dd

I only used them on the back so I didn't have to worry if the lines came back. I use the washable markers on the front and have never had a problem. Even with the one I let sit for a year.

haylillan

i tested my pen by marking on 2 pcs of scrap i ironed 1 off and washed other off than ironed put both in freezer. the 1 I washed didn't come back

Skittl1321

Might depend what you are marking for. For me, when using the highlighters- I either use them to mark a space, and thus use the inside of the line or if I'm marking my quilting (rare) I then position it to sew in the middle of the line. So thickness of the marker is irrelevant.

But the ball point pens that I use on cotton are thin. Much thinner than the chalk I typically use.

haylillan

i tested my pen by marking on 2 pcs of scrap i ironed 1 off and washed other off than ironed put both in freezer. the 1 I washed didn't come back. so the answer is dont iron your blocks until you've rinsed block just under running water

KerryK

As always, y'all are so helpful! Thank you!

Skittl1321

That's weird- I've always ironed mine off, and then washed them and the lines never come back. No need to wash first then iron, I don't think.

(And why are people putting their quilts in the freezer! It's really unlikely situation that your quilt will be so cold. Although- the one that sits in the back of my car in the winter in probably gets colder than the freezer, but the lines have never re-appeared.)

BellaBoo

The ink washes out. The ink is non toxic and archival. I use them a lot.

michelleoc

Sorry folks, I just want to make sure I understand, so you are saying that the Frixion pens are good to use? I got some at a quilt show and have been afraid after reading some posts elsewhere on the board. And for those that say they use washable markers (WalMart), what is the brand? Thanks for your patience, I'm having a brain drain.

gale

That alone is a good reason for me not to use them. I prefer to press my seams as I go and I certainly don't want to rinse every block and wait for it to dry (plus I don't always prewash and don't want partial shrinking). Even if I used it for quilting only, I always press my binding out before folding it over so that would be too much trouble for me to avoid pressing on marks.

Peckish

My point when I talk about why I don't use these pens is NOT that I'm going to be putting them in the freezer. It's that there is obviously some sort of substance still in the fabric if the lines come back at a certain temperature!

I found these pens several years ago at a show, and did research on them back then. Pilot manufacturers them, so I contacted their customer service and at that time, they were NOT made with archival ink. So I made the decision to stick with products that are specifically made for marking - and disappearing from - fabrics. I think the Frixxion pens were a happy accident for Pilot, and now that they see a secondary use for them, they're happy to market them to quilters.