Marking My Quilt Top

[Judy M.]

I have seen so many methods I am just plain confused. I don't have much time as I work fulltime to try different things. I also live in a rural area and can't just run to the store and get supplies when the time avails itself.

I would like to know any of your suggestions in transferring a quilt design I have on plain old copy paper I downloaded off the internet on to my quilt top.

Thanks so much for your help.

Love the website.

Vonna in Texas

[Judy M.]

Hi Vonna,
Nice to meet you! I understand where you're coming from, a lot of us cannot run to the quilt store at the drop of a hat, ( or pin!), so to speak! I keep studying different transfering methods, as well. You need to make sure the design fits your quilt space - whether a block, or in the border. If it doesn't, you need to adjust it. I tend to free-hand my quilting designs, and I like to use points of reference on the block to "aim" for, with swirls or feathers, etc. Of course, in-the-ditch requires no pattern transfer. For straight lines, I use my ruler and chalk, either in pencil form or the gadget that rolls chalk on the quilt - Alex has demonstrated it when talking about marking quilts. Looks like a lipstick when closed. If using chalk, do a small part at a time, as it will dust off quickly.

Some people use a plain lead pencil, lightly, and there's a formula to make sure you get it out when finished - but I haven't tried it myself.

I also like the quilt marking pen that fades when it is exposed to air (you can mark only a small area at a time, tho), and also the blue marker that washes out with COLD water. Make sure you do not press the color in before washing! And thoroughly wet your quilt with cold water to remove it all.

Is this any help? I know there's also a lot of advice available on the internet, as well as this site. Sometimes you just have to try something and see if it works for you; if not, move on to the next idea.

Good luck! Linda from Wisconsin, moving to Arkansas, now in California... ( at my daughter's home)

[Judy M.]

The pencil remover formula - 3 parts rubbing alcohol, 1 part water, and a few drops of dish detergent that is NOT Dawn (something in in its grease releaser makes it no good) Wet the pencil marks and then dip a soft toothbrush in the mixture and GENTLY scrub the marks. I have not really tried this yet, but the lady who gave me the recipe marks all her quilt tops with a pencil and not one of her quilts has any marks still showing.

As for getting the marks from your paper to the quilt top here's an idea for you. Trace the marks onto the dull side of freezer paper (reverse the design if necessary)I've never tried to run freezer paper through the printer, but I think I remember someone telling me they did so you could even do that. Darken the lines using a dark pen or marker, then iron the freezer paper to the wrong side of your quilt top. The marks should show through, especially if you put it up to a window of light box and the freezer paper will stablize the fabric making it easy to trace the design using the marking tool of your choice. Remove freezer paper and you are ready to baste and quilt. I did this for my BOM background and it works beautifully.

[Judy M.]

Thanks, Mandy, for repeating the recipe! I'm going to write it down this time, so I don't have to go searching on the blogs to find it. I like your idea about the freezer paper, too...you're so smart!

[Judy M.]

Hi All, A friend showed a new technique at our quilt guild mtg. Buy some cheep tulle, kind of like bridal veil, only coarser. Lay this over the paper design and trace with a dark, maybe permenant marker. When you lay this ontop of your quilt, you'll see the lines. Now you can use your favorite marking tool, pencil, disappearing marker or chalk and go over the lines on the tulle. You'll have nice little dotted lines. Hope you find this works, she swears by it. JoAnn's sells a yard of tulle for $1.99 and you'll have plenty! NA in NY

[Judy M.]

I've used the netting to transfer patterns to my quilts and it works real well. I transferred the pattern to the netting with a permanent Sharpie pen and then used chalk or pencil to transfer the pattern to my fabric. I haven't tried using the 505 basting spray on the wrong side of the netting, but I'll bet that would hold the netting in place for transferring the design. I also found the recipe for pencil mark removal. Lyn Mann gave us this recipe when she spoke at our guild. 1/4 cup water, 3/4 cup rubbing alcohol and 7 to 8 drops of Palmolive dish detergent. Stir together and apply with a tooth brush.

[Margo C.]

1/4 cup water, 3/4 cup rubbing alcohol and 7 to 8 drops of Palmolive dish detergent. Stir together and apply with a tooth brush.

I had to remove penciled text from one whole side of my "Mama Said" quilt (see the picture on the Member Blog page) this past week-end and used the formula with Ivory dish detergent. It took a little bit of scrubbing with the toothbrush, but the marks came out!

[karen f.]

I've never tried this so I was wondering does it do anything funny to the fabric when you scrub it with a soft toothbrush?

[Patti P.]

I have used tissue paper instead of marking my quilts. I have photocopied the design and then put stacks of tissue paper (or I kept all that wrapping paper from my move) underneath the photocopy. Then I use a big needle like topstitching size and freemotion along the lines on the photocopy. Then spray baste the tissue onto the quilt and sew over the perforated lines. Then pull off the tissue paper (heavier paper pulls on the stitches when you are removing the paper and also lighter paper tears away easily not leaving little specks of paper in the stitching).

I wouldn't run freezer paper thru the copy machine without backing it with fabric. I have cut out 8 1/2 x11 size pieces of muslin that I keep for ironing freezer paper to to run thru the copier.

[Margo C.]

I've never tried this so I was wondering does it do anything funny to the fabric when you scrub it with a soft toothbrush?

Karen, I was careful not to SCRUB, but firmly rubbed the marks because I was afraid of the same thing, but I couldn't feel any difference when the fabric dried. I also worked on a folded towel to cushion the fabric.

[Judy M.]

Folded towel--good idea!

[karen f.]

Thanks for the info Margo. So nice to have a tester here.

[Margo C.]

Thanks for the info Margo. So nice to have a tester here.

Shoot....I wish I'd had a tester HERE today! I spent the better part of the afternoon and most of 2 fat quarters to put together one simple star block for the background of my next "Mama Said" ("GRAM SAYS") block. Just one of those days when nothing seemed to work out like it should have. AAAAAAACCCCCKKKKKKKK!!!!!!
Directional prints have about done me in tonight!
At least it's done, and I can start appliquing. Trying a new method there, too, and so far I'm liking it A LOT!

[Margo C.]

We all know that freezer paper isn't just for the kitchen anymore, but I have used a product call Press n' Seal for marking my quilt sandwich. It's clear plastic film, like Saran Wrap , that has little "dots" of adhesive on the underside. I transfer my pattern to the film using a Sharpie or other permanent maker. Just stick the film where it needs to be on the quilt, then just sew right over it. It works great. The film sticks to the fabric and the design is really easy to see and follow. After you're done sewing, just peel the film away and toss it! So now, my freezer paper & Press N' Seal are in the sewing room, not the kitchen!

[Margo C.]

I have seen so many methods I am just plain confused. I don't have much time as I work fulltime to try different things. I also live in a rural area and can't just run to the store and get supplies when the time avails itself.

I would like to know any of your suggestions in transferring a quilt design I have on plain old copy paper I downloaded off the internet on to my quilt top.

Thanks so much for your help.

Love the website.

Vonna in Texas

Hi Vonna,

I posted this on another forum on this same topic a while back, but will repeat it here.

I use my scanner to copy and my PC to size quilting designs just right, and then print them onto regular printer paper. Next, for med/dark colored fabrics, I rub soap heavily all over the wrong side of the paper ensuring that the quilt design is completely covered. For light colored fabrics I use a silver quilter's marking pencil instead of the soap. Then I use my tracing wheel to trace the design onto the quilt. One advantage is that the little dots made by the tracing wheel are evenly spaced and will help a handquilter evenly space the quilt stitches.

Hopefully, this helps.

Nancy