Marking stencils on your quilt

[Claire Hallman]

Definitely! However, if you were to mail out a gift quilt, or a charity quilt, in the dead of winter, those markings could easily be showing when the package arrived at its destination.

I understand that once you wash the quilt the gel from the pen is gone. Don't know that for a fact, I think I will experiment and see what happens.

[Tabbster]

I understand that once you wash the quilt the gel from the pen is gone. Don't know that for a fact, I think I will experiment and see what happens.

I'll be interested in what you find. Never thought about sending out quilts in the winter. Would hate to have the recipient get a marked-up quilt!

[Grandma G]

I saw a YouTube video about the Frixion pens. The girls said that if the temperature falls to 14° the marks will reappear. If the temperature falls to 14° inside my house I will have more to worry about than the marks on my quilts.

Ha! Since I just live up I-45N from you I can totally agree!! Right about now we could use a few of those cooler degrees, don't you think?

BTW - a set of Frixion pens are on special this week at M*...

[Vonnie]

I'll be interested in what you find. Never thought about sending out quilts in the winter. Would hate to have the recipient get a marked-up quilt!

Ever since the postal service has provided tracking numbers, I am surprised at some of the routes my packages take. I also wrap everything in plastic wrap or ziploc bags for more protection.

So, even if you are mailing from one warm climate to another, there is a chance that it will travel through a cold location.

[Claire Hallman]

I understand that once you wash the quilt the gel from the pen is gone. Don't know that for a fact, I think I will experiment and see what happens.

And the results are: when I rubbed a quilt [that I recently marked, quilted and washed] with an ice block it did not bring the pen markings back. There was black background fabric in the quilt that was marked with the pen also, there were no light marks from the pen either.

[Over40momma]

Claire, I have used the Frixion pens quite freely and the ink is completely dissolved if you wash the quilt. Once washed, there is no chance of the marks "re-appearing". Hope that helps. (I have used these on everything from silk to cheap cotton)

[LoveMyMachines]

All... The scientist in me prevails. I have recently tested both a Quilt Pounce AND the FriXion Pens within the last month.

My Results.
The quilt pounce was very messy to get started. However, once I was able to saturate my pounce with chalk, the rubbing over stencils on my quilt went very quickly and chalk stayed visible over a week to let me quilt it. The quilt was mounted in rack. If you were to quilt with a machine that would require a lot of movement and handling, I think the chalk marks would rub off to easily before finishing. I liked this (in the end) over pencil marking. It was definitely faster.

The FriXion pens are a remarkable product. I tested 8 colors, and all of the colors vanished from a light colored fabric when hit with a hot iron. However, when subjected to cold temperatures, the marks do re-appear, lighter than the original marking. Washing the fabric in a normal cotton cycle (warm wash cold rinse) does not get rid of the marks entirely, there is still evidence of colored markings.

IDEA. I do not think I will use the FriXion pens for marking my quilts. I think that a ghost line will be left behind. However, I do think they might be really fun for leaving a "Secret" message on the back of my quilts! I plan to sign them in FriXion ink!

[Sylvia H]

Interesting that Claire and Love My Machines have differing results from their experiments. I still have to run a few tests of my own.

I have been using the Sewline air erasable marker on my grandson's quilt. I am liking it more and more. With these humid days, the markings don't even last a full day, so I have to make sure to quilt immediately after marking. The marks also can be removed with just water. The only downside is that it marks purple, and so it can't be seen on very dark fabrics.

[QuilterLinda]

I use the Chaco Chaulk things with a wheel. They are refillable. Mine is old though, they might not make them anymore. But mine has lasted forever. I even still have one refill left for it.

[Slokarma]

After using a black Crayola Washable marker on white fabric and leaving it sit for up to two weeks and having it all come out in the wash without issue, I'm sold. They are cheap, come in lots of colors and are available, even in the grocery store. AND they are cheap!! So far I don't see what the downside is. Is there something that I don't know about when using these??