by Sandra | September 22nd, 2009
I don’t know why, but I tend to experiment with new tools on my good quilts instead of experimenting on the samples only. Alas, I keep doing this so the needle on my brain’s record player must be stuck in a groove repeating itself without self correction.
A new marking tool (mechanical style pencil) was brought to my attention in a class. At first, it looked like a dream come true. It laid a very fine line around my template which is beyond optimum for marking applique pieces. Instead of lead, the content is a ceramic material and was completely washable (so the packaging said). I always have to buy a complete set of something new. So I experimented with all of the colors while making the tea quilt.
Temporary Marks? Really?
I noticed these pencils (all colors) created marks that were ten times more stubborn than a regular no.2 pencil. They were also supposedly easy to just rub off gently without washing. That wasn’t my experience. Oh well, I thought, the marks will come out in the wash. They did not. They were just as clear after washing as the moment I laid them down on the fabric. No change whatsoever. Now to be clear, I washed my quilt on the gentle/hand wash cycle (front loading washer). But who in the hell heck would wash a “best” heirloom quality applique quilt on regular???? I have no idea if a rough regular wash would take out the marks but my best guess-timate is no, not entirely.
I tried spot cleaning after it was washed to remove the residual marks. Nope not budging. Fortunately, the quilt gods were smiling on me because the marks are well hidden under the applique. If I had a light colored applique material, the marked line would shadow through and no matter how well I turned under my edge, the marking lines would be clearly visible through the fabric. I did not use these pencils for too much applique marking on this quilt so I dodged a big, nay HUGE, bullet so thank goodness for that.
Save Your $$
I have thrown these in the bottom of my “doesn’t work” drawer. Since they were so expensive to begin with ($12.95 each and refills at $4.95), I have a hard time just tossing them without some guilt. So I will keep them as an expensive reminder that maybe it is best to buy ONE and test before buying them all. At least I do know none of the colors come out including white.
So in my always humble opinion and experience, I would save yourself a lot of angst and disappointment and save your money for some more fabric or chocolates. If you have a different experience, or have had the marks come out without much issue, please let me know how you did this, I would love to be able to use these and recoup my investment!
all content ©2009 Sandra Leichner all rights reserved
Can you contact the Shop you purchased them fromand ask if they have had experience with them and what they did,also ask for a cash return or at least an exchange ? That is a lot of $ .
I get real timid about trying any kind of pencils !!
I don’t have any luck with anything except the clover white and the washable blue .
I wish I had an ansewr for you about removing it , but I’m glad to see you didn’t have a complete disaster .
If I open a package, I don’t take it back unless it is a big box store or the quilt shop misrepresented the product. Neither of these scenarios are true and it is my own fault for buying all of the colors without testing first. I have to take responsibility for my own over zealousness and stupidity.
I can always find a use for these down the road, just not on fabric!
Sandra, I don’t know anything about those markers, but, a very good friend of mine recommended the .9mm chalk/lead that Fons & Porter sells. I just bought a 9mm mechanical pencil, a cheapy, and took all the lead out. Then installed the chalk. I use it for marking quilting designs for my HQ16, and I’ve had no problem with it wiping off, even on navy fabric. The friend who told me this uses it for applique. She took one of your classes in Columbus, Ohio 2 years ago. She’s very knowledgeable so I trusted her and it seems to work great. If you decide to try this, PLEASE try on a scrap first, and not just take my word for this. I’d hate to advise you on somehthing that could ruin one of your quilts.
Thanks for the heads up!
Thanks Lin, that sounds like a possibility. I will definitely give it a try….on a scrap! LOL
I have long been leery of using ANY colored markers (with the exception of the blue washout marker) on fabric– chalk or pencil, the colored ones seem to have a tendency toward permanence. I’m surprised that you would use an untested marker on one of your heavily-time-invested creations, and relieved for you that the ending to this story is not tragic.
With regard to your recent “tweet”, I HAVE noticed that it’s getting harder and harder to find clear, not-muddy/not-greyed hues in fabrics!! Hopefully this trend will be short lived. Thank goodness for fabric stashes
Oh Frances, the stories I could tell on each quilt where I threw caution to the wind and tried something without testing. I am my own worst enemy at times!
Other than Lin’s tip to try out, I am going to stick with my Pat Campbell marker and the sand paper board. I have no plans to monkey around with my Margarita quilt!!!! Too much ongoing research in that quilt to waste too.
Oh and I did use a VERY light hand for marking.
Oh, that research was not wasted… ;_) Can’t wait to see the Margarita quilt!
Well i guess i am the odd man out, i have used these pencils with great success. I did not press hard, nice light pressure so the marks were not to dark but still very easy to see without my glasses. now i did not have any luck removing the marks without washing, the projects needed to be washed for the marks to be removed. I used a quilt wash soap when washing and the marks came out with no problems. I use the pens often, and recommend them to quilting friends.
LizzyJO,
Please, please give me more details…..How did you wash, regular or gentle? What detergent did you use? Too many questions?? LOL
I did use a very light hand, but they aren’t budging.
I am VERY curious to know what separates our two experiences.
About a second book – it seems to me you already have a good start from this blog. Anything you wrote about that is not in the first book can be used. The pictures and your comments are here. Just go over your answers to our questions and add that info. Call the book “Sandra’s Snippets”. Who wouldn’t want to have all this information in a nice book form ?
Sara, when I finish the Margarita quilt, I will give it some thought about a second book.
You know you all are twisting my arm right???? Oh and by the way, the first book was due to arm twisting too. You can thank Bonnie Browning from AQS for the first one. She wouldn’t give up. LOL
So I have been using this pencil with success. Only the white one. I haven’t tried any of the other colors and I may not after I read your experience. I haven’t had any problems with getting it out. I use a very soft toothbrush and water over the lines after I am finished machine quilting them and then of course wash the entire quilt in Orvus in my washing machine on gentle when it’s finished. Hope this helps! It is hard for me to understand how there could be such a difference. By the way, I do the same thing with Pat Campbell’s white pencil marks as well.
Thanks Mary for sharing how you are able to remove the marks. I have never had any marks left with the Pat Campbell once I applique the piece down ( a lot of handling maybe?) so it has never been an issue for me.
The real problem color is the grey pencil. I used it to mark my continuous binding and as I was stitching the second side down there was this line visible through the two layers of the folded binding. I had to take the binding off and scrub hard (with soap), it still wouldn’t budge and then finally replace it. I even took some straight Clorox bleach to the removed piece to see if it would bleach out—no change.
If this were a kid’s quilt I wouldn’t be so ticked off, but it is for exhibit and that one small mark can cost me a lot.
I will do some testing with some Orvus and see if I can get a different result so thanks.
Sandra, I am sooooooooooo sorry. I am the one who told you about those pencils. I have been able to get the lines out by brushing them with a water pen and soft brush. I have not tried using them for quilting lines. I also have not tried the gray one. I apologize all over the place. I feel really bad.
Dearest Marion,
No need to feel bad it is NOT your fault! As you can see from others here they have had success with them. All is well with the quilt and I fixed the issues, no worries and *I* am responsible to test new products before applying to my project at hand!
I still love you Marion. Next time we meet up you have to take me to the local quilt shop OK?
I took a class with Karen Kay Buckley in July and she was recommending these markers. I bought several colors. Now I will be VERY careful to pre-test. I had previously had problems with another brand of miracle marker—it left oil marks on my fabric whcih would not come out—I had only tested it on the selvedge which behaved differently to the body of the fabric. This is a good reminder on pre-testing.
Susan,
One conclusion I am coming to after reading the pros and cons is that it seems to depend on the fabrics used, the quilt’s intention and the technique you are using the pencils for. If I have to scrub, as some are suggesting (my mom too after her testing), then that would not work for me on my style of applique and could cause wear or possibly damage the fibers. Sometimes I am working with 1/4″ pieces and smaller.
In the future I would consider..
1) how I intend to use the quilt,
2) whether or not I intend to wash the final quilt, and if so, on what cycle & with what detergent.
3) intricacy of the applique,
4) type of fabric I am using
Definitely test, test, and test again on the fabrics for the current project–every single one of them. (that was more of a note to myself)
Then again, I can always use my Pat Campbell pencil and avoid all of this completely since I never had a problem in the past with that marking notion.
Thanks to everyone who wrote about their experiences, it helps tremendously to learn from each other!
I wonder if the mineral content of the local tap water, combined with the chemistry of the soap used, has an effect on whether something washes out or not? Water varies tremendously from community to community, sometimes even from well to well.
Good point Monique, I never thought of that. I wonder too if a front loader vs. a top loader? A stretch, but maybe?
Thanks for making me feel better. Judy, Nancy, and I are already planning on going to Asilomar in 2011 and take your class! We can hardly wait! Anytime you want a ride to the Back Porch I’ll be happy to take you! I am looking forward to seeing you again!
Did anybody mention soap/detergent vs. no soap/detergent? That can be a factor. Also whether any heat was applied to the marks can make a difference.
Good points too Kay!