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Quote:

Originally Posted by Quilt Mom

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barb_MO

I use either white soap or Dial (gold). The Dial will show up faintly on white fabric.
After we have used a bar of soap and it is getting pretty little, I use it at the sink and use it every time I wash my hands. Doesn't take long for it to have a nice edge. I have several little bars in my sewing cabinet drawer.

Thanks for the hint. I hadn't thought of using soap to mark a quilt.

Me either. I'll have to try that. I have many quilt marking devices, but not thrilled with any of them. I'm going to try the soap.

I use a pencil to mark embroidery designs and if I make a mistake I have a material eraser I bought at quilt shop.

I have been reading Harriett Hargraves book "Heirloom Machine Quilting" and here are some of her marking tips. (1) Use spray starch and press your quilt top before marking. This way, you are actually marking on the starch, and the marks will come out with the starch when you wash the quilt. This is especially important if you prewash your fabrics. (2) Use a HARD mechanical pencil when marking. Do not use a #2 soft pencil, as the graphite in the soft lead bonds with the fabric fibers. (3) Take a sample of the fabric, use the same batting and backing, mark the fabric and quilt it. Then wash it the same way with the same detergent that you would use on the quilt. (4) Don't use a dressmaker's marker, as they have wax in them. Dressmakers alway mark on the wrong side of the fabric and don't need to worry about the marks laundering out. (5) White chalk is good, but be sure to pre-test when using yellow, because yellow markers have sulfur in them, which can stain your quilt top.

Hope this helps.

I use Fons and Poter pencils and they wash out everytime.

I have a friend who uses the Mr Clean eraser to remove

her pencil marks after she has quilted her top

i use a very sharp #2 pencil to mark all my quilts. It always comes out when they are washed. I use All detergent, salt and a dye catcher in the wash. I can usually see what I have marked off pretty easily, if it is on dark fabric I will use a sliver of old soap to mark a simple X or a line.

Jane Sisk

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jane Sisk

Why salt?

I have used salt to set dye color in hand dyed fabric.

I don't know about adding it to a wash. I usually set the item to soak in a bucket of warm water and salt solution.

I use a mechanical pencil and lightly mark the lines. To remove them, I use an artist eraser (the kind that is soft and doesn't leave the little thingies behind). You can find these in what looks like a pen, but has a long soft eraser that you can replace when it is worn down. They have them at Wal-mart or office supply stores. They remove the pencil marks completely, and you don't have to press hard to remove them.