Marking My Quilt Top

[Julia L.]

What a great idea Nancy.I always have trouble figuring out how to mark my quilts and keep it simple too.What kind of soap would you use? Something like ivory as compared to dove?Or doesn't it matter? Thanks.Julie

[Julia L.]

What a great idea Nancy.I always have trouble figuring out how to mark my quilts and keep it simple too.What kind of soap would you use? Something like ivory as compared to dove?Or doesn't it matter? Thanks.Julie

Hi Julie,

Great question! I'd use a plain white soap, without any dyes or lotions. Truthfully, I've been using and old bar of soap and can't remember what brand it is--probably an unscented detergent type bar soap. To be safe, you should probably test it on a scrap of fabric to make certain it washes out completely.

I used this technique to mark the elephants from coloring books on J'Lynn's Quilt, displayed on my profile. It's the first quilt in the second row.

Nancy

[Liberata T.]

I've lost the thread about using Crayola Washable Markers to mark the quilt top but I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU for the advice. A blue marker costs 7.5 franc (over $6) for one. I actually found the Crayola markers here in Switzerland at 6.90 franc for 12! :lol: I figured I give it a try on some scraps. If it didn't work, I'd give the markers to my friend's children. They worked a treat and what a bargain. 8) I will be sharing this news with my craft group. Thanks again

[Margo C.]

You are welcome, Libbi! Just be sure that you used the WASHABLE Crayola Markers! And when the quilt is finished, I treat mine like I do with the blue wash out marker. I fill the washer with cold water and soak the quilt for about 15 minutes; drain that water out of the washer; refill with fresh warm water and mild detergent.....I use Orvis Paste (available at the local farmer's co-op) and run it through a gentle wash cycle. For a quilt that will be used and loved to death, I dry it in the dryer. For a "good" quilt, or a wall hanging, I dry it flat...on the floor or on a bed.
The Orvis Paste is used to wash livestock so it's very gentle and rinses out of natural fibers. It's a very concentrated and cost effective mild detergent.

[Margo C.]

I've lost the thread about using Crayola Washable Markers to mark the quilt top but I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU for the advice. A blue marker costs 7.5 franc (over $6) for one. I actually found the Crayola markers here in Switzerland at 6.90 franc for 12! :lol: I figured I give it a try on some scraps. If it didn't work, I'd give the markers to my friend's children. They worked a treat and what a bargain. 8) I will be sharing this news with my craft group. Thanks again

Just as a reminder, TQS Forum does have a "Search Forum" feature where you can search on Crayola Washable Markers to find the thread you were seeking.

[Lynn K.]

Margo, your Orvis Paste sounds great. Hmmm. Now where was that feed store? Haven't needed to go there since we raised goats!
Lynn

[Liberata T.]

The markers I found here say Crayola SUPERWASHABLE. I recommended to my friends to try the markers on a scrap of the fabric they're going to use first. No luck finding Orvis paste here. But there is a bar soap, Marseille, which is a type rather than a brand. It seems to be a regular product in western Europe that is used for removing stains in washable fabrics. For my test I just used Woolite regular.

[Judy M.]

Libbi, I had a DISASTER using the washable Crayola Markers. The marker would not come out. I soaked the quilt in plain water just like I always do with the blue marker. I finally resorted to using OxyClean and it finally came out. The fabric I used was a pre-washed 100% cotton. I'm VERY careful about heat, etc. when I'm quilting a quilt. Fortunately, I only used the Crayola Marker on one border, so I didn't have it all over the quilt. (It's hand quilted, too, which just about made me ill at the though it might be ruined!) The quilt was marked for a couple of months before I finished all the border quilting--quilts usually don't get hand quilted over night, so I don't know what precautions I could have taken. I'll NEVER use those markers again!!!!! :shock: I just want to warn you about my problem with the markers. Judy in Torrance

[Margo C.]

Judy...thanks for the heads up!!! I am not a hand quilter, and usually have the marks washed out within a couple of days, so maybe that's why I've never had a problem? I'll be sure to mention that when recommending the markers in the future!

[Liberata T.]

Thanks for the info on the Crayola markers. That's why I did a test and I will do a test before I mark the real thing. Soaking in cold water didn't remove the markers. I hand washed. I had to add a soap and then all the colors but the red and orange disappeared. When the 100% cotton dried, all the marks were gone. The box I have says, "Washes off only machine washable clothing in their normal wash cycle."

[Margo C.]

One more thing that I do probably helps the marks wash out....I almost always have starched my fabrics. That seems to put a barrier between the fabric and the markers and helps the lines wash out. I also find that I can use regular #2 pencils on heavily starched fabric, and the marks easily come out in the wash, but hand quilters probably don't want to deal with starched fabric!

[Margo C.]

Hi Ladies: I'm new to this Forum, so please be patient with me as I muddle my way through. I used the Crayola Washable markers and nearly fainted when there appeared large, pink blobs of colour on my quilt top when I washed it. But after a couple more washings it all came out and now the quilt is sparkly clean with no blobs of colour. It's sure a whole lot easier to see the quilt markings when using these markers. I think the problem in the first washing (and okay, the second and third) was that my machine didn't have enough water to actually move that marker out. A girlfriend used them and she washes her quilts in her bathtub. She didn't have any problems at all. Now, I won't be using the tub, but it did give me the idea that I needed more water.
Happy to meet you all,
Annette in Central Alberta

[Margo C.]

I've posted before somewhere about using the washable Crayola markers with great success. I always let the quilt soak overnight in the washing machine with some detergent added. Just fill the machine, add the soap and quilt and let it agitate for a few minutes to get it thoroughly soaked, then turn off the machine and let it sit over night. The next day, just let the machine finish the washing cycle. That's it. I've never had any kind of marks left after that process.

Of course, it always makes sense to test the fabric, but on 100% cotton, I've never had a problem I think that the starch tip is also a great one, especially since I like my fabric to have a nice solid hand while I'm piecing.

[Sandy F.]

I agree, soaking is the key to getting the Crayola washable markings out. I usually soak for a couple of hours or overnight. Only time I had a problem was when I marked a fabric that had been treated with Bubble Jet Set. Those marking would not wash out but I learned on a practice piece.

[Sandy F.]

These are all great ideas. I'm such a procrastanator when I don't know what I'm doing. I need to just jump in and start.

I thought that I had responded to your answers to my post, but don't see hit here. I am sorry, I must have done something wrong.

I do appreciate your input and have your suggestions copied and in my "tips" section in my notebook.

Vonna in Texas