ankegram

Thank y'all for the great ideas! I think I'm going to try the tissue paper method. I will look for Roanne's silver pencil next time I'm out and about. Where did you find your's, JustAbitCrazy?

ankegram

I have one last question, have any of you tried the Hera Marker? I was wondering if I could use this tool with a plastic quilting stencil? It looks really interesting. One side appears to be rounded and larger, perhaps for marking straight lines, while the other end is pointed. I thought the pointed end might fit through the slits in the stencil. What do you think?

TerryQuilter

Have used the hera for straight lines and it works great for that. Don't know how it would be following a stencil.

Patti25314

There is a friction pen on the market by Pentel. It irons out! If your LQS doesn't have it, Staples does.

Traditional Quilter

I use Roxanne's silver pencil and have had no issues in washing it out. I also use Sewline pencil for marking as I go -- it rubs off easily and not good for marking an entire top. I found some machine quilting practice squares that I had marked with a blue washout pen. I'm sure these have been tucked away for a least a couple of years. So I washed one to see if the blue would come out and there was no sign of the blue left on the fabric. I have now marked an entire quilt top with the blue pen. I feel pretty confident the blue will wash out after I complete the quilting in perhaps 6 months or a year. If this is the case I will probably convert to the blue pen because the silver pencil smears after all the handling. Whatever you decide to use mark a scrap piece of the same fabric as in your quilt and then wash it to see if the markings come out. I have never used a Hera. I've tried but my eyesight just doesn't see the lines all that well. Just remember that the Hera is for marking as you go. I'm afraid if you marked the entire quilt top before sandwiching, the lines would disappear. Good luck on whatever you choose.

Scissor Queen

I'd take a scrap of the border fabric and scribble on it with several of the Crayola washable markers and then wash it. They come in several colors and so far I haven't had a problem with them washing out. I always test on scraps first.

JustAbitCrazy

I bought mine at a major quilt show, but quilt shops should carry them. They come in white and silver. What I like about them is that there is nothing in them which is harmful to fabrics over time. I don't use anything with chemicals on my quilts, or anything which hasn't stood the test of time over many years.

cindi

I use the Sewline pencils all the time. Just finished doing a quilt with an off-white border. Marked the crap out of it with the green Sewline lead and it all washed out - I was amazed!

giquilt

One time I marked a quilt with the Crayola kids washable marker. (orange on cream). Due to it becoming a UFO I did not wash it for 5 years. Yes, 5 years! It came out easily in the wash.

Justquilting

I found a pilot gel pen at an office store. It's thermal sensitive. Instead of water it disappears when it's ironed. It really works. It comes in blue, red or black. If you look on the back of the package. It will say thermal sensitive. I've left it in a hot car & thought it was wasted. But I put it in the frig & voila....it works again.