or hands. Glad you got the marks to come out.

ditto, i use a mechanical pencil too. no problems yet with it not washing out. i hand quilt in a hoop. it does get a little hard to see it on dark fabrics, but it still works. when the quilt is done, it gets thrown in the washer, and it all comes out.

I have used chalk, but it doen't remove easily for me, also have tried the colored pencils, don't like them, can not get rid of the lines afterwards. I like to use the Dritz dual purpose mark8ing pen, blue on one end and purple on the other end. They also come in just the one colors for the total pen, all blue or all purple. The blue must be washed out with a damp cloth sometimes more than once and sometimes that goes through to the backing, so check that. The purple dries in the air, and don't mark all of your quilt at once, because the air will dry the pen color out before you complete your project. I haven't tried this yet, but plan to on my next quilt using an eraser pink large one like students use or the eraser on a pencil. This should mark things and would be easily brushed off. I don't know if this will work or not, but definitely plan to give it a try. Good luck!!

I use regular writing pencils if I can't get my quilting pencils to work...I figure, if it rinses outta clothes, it should rinse out of my quilt. If not, try shout stain remover.

I am of the old mechanical pencils school. In a class I took a long time ago, that's what the teacher advised us to use. At the time, I thought it was a strange thing to have on the supply list. She's a past winner at Paducah, so I figured she must know what she's talking about. I've never had any trouble with the markings coming out. The lead is so thin, it gives you a tiny line, and by using the mechanicals, the line doesn't get any wider because your point doesn't get dull.

I will second that just used them the other day to mark my quilt line. What I like about them the best is that they don't fade in a day or two like the purple and blue do.....just need heat from the iron to remove

I have used the frixxion pen in black for quite a few quilted items with no issues on light colored fabrics. But need to find a similar pen that marks in white for dark fabrics.... does anyone know if the frixxion pens comes in white?

I use the old fashioned way, soap slivers, if I am marking my lines. Just mark a few at a time.

[QUOTE=Buckeye Rose;5563968]I have used the frixxion pen in black for quite a few quilted items with no issues on light colored fabrics. But need to find a similar pen that marks in white for dark fabrics.... does anyone know if the frixxion pens comes in white?[/QUOTE

That is a most excellent question.....anyone know that answer ?????

Clover makes a fine line white pen. The marks take a few seconds to develop but once they do, they don't rub off. They can be removed by ironing or washing, and they do not return again. I use this to mark dark fabrics all the time and never had a problem with them.

Janet

I haven't quilted anything yet but I have used soap slivers and crayons before and they worked. I have never tried tailors chalk, would it work? Or is that the chalk everyine is refering to?

you can use a pounce pad just rub it on your stencil and Iron away the marks

stillclock.
.......giving myself the vague idea of where to go just looks like i had a vague idea of where i was going...

.Are we talking about life itself? HAHA Love it!!

I also use the pens and love, love them. They have ironed out on all of my fabric.

I use chalk which comes in a container shaped like a marker, and which has a tiny wheel at the marking end. The wheel rolls as you move the "pen", and the chalk makes a fine line, which brushes off easily. I think this also comes in a holder which is triangular shaped. I think tailor's chalk would work just fine, but I don't have any.

I also use the chalk called the "Ultimate Pounce Powder", in the pounce made for it. I use white and blacklight powder (which is white and looks fluorescent green under a blacklight) in the pounce with stencils. It also comes in blue, which I quit using once I had trouble getting the blue marks out. That's when I switched to using blacklight powder instead of blue for light colored fabrics.

Just wash it and the Frixon pen will wash off.