An experiment without satisfactory outcome
09-27-2011, 02:14 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Wyoming
Posts: 136
A few weeks ago there was a thread about using the Pilot Friexon gel erasable pens to mark your quilt lines. I found the pens at Target, package of 3, black, blue and red.
First of all, I love the way they write on paper.
Next I tested them on fabric, I used (washed in Tide laundry detergent without fabric softner) dry, white, bleached muslin.
I drew a line across the fabric in each color. With a permanent black Sharpie, I blocked off 3 sections.
Section #1: erased with the attached eraser on each pen.
This sorta smudged the color, stretched the fabric, but didn't completely remove the line.
Section #2: Ironed the lines without steam. All three lines completely removed.
Section #3: Washed the lines with Suave shampoo (that's what I had at the bathroom sink, was too lazy to run to laundry room for laundry detergent). The lines faded considerably but didn't completely remove.
I then placed the entire piece in the washer, laundered it like I would a finished quilt then air dried it.
Section #1: The erased lines almost completely removed, all the smugging completely removed.
Section #2: Ironed lines stayed gone.
Section #3: No change in the lines.
Then I put the piece in the freezer for about 5 hours.
All the lines Returned, section #3, the lines washed were a little fainter, but still there.
Conclusion: I don't think I'd mark my quilt with these pens. Like I said in the beginning, I really like the way these pens write, esp. the nice fine line. I hope I haven't broken any restrictions by stating brand names, but these are the products I use.
Then I thought maybe using a white eyeliner pencil for marking, works well, but the point is too soft and kept breaking, marks well without smudging and washed out well.
I'm by no means a scientist!!
First of all, I love the way they write on paper.
Next I tested them on fabric, I used (washed in Tide laundry detergent without fabric softner) dry, white, bleached muslin.
I drew a line across the fabric in each color. With a permanent black Sharpie, I blocked off 3 sections.
Section #1: erased with the attached eraser on each pen.
This sorta smudged the color, stretched the fabric, but didn't completely remove the line.
Section #2: Ironed the lines without steam. All three lines completely removed.
Section #3: Washed the lines with Suave shampoo (that's what I had at the bathroom sink, was too lazy to run to laundry room for laundry detergent). The lines faded considerably but didn't completely remove.
I then placed the entire piece in the washer, laundered it like I would a finished quilt then air dried it.
Section #1: The erased lines almost completely removed, all the smugging completely removed.
Section #2: Ironed lines stayed gone.
Section #3: No change in the lines.
Then I put the piece in the freezer for about 5 hours.
All the lines Returned, section #3, the lines washed were a little fainter, but still there.
Conclusion: I don't think I'd mark my quilt with these pens. Like I said in the beginning, I really like the way these pens write, esp. the nice fine line. I hope I haven't broken any restrictions by stating brand names, but these are the products I use.
Then I thought maybe using a white eyeliner pencil for marking, works well, but the point is too soft and kept breaking, marks well without smudging and washed out well.
I'm by no means a scientist!!
09-27-2011, 02:46 PM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 935
I have used these pens successfully a few times now. Yes, when cold the marks came back in an unwashed piece, but I hit it with the iron, and it disappeared again. Maybe I'm using a different version of the pens? The ones I have do not have an eraser attached. I have been very happy with the results I have achieved.
09-27-2011, 02:56 PM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Montana
Posts: 913
Thanks for the experiment results. Saves the rest of us the time and money to do. I truly wish I could find s marker that really worked well. So far the only ones that kinda worked were the Fons&Porter chalk pens but they do break easily.
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