quilt marking
 

I am just gotten a quilter and frame and am just beginning to finish my own quilt tops and need advice. I have done 3 quilts so far and have been tracing my patterns onto transfer paper and pinning it to my quilt. I know—back to the stone-age! This works well?? But the chore of removing all that paper is a real pain in the #$%^! ! The problem is that I am TERRIFIED to mark on my quilt tops! I know this is similar to the fear of putting those first few machine stitches in, but those were removable if I messed up!

Can you give me some recommendations on what marking products to use, etc? What has worked for you and what to stay away from?

You will get lots of recommendations on this. My recommendation is to test whatever product you are going to use with each quilt you use it on. Every time I think I have my 'golden' marking technique, I run across a quilt that the marks won't come out on. It pays to have several options on hand and test on each quilt.

At my guild meeting today, one of the members had just bought some pencils that are water soluble from a store for artists. Some were graphite that had not been treated with hardeners - we think. She also had a white one. I had never heard of actual graphite pencils that were water soluble. She tried them and they washed off with water with a tiny amount of dishsoap and a toothbrush.
Has anyone else heard of these?

Holice Turnbow sells washable graphite pencils when he vends at quilt shows. I've used them and haven't had any trouble removing them.

The secret is to use a light hand when you mark.

Janet

I used a fons and porter water soluble graphite pencil twice. The first time I had no problems the 2nd was almost a disaster. What happened is that the graphite granules got imbedded in my thread and needle holes. It took 3 washings to get it all out along with a bunch of elbow grease and soft bristle tooth brush. I was in total panic mode. So I am no longer a big fan of the water soluble graphite for machine quilting. I will use it for hand though.

I have had excellent luck with the blue water soluble markers (Mark-B-Gone). The trick with them is to test (of course!) not mark way in advance, and to not expose the marks to heat. There are no loose particles with these markers to embed in the thread or needle holes. I marked this quilt with a mark b gone and you can see in some of the pics where I haven't quilted yet the marks are still quite visible but where I have quilted I spritzed with a spray bottle. In the completed pictures there is no more blue visible and I simply used a spray bottle. The final washing will remove any residual ink that may have seeped into the batting or backing. http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...e-t184706.html


I have also had very good luck with the air soluble purple pens too but those you have to mark as you go. Again you need to test to make sure the mark goes away after 24 hours or with a spritz of water. For dark colors I like chalko liners or my fons and porter white pencil. I have also used the pounce pad in both white and blue, the regular pounce not the kind you have to take out with an iron.

on dark fabrics, i use a sliver of soap :)

I just finished hand quilting using the Dritz water soluble pencil. It worked great. It was white on a dark color. I will next try the dark on light fabric

Last month I attended a FMQ class and the instructor recommended the blue 'Clover' water soluble marking 'pen'. When I tested it on white fabric where I had already stitched, it was easily removed with a damp towel. It comes in regular and fine line. She also recommended not to stock up on them because they dry out. Also to keep them in zip lock bags.

YES!! I use them all the time, have for years, on dark OR light fabrics. When I need to purchase I google "aquarelle art pencils" for the best price at the time and I use graphite 'black' ones, not those in colors.

Most recently I marked and handquilted a muslin candlewicked quilt which I laundered as usual after it was bound. Came out just fine, no markings.

Jan in VA

there are tons of options on the market for marking your quilts---no matter what you decide to try always test first to make sure it will come out- some come out of one quilt then not the next so each time you should test to be sure it is going to come out- but everyone has some they have good success with and ones that they have problems with- personally i 98% of the time use a mechanical pencil or chalk- although i have used blue water disappearing ones, frixon ones you make disappear with an iron (or heat)