Flowergurl

for hand quilting? I would hate to ruin a quilt by the item i used to mark with not wash out.
I am new to hand quilting and want to begin learning. I see some people use marking pens, chalk, painters tape, ect. What you find the best thing to use ?

Tartan

For hand quilting straight lines I like to quilt beside painter's tape. On medium to dark fabrics I like to use WHITE chalk and I mark as I go rather then the whole top because chalk brushes off. Do not use COLOURED chalk as it doesn't come off.
I have on occasion cut a shape out of contact paper to stick to the quilt surface to quilt around like a heart or star.

cathyre

I mark as I go block by block always use Dove soap I use (showering) it until it a thin wafer size leave it to dry harder on the windowsill in the sun or a few days then right to go , never had problem at all ,White for dark back round and pink for light , doesn't cost me anything.Cathy

francie yuhas

Do NOT use "washable" markers on red batik ....or friction pens on batiks...

DOTTYMO

Use frixion pens and try to mark before sandwiching. My hand embroidery on an applique flower also marked with frixion pen.
ive had no trouble ironing the marks off, I use because they leave clearer marks than chalk or other markers oh and the tutor recommended them.

stillclock

for hand quilting i use regular old pencils, sharpened to a fine point.

i've never had it not wash out, though some people say that happens.

handquilting for me means the quilt...is more precious. i just recently used a frixion pen and they work beautifully, but some part of my gut just does not trust them. the chemical stays in the fabric, as evidenced by its return when the quilt gets cold. i have used them for some projects though. the water soluble blue pens work really well too, but they run out quickly and the price can really add up. (and with both of those methods i always feel a bit guilty about the landfill waste i am creating...but i am a little weird about that stuff.)

i have also used ivory soap when handquilting on dark fabrics. i mark as i go with that, so the pattern has to be carefully thought out. it works like a charm, but it's a bit hard on your hands after a while.

aileen

Ariannaquilts

Dottymo, just had to say would really like to see that quilt when it's finished I think it is beautiful.

Flowergurl

I have sewn for a few years and I have always just used a plain old pencil for marking pattern pieces and never
had trouble with it not washing out. Then the last apron i made i found the pencil marks were still there by a
pocket and had not come out when i washed it. I took a bar of hand soap and had to scrub it to get out
the pencil mark. I am now not so sure i want to have to worry about that happening on a whole quilt top.
I do like the soap idea. I will have to keep that one in mind.
I worry the chalk would be messy and not stay on very well.
Stillclock what brand of water soluble blue pens do you use?
I was thinking painters tape would be great for straight lines.
I just wanted to see what all of you were using. Thanks for all the suggestions.

Onebyone

I haven't bought a bar of soap in years! Soap is good for marking dark fabrics. You know it will wash out. For light fabrics I use a Frixion pen or Crayola Washable markers.

Boston1954

I worry about what the special pens will do to the fabric in twenty years time, so I stick to ordinary white chalk.