I was a great believer in chalk at one point. I used blue chalk to mark the hand quilting on off-white fabric. I didn't brush it off right away and it is still there, years later. I just have to look at it as a design feature, not a flaw!

Thanks Margo and Betty Jo. The quilting part of making a quilt is still the hardest part for me. Next time I will try the markers.

I never have any trouble with any of the colors and I've even forgotten and ironed them and they still come out ok.

I haven't had trouble removing any of the colors. I always buy the "fine" tip markers and mark quickly and lightly so as to use the smallest amount of marker possible.

Again....I always soak the markers out with cold water; spin out that water; wash in fresh warm or hot water with a mild detergent.

Those of you who use crayola washable markers--what colours do you use? Is red harder to remove then blue?

Another Crayola Washable Marker fan here. I rarely use anything else for marking. If I want to mark by overlaying I trace my design on Glad Press and Seal and have found that works wonderfully, quite inexpensive and easy to remove. If there is any sort of residue it is very minimal and washes away.

No, BJ, I've never thought to try freezing them! Interesting query!

Crayola WASHABLE MARKERS are also my marker of choice, but I know ahead of time that I will avoid any heat (iron or hot car?) while the marks are on the fabric, and as soon as the quilting is finished, I will soak the quilt to remove the marks; spin that water out; wash with mild detergent (I like Orvus Paste) and dry it in a dryer.

My quilts are made to be used, and not just for display, so I make sure that before I gift them, they are laundered. That way there will be no dismay because the quilt suddenly looks a lot different than it did before the receiver washes them!

I still prefer Crayola washable markers for my quilts. You can really see them and I have never had them fail and i believe they leave no chemicals behind once washed, though I have seen some discussion here on the forums of not being able to get it out (I find that a bit of a puzzle since I've had such good success with them--though it might have something to do with prewashing and then prestarching fabric, which I do). I've not been able to bring them back in any of my tests, though I haven't tried to freeze them. Have you Margo?

I also love Fons and Porter's fabric pencils. They rub off or wipe off with a damp cloth, though I only use those for small projects or temporary marks for placement because they rub off rather easily. If you are working on wool, tailor's chalk that irons off is a great thing to use, but it leaves a little streak behind on cotton.

Last quilt I did not mark the quilting, I marked that Golden Threads paper and stuck it on. It was wonderful, even assisted with the quilting, I think, but it is kind of pricey.

My dear late husband was a librarian and book collector and he made me really aware of how destructive chemicals, especially acids, are to both paper and fabric in time. I don't even use the purple air removable and blue water removable markers because they leave a chemical behind. Imagine if we made a wonderful quilt and in 100 years the marks broke down the threads in the fabric. We may not be here to see it, but your descendants might.

Seem like there is never a REALLY GREAT AND EASY way to mark quilts. I do not mark my quilts for quilting as I have my long armer doing it. I do mark on the inside of my quilts small hash marks when adding borders. I also think I am going to be cautious with these pens. I always test products on experimental blocks and never on a master piece quilt.

LR

Margo wrote: Unfortunately that would mean that I would have to go on a mega hunt to actually find this pen in UK to buy, and then start the washing cycle. I don't grudge the second part, but I do the first, as I very much doubt that I would use it for quilts, which was why I was hoping since you had started the testing regime, you might carry it on, but since you have binned the orginal samples, I guess we will have to await further notice from someone else.

One can but ask

PosyP wrote:
Rosemary, I did this test some time last year when the pens first came out and as soon as I realized the chemicals didn't wash out of my sample fabrics, I threw it all away. You are welcome to try your own test and report back to us!!

Several of the local quilt stores here are really advertising this pen. I've been following web comments and concerns about it since it was discovered as a possible quilting tool. Personally, I would not use the pen. From what I've read, Margo could wash her sample thousands of times and the chemicals in the pen would remain and the markings will appear if the temperature gets cool enough.

Now with that said, most of the quilters that I've discussed this with weren't really bothered by this and simply stated that they would just hit the quilt with a bout of steam again to make the marks disappear again. So, I guess the question to ask yourself is which person are you? a) a person that doesn't want their quilts marked with a pen that has chemicals that stay forever or b) a person who isn't bothered by the chemicals and isn't bothered by a possible steaming to remove marks that reappear.

I wonder how the ladies of yesterday would have answered this question. It would be interesting to see some of those quilts marked with such a pen though -- perhaps we would have learned even more about their personalities through secret writings to future admirers.

This is very interesting! I'm almost certain this is the pen that Sharon Shamber uses to mark her prize winning quilts! Yup! I just checked my notes from the Houston quilt show. Her beautiful red and white quilt, "Mystique," (I believe it won Best of Show) was totally marked with the Pilot Frixion pen! So, what you are saying is, if it were to wind up in the AQS quilt museum, and the climate control would go on the fritz, and get VERY cold in there, Sharon's quilt would show ALL of her markings! Or, more realistally, all of her quilted sewing lines have now been comprimised and will weaken over time. This is NOT good! And, quite sad!

Dawn
In beautiful Northwest Montana

Margo wrote: Thanks for the heads up Margo, it is always good to hear from the practical side of things with new 'toys'. By the way was it just one wash or multiple washes? Any chance that when you are doing a load, you could throw your sample in and see how many washes it takes to remove the ink/chemicals and report back for us? (grovel-grovel )