Probably a silly question.... but would washable markers even be worthy of taking my time to see if they will wash out of my fabrics. I am looking for something to mark pretty patterns with so that I can quilt them onto the fabric... have tried pencils and they dont seem to work very well, I am afraid of stretching or poking the fabric with them. I am afraid to try anything else, would hate to ruin a quilt top just to try something and I have seen tons of things people say work.... lol.... help me please before I ruin something.

Yes! I've read the Crayola Washable Markers are good to use. I've already purchased a pack, but haven't used them yet. They do say to test first all the colors you think you may use. However, I have heard one color doesn't wash out too well on all fabrics, and I believe that's yellow. So test it if you decide to use it, first.

Personally, I've always used the Blue Washout Markers you get at JoAnn's, Hancocks and the LQS. I've had no problems whatsoever. They've been good to me :)

Hope this helps!
Debbie in Austin

experiment with scraps. let some sit for a week or more, do they wash out?

I do applique and use the Crayola washable markers. I've never had a problem with them. I prewash all farics first, mark with the marker and when finished, I soak it for a short while in a cold water wash, let it nearly dry and then press face down on a folded towel. NO marks!

OH YES. Yellow does not wash out, turns brown.

I understand that you shouldn't iron it before you remove it. Becomes permanent.

I had some trouble with the blue and purple, but I ironed first (trying them on white scraps, not a real project). I think they are worth testing!

I have heard horror stories of the marks coming back later.

I use pencils like the Crayola washable markers (Crayolas are not available here but other brands) for dark fabrics and it works fine for me. No problems at all with removing. A friend had big problems with the blue marking pens - they washed out after finishing the quilting but a year later the markings came back in in brown shade and were not removable.

I use chalk pencil for quilting, I used a quilting marker, blue, on my last quilt and it didn't wash out.

There must be something different in the way some products are being used from person to person. That is the only explanation as to why they work for the majority, but not for a few. I can only say I've been quilting for years, and my Mom and Grandma before me, and yet none of the quilts that had blue markers used on them have had the marks return. I often wonder what the difference was. Some have said it has to do with ironing, which could be true. Also I've heard all fabrics must be prewashed, which is not true by me (I don't prewash, only test). I've heard some people don't wash their quilt, but 'spritz' the marks with water and expect that to remove all marks forever. Spritzing only pushes the markings deeper into the batting to return at some point. It does not REMOVE them from the quilt.

You see, I think there are so many variables involved when people have problems - and stories get told. But, it's so hard to say what caused it one time and not another, as we don't know what anyone else really did - and they may not know themselves. I only know I don't prewash. I never touch marks with an iron or TX summer heat. I mark heavily. I do not 'spritz', I WASH. And I have no problems. That, I can say, has always worked for me :)

Hope this helps someone :)
Debbie in Austin

always test...try the marker you want to use on a place that is not going to show later and let it dry...then wash and see...
some pigments are harder to remove than others...red would be one i would stay away from afraid it may not all come out.
but testing is really a good idea no matter what you are using to mark with. i've had pencils not wash out of some fabrics, one of those blue quilters pens that are supposed to disappear with just a spritz of water ruined an old quilt once...so i don't use anything without testing first to make sure it is going to come out, regardless of how well it works for someone else

Debbie,
maybe the fabrics are finished in different ways also and the manufacturers use different colors for printing etc...even the reaction of the colors in the fabric can be variable!
I agree absolutely- testing is always a good idea.

So true. Ask me how I know :(

I recently used a purple kid's washable marker on a quilt and freaked when it didn't "wipe off." I wrote on this board to ask opinions. What I ended up doing was washing it before attaching the binding, (zig zag edges first)and with no detergent in cold water. It came right out!!!! JUST DO NOT IRON FIRST. I'm a newbie to FMQ and need dark clear lines to feel comfortable, so mark away!

I have used Crayola Washable markers very successfully. I always wash my fabric before using it. I marked my quilts using a stencil and the washable markers, quilted them, put the binding on and then washed them. I used every dark color of marker - brown, purple, red, green, blue. I used a little laundry detergent in the wash water and had no problem with the marks. They are gone. I think if I were marking on white or off white I would make a very faint line with the markers just in case.

I have used the Crayola Washable markers too. I did like cindyg and haven't had any problems.

Not a silly question. Have you seen the no-marking method? Check Geta's
tutorial. You might want to practice on scraps first and see how you like it.

http://cadouri-din-inima.blogspot.co...ting-tips.html

Thanks so much for all your responses. I am really excited about this. This will make things so much easier. I will test test test before putting it on my quilt tops :)

EasyPeezy, thanks so much for the link, I have read it and will definately give it a try.

I am new to quilting so I tried every kind of marker to find what worked best for me and the fabric I was using. I settled with the pounce and white chalk. It took a few "pounces" with my hand to the applicator to produce enough chalk to mark, but once the applicator was "ready" marking was easy. As I tried so many pencils and markers that proved difficult to get rid of, I was very, very pleased when the chalk ironed off, just as the label stated. I use the white chalk even on unbleached muslin. I have ordered the "barely blue" chalk to make working on the unbleached muslin a little easier. I will let you know.

I was just thinking as I read. I've had trouble with yellow washing out of fabric. I used it for some other reason beside quilting and I had to scrub to get the yellow gone, however the other colors wash out pretty well. (Crayola!)

I use crayola washable markers. I make sure to quilt the quilt within days and not too iron it. I then was on warm with laundry dettergent. I check it all over before drying it in the dryer. Sofar so good.

It seems that I am on the quest of the quilter's equivalent of the holy grail. I am about to start quilting my first quilt top and was told my the tutor at our quilting group to lightly mark it with an ordinary pencil. Not keen on this so have been looking for other advice. Love Get's idea of using paper. Will definately try this. Thanks for adding this link. :lol:

I just posted this same topic the other day. It is mostly postive with a few not so good. Supposedly the green is the worse. I tried on a sample of the quilt I intend to use it on and it did wash out, all of it. I used the washable markers and crayons. I marked it up again to wash after a few days to sit awhile. You should try that also.