Blue Markers

[Sue G.]

Do you use those blue markers for marking your tops? Here's a tale for you to ponder:

I had a cream and blue queen sized quilt (Jacobs Fan pattern), which was hand and machine pieced. I used the blue marker to mark the entire top before basting it, and began to quilt. Got about a third of the way through, put it away for probably a year (who among us doesn't have a UFO like that in their closet, right?) and when I took it out the blue marker had bleached out the blue fabric, leaving an orange line that could not be fixed short of replacing the fabric. After much soul searching, it all went into the trash. So - if you use one of those pens, only mark what you will quilt in the near future, and follow this advice from Alex - be sure to keep the quilt out of direct sunlight and don't iron it with the blue marker on it. Heat will set the marker!

[Sue G.]

So sorry to hear of your loss - :cry: Thanks for the info. I do use the marker but tend to do an area at a time, not the whole quilt. I did know you couldn't iron it, but I sure didn't know it would damage a quilt if it sat too long! I do remember you're supposed to wash it thoroughly to remove it.

[Sue G.]

OUCH :x I feel your pain.... :evil:
Florence

[Sue G.]

I didn't know that it could do that, thank you for the warning. I just started using the blue pens. I have found that using the tide marker works great for taking it out immediately. Sorry that you had to learn this the hard way.

[Jo H.]

"After much soul searching, it all went into the trash."

Oh Sue.... I'm so sorry.

Please consider if an awful mishap ever happens again where you think all is lost and that the item must be tossed, to please post on the list first for alternative ideas.

I go to garage sales and salvage the unsalvagable quilt tops and whole quilts. I take them home and throw them in the washer for a good cleaning. After drying the quilt and checking out the best parts of the quilt, I create Honey Bears out of the good parts. I lightly stuff the bears and add hand embroidery for the eyes, nose, and mouth and then the new little creatures find new homes with the police and fire departments where they are given out to children when needed.

Sew no quilt needs to go away unloved. They can all find new lives as quilt creatures.

[Lynn K.]

Have used the blue markers with no problem..............but am hesitant to do so since I started hearing horror stories! I marked a whole top (mark as you go) and just kept a small glass of water and a q-tip close by when I had passed an area.

I now feel very lucky!

I can't imagine how hard it was to toss it!

[Eileen K.]

You have to be very careful with these markers. Make sure you don't use them on any value of red fabric. They will discolor it.

I spoke to Didi McElroy(of Roxanne Quilting) a few years ago about these. She told me that her labs had done something to age fabric very quickly and the marks from the blue markers came back as brown.

If you do use them, wash the quilt when it's done. Don't rely on just dabbing at the ink. You may be pushing the color down into your batting. Immerse the quilt completely in cold water like you would if you were trying to dissolve water soluble thread.

eileenkny

[Eileen K.]

I have had trouble getting blue markers out of the fabric. I wet the fabric and it's gone but when it dries it is back again. I have had to really drown :roll: the fabric at times. I am going to stop using them and use the chalk pencils or dark or white charcoal pencils. They stay for awhile but come out easily.
Carolyn

[Lynn K.]

sounds like throwing them away is a great idea! Who needs THAT kind of mistake?

[Judy M.]

I've never had a problem with the blue markers--they just dry out too fast. I have always been careful about heat and used a spray bottle of water to thoroughly clear out any blue markings just after finishing a portion of the quilt. (The "rinse-as-you-go" method!) I always soak the finished quilt in PLAIN WATER in the washing machine before I wash it. I used this method on a 1930's Double Wedding Ring that I quilted many years ago and have never had a problem. I've been using the Crayola Washable Markers lately because they don't dry out so fast.

[Sue G.]

Thanks, everyone, for your kind words and sympathy. Only a quilter really knows how hard it is to throw away a quilt even if it is pretty much ruined. I really learned my lesson and now only use the silver pencil or a very light #2.