jgangloff

My niece is getting married in August. I have offered to make a signature quilt for her. I have a design in mind using her colors. The signature squares will be 5 inches so those attending can write more than their signature if they wish. I'll have several color pens available so they can even draw something if that want. I feel pretty confident about that process since I've used signed blocks in the past.

She is also inviting children and that's where the challenge comes in. They are too young to sign their names or confine themselves to a five inch block. For them I want to have them draw on the backing fabric. I thought I would block it into 12 inch squares with tape so they can each draw a picture. I'll make sure their name is on their square someplace. My concern is what they should use for drawing. This is all going to happen at the reception so they'll have their dress up clothes on and I don't think their parents will be too happy if they end up with permanent marks on them. I will have some kind of smock for them but you know they'll still find a way to get black paint or crayon on their pretty pink dresses or white shirts!

I've never worked with crayons or paints for a quilt but I'm sure many of you have. What would you recommend? Any suggestions to make this work will be greatly appreciated. My niece is not having a guest book so this quilt will serve that purpose.

jdiane318

There is nothing wrong with handprints being traced for each child and an adult printing or writing their name. Pigma micron pens work the best. There are fabric crayons by Crayola and Dritz that work well but it is important to use an iron to heat set them before washing. Good luck.

MadQuilter

The special Fabric Crayons tell you to draw the picture on paper and then transfer the design onto the fabric with the iron. I have done this and found the pictures a little too light. Always added more color after the transfer.

You can use regular Crayola Crayons on fabric. The key is that the fabric should be a non-printed (muslin I think is best) because the crayon will not go onto a print evenly. Then you have to iron off the extra crayon wax between paper towels or brown paper. (kind of messy).

There are special fabric markers that work like felt-tip pens. One end has a finer tip, the other has a brush. These only need to be heat-set.

Pigma pens have a fine tip and I don't think kids would like them as much. They also have to be heat set.

Some people use Sharpie colors but it says right on the package - not for fabric, so I don't use them on any fabric that needs to be washed.

I think the hand print outline is a good idea. You maintain a bit more control over the project that way. Trust me, it can easily get out of hand. Have fun.

Carron

If you use regular crayons then you must heat the crayon with a hot iron, be sure to place plain paper between the iron and the fabric with the crayon design or you will get that waxy crayon on the botton. Heating the crayon will set it into the fabric.
I would make a sample first before the actuall item.

mom-6

I've found that when using crayons, the coloring needs to be done heavily and then ironed between 2 pieces of waxed paper. It works very well. The one I finished in the mid 1960s that my mom and her sister had started in the 1930s lasted through much washing and drying for another 20 - 30 years.

scowlkat

I think the pens with a brush on one end and finer point on the other are by Fabrico. I do have a suggestion about the 5 inch squares - indicate the sewing margins somehow - with stitching or pencil because when I made a signature quilt for a friend's wedding, it was evident very quickly that even adults have problems staying "between the lines". Also have the squares ironed onto freezer paper to stabilize it to aid in writing on them.

OneMoreQuilt

If you use the Crayola Fabric Crayons and they got it on their clothes it would wash right out because you would not heat-set it on their clothing. The color is permanent after it is heat-set.

Crayola also has fabric markers (available at JoAnn's with your coupons!)

ann31039

what about colored pencils? then just dab on the fabric medium over the marks and let it set a week. it is perm after that and looks really good.

ckcowl

crayons work great...after the artists are finished place a piece of a brown paper sack over the crayon-colored pictures (to absorb the wax) and heat set...the color will set the wax will come out on the brown paper.
i've been making coloring quilts with a local pre-school for 10 years now- they come out great and last...the oldest pre-school quilt we made still looks pretty good- although one of the blocks was (recolored) once- it was very light to start with...we just re-colored and re-set it...perfect.

for the adult blocks- if possible- i recommend MICRON PIGMA PENS- they come in many colors- are permenent- do not bleed- are made for writing on textiles- are acid free- do not fade- archival quality....will last- no skipping--easy to use.