Help! Used Frixion pen to mark my daughter's quilt

[Beth A.]

My 27 year old daughter spent the weekend making a quilt top for her brother-in-law, who is graduating from high school. (This is intended to be his college bedspread.) She is on a deadline, as his grad party is coming up in only 2 weeks.

She told me how she intended to quilt it, and I told her that to save time for her, I would mark all the quilting lines on it. For the first time, I used a Frixion pen because I used that on another quilt and it worked great - marks disappeared with a shot of steam.

Now I read on the internet that the marks never really disappear. I'm not really so worried about them reappearing after getting cold if they disappear again with a shot of steam, but I'm worried that they won't disappear.

Has anyone else had any problem with this? I thought it would be better than the blue erasable pen because much of the quilt is in blue tones, now I'm afraid to continue marking the rest of it and worried that she will think I ruined her beautiful quilt.

BethMI

[E.M. T.]

In my experience...so far...a good washing should remove enough residue of marker that it
will not reappear. That being said...it might take 2 and there are always exceptions ! :roll:
I have not had a problem...yet....

[Beth A.]

Idaho -

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I have been sick about this since realizing that it might not STAY disappeared. It is a gorgeous quilt and she has worked so hard on it and has no time to re-make anything during this entire summer, and so even giving him another one (late) would not be an option.

My tests with the iron were so successful that I never thought about reappearance. Before proceeding further, I will run some tests and run them thru the washer on hot, medium and cold and see what happens.

BethMI

[Lois B.]

Good to know, Marilyn. Beth keep us posted. Eager to hear other chime in. Thanks.

[Susan B.]

I had a problem getting the pen out from under stitching. Cindy Needham gave the hint of steaming the markings to get them removed. It works like a charm, and we don't have to smash the quilting with weight of the iron.

[Nancy R.]

Definitely do some testing. I used these pens on an Alzheimer's quilt that I steamed to get the marks out and rinsed but didn't wash. I put it in the freezer and the marks reappeared and I couldn't get them to disappear again using the iron. The marks were thin and unobtrusive enough that I left it, but lesson learned that I will be careful where I use these pens in the future. That said, if you aren't going to ship the quilt (so it might end up in the belly of a plane), then it's probably not a big worry. And washing with soap might get the marks out for you.

[Susan B.]

One note of caution from Cindy: stay away from the red/orange/yellow colors.

[Beth A.]

Thanks. I will DEFINITELY be steaming before the quilt is final-washed! I have successfully used steam to remove Frixion marks from fabric.It is just that I read today that the marks come back. YIKES!

BTW, instead of soap, I usually use detergent on my quilts, as I have a front-loading washer and the manufacturer states that the warranty on the washer is voided if I use anything except HE (high efficiency) washing products. I even called the manufacturer and asked about occasional use of Quilt Soap and was told that it contributed to the dreaded mold problem in that type of washer and would void the warranty.

BethMI

[Beth A.]

I have a front loader, and to avoid mould I just make sure that I periodically do a 'boil' wash usually on my towels &/or sheets - you can't beat really hot water for dealing with bugs, germs, mould etc. (according to my Mum & she was a rocket scientist, so I don't tend to argue with her :wink: )

[Beth A.]

Update:

My daughter finished quilting her quilt. I have been sick about the Frixion pen marks I wrote all over the quilt top, so early this morning I got up and steamed it.

VOILA!!! The marks came out!! I mean EVERYTHING.

In retrospect, I think that perhaps I tried steaming out those marks too soon after I put them on the quilt top. Every other time I used the pen, I only steamed them out after the quilting was done, which was several DAYS later.

This time, out of fear, I tried steaming them out only a few HOURS after I marked the quilt. Apparently, that was too soon. Lesson: Let it cure for a bit and THEN steam the marks out.

WAS I THANKFUL!!!! (And so was she!)

BethMI

[Margo C.]

I tested Frixion pens and found that even after steaming the marks away then washing the fabric samples like I would wash a utility quilt, the marks ALL returned after several hours in the freezer!
My quilts will never be in the freezer, but I do have friends and relatives living in very cold climates.
I will save the Frixion markers for the grandchildren to send secret messages to each other!

[Susan B.]

I hear you Margo! For me, instead of giving up on this pen, because sometimes it is just the only decent way to mark something, I'd just tell the recipient about the possibility that the marks may show up and how to get rid of them. Lord help us if we have our quilts in freezing temperatures for several hours :lol: :lol:

[Margo C.]

I'll just stick with Crayola Washable Markers because I KNOW that the marks wash out completely.

[Susan B.]

Point taken! Some of us have memory issues and need to be reminded :lol: