For my quilt labels on the back, I write with a Pigma Micron 05 pen, bought from my LQS. It says "micro pigment ink for waterproof and fade proof fine lines".

Well, I finish a quilt, write on the label with the pen, lay the iron on the writing for a few seconds to set it, and then toss it in the wash (easy wash and dry cycles). I pull it out and the pen is almost all faded! Sad (and makes me nervous about the other quilts I have out there).

Are there other ways to make the pen set??? Is there a different pen I should use? I know a lot of people print on fabric and use that, but I like handwriting it so I want to stick with a pen-type instrument.

Thank you as always!

HI Lucy in the sky,
Well did you pre wash the fabric you used for the label?

If not it still had sizing in the fabric and when it washes out some of the ink dose too.

ConnieF

I've never had to set that particular pen with an iron. I sew on my written label, and it to the wash it goes. No problem yet. My point being, that maybe the intense direct heat is affecting it some how.

Is it a fabric marking pen? One for paper may be "water" proof for water drops and such, but may not hold up for actual washings....

No, I don't prewash. Hmmm, that makes sense. So if I heat set the new ink (since I re-wrote it) and resent it through the washer, then it should be set and happy and not fade??

I assume so. It's from my LQS and in searching "permanent pen", other people are using the same pen.

The pens are the same for sbing & quilting. I used this pen on a quilt I made 10 years ago and it stills looks as good as the day I wrote it. I do not prewash fabric. I personally think the problem was not letting the pen set in the fabric long enough. As far as I know heating it has no effect to either set it or not set it, I think maybe you should leave it on the fabric overnight and see if you have better success.

Cheers!
Rachel

I took a class once and the instructor explained why "permanent" pens are not necessarily permanent on fabric...I can't remember why. I DO remember though what DOES work through washing, even bleaching: Fabrico Pens.

http://www.tsukineko.com/store/cart....duct_list&c=49

I have had the same thing happen with a permanent pen I purchased at my LQS. It was very disappointing after I washed the quilt and it had faded so badly.

Me too! It was a micro pigma pen as well. I had prewashed the fabric let it sit overnight but I never heat set it. I figured that was what I did wrong. Maybe there is a batch of bad pigma pens out there!