Markers, Chemicals and Our Quilts
Almost two years ago I wrote my most popular post-a comprehensive explanation of Frixion pens, the heat erasable pens. For some reason there has been a huge flurry of repostings lately along with comments from readers about their experiences. You can read the post here if you’d like. I contacted the manufacturer when I wrote the article, so it is the real deal.
I get comments from readers that by using this or that, they were able to get the marks out. Know this: if you happened to get the marks out permanently, I’m thrilled for you! But, it’s a fluke! The best you can expect from these pens is that the mark really does disappear. But, and this is very important, the invisible ink will not go away, just the mark. No spray, no treatment, no washing-nothing will make that ink go away according to the manufacturer, who ought to know! The inks are acid-based and you know what acid will eventually do to your quilt…
Which brings me to today’s topic: chemicals on our quilts. If you begin to think of anything you put on your quilt as a chemical, it changes how you think. So pencil, chalk, any kind of pen-heat erasable, air erasable, water erasable, or even detergent can alter your quilt, so think very carefully about anything you put on your quilt. Yes, some markers are safe, but think before you mark.
So a couple of thoughts:
-Read the directions on the package! For instance, on water soluble pens, you must wash them to get the pen out completely. Spraying will only cause the mark to migrate to the batting, only to show up as an ugly brown stain after you’ve washed it. And most water soluble pens say they must be first washed without detergent-detergent can set the marks as stains! Also, any heat source can set the marks. So a sunny window, a hot car, a sleeping cat, light from your machine, etc can heat set that mark.
-I did a little reading on the Crayola wash outs and they too are acid-based and can be heat set, according to the manufacturer.
-Make sure you don’t combine products on the same line. One time I marked with an air erasable pen and realized I would not quilt it before they disappeared. So I marked over that line with a water soluble marker. Those marks never came completely out.
-Some “safe” products, like chalk, can still leave stains if it’s the wrong color. Like red chalk. Ask me how I know. It never came out.
There is a big difference between products that I will leave in my quilt and products that are washable. I am not concerned about products that I will wash out, like spray baste or blue wash out markers, even if they are acid-based.
Anything that stays in, I think very carefully about before using. Like say you use a Frixion pen in an area where the marks will never show on a quilt that you won’t wash. Yikes, that pen has acid in it. Sure you won’t see the marks, but the acid will be there, slowly doing its job of disintegrating fabric.
So short and sweet-think very carefully about any product you use on your quilt!
Look for the links on Nina-Marie’s Off the Wall Friday!
Thank you for your work on this. I’m interested in this, as are many of us quilters. Achhh!! So what is a quilter to do?!!!
In some cases I ended up not marking anything, but that is very difficult. I am surprised that Crayola says their washables can be heat set. I have used them for years and ironed over them, sometimes repeatedly. They have washed out every time, and I consider them the most reliable marker I use for quilts I am going to soak, but I have no idea whether acid is left behind or not.
Not so my experience with blue washout markers. They do not always wash out, and especially if I iron over them. They have sometimes left a brown line, and required extra efforts to remove them. I often use paper methods…transparent quilters paper, see through wash off stabilizers, shapes from freezer paper, and in some cases, just placing the design within my sight and quilting in hopes I can get somewhere close, with some placement marks in the areas that will be under bindings and the like.
I do also have good success with the Fons and Porter mechanical pencil markers and the similar Bohn and Sewline, but they don’t stay put as well. Still, they do not require washing, and are usually gone by the time I complete a quilt.
I have yet to come up with ANYTHING that works on black Radiance or satin for more than a few minutes…LOL
Thank you for your observations Betty Jo! I just know that Crayola has information about accidental heat setting. I haven’t used them much so I have no experience-I defer to you! You can’t iron over the blue wash outs and those brown lines mean some was left over from a previous washing. I rarely use the Bohn/Sewline/Fons and Porter markers because they disappear too quickly for my taste but we each have our own method that works in our quilting world. Black Radiance or black sateen-ugh!
After seeing shattered taffeta in old quilts due to the metallic salts used in the fabric, I share your concerns about longer term impacts of what we put on our fabrics. I don’t use frixion pens, but tend to rely on pencils and hera markers. I do worry about the glue in fusibles for quilts I know will never be washed.
Fusibles, now that is another post entirely! Glad that I haven’t used them much because I do have concern about their longevity. Thank you for the comment Joanna!
Great article. Any time chalk is colored, something has been added to make it that color. ALWAYS test on fabric before using. “Waxy” is not good. Look for “non waxy” on label.
Thanks Cathy-agreed!
Yes, I always wonder why there is more talk about markers than fusibles. I still use the blue markers, especially when my lettering is large. I have never had a problem with them yet… Hey, and while we’re talking about chemicals, how about those hand dyes that never seem to rinse out completely?
I haven’t researched fusibles but I am personally wary of them. I have used them a bit on my just-for-fun pieces. Hand dyes I really know nothing about! But we do need to carefully consider every single thing we put on our quilts!
Great information! I’m curious to know what you use for marking?
I’ve heard also that the frixon marks come back if the temperature goes below freezing. That could be a problem if your shipping in the winter. You ship it out and they get it with blue marks all over it.
I use slivers of soap for marking when I can. Also light pencil as long as I go over it with thread it disappears.
Hi Carol-thank you for the comment! I use blue wash out marker usually. And yes, the marks WILL come back if the quilt gets cold-I wrote extensively about that in the first post on all of this. I don’t use them because of that issue. I’ve not had much luck with pencil or soap…but whatever works for you-go for it!