quilt marking with Crayola

15 years ago

I've just started playing around with World's Most Washable markers for marking a quilt. A member here said she'd never had a mark that wouldn't wash out, so I was experimenting. All my marks with every color so far rinsed out with just cold water under the faucet. I will have to let some marks set a couple of weeks and see them wash out before I use them on a quilt because I'm REALLY a suspicious person. Heck, I might even do a swatch that I iron!

My immediate first problem was the fat fat line the markers made. BUT, I cut a teeny corner off a zip lock bag and pushed the marker down to it, from inside the bag. Secured it with a rubber band. A bit messy inside the bag, but pristine on the outside.

My line now is very fine, about 1/4 the original size line--no bigger than my other ceramic mechanical pencils make.

And if you're wondering, the white ceramic mech pencils brush off just like chalk. No extra staying power that I can see, but of course the line is very fine. The black ceramic sticks just like regular pencil, and I haven't done any washing of ceramic yet.

Comments (6)

grammyp
15 years ago
Thanks for the update. I haven't used the washable markers on quilts, but they sure wash out of clothes.

beverly
rosajoe_gw
15 years ago
I use them and have never had a mark that did not wash out with only cold water.
I have never left the mark in very long before washing so I am interested in hearing about your test.
Thanks for the tip about the baggie, the markers are sometimes way too wide.
They are so cheap!!!!!!!!!!
Rosa
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mary_c_gw
15 years ago
I know other quilters who swear by the children's washable markers, and have great success with them.

I don't usually mark my quilts, but I will give you one caveat about any markers, even the standard made for fabric markers - if you're going to leave the marks in for a long time, keep the quilt away from light and heat.

I don't mean you have to freeze and work in the dark, LOL, but don't leave the marked top in the bright sunlight streaming through your window for days or weeks.
petalpatsy
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for the warning, Mary. I have to cover my Q-snap with a sheet anyway, since my kitties think I bought them a new hammock.

Maybe I ought to leave my marked bits in the window for a couple of weeks, since if I really used it on a quilt they'd be on the fabric for months.
mary_c_gw
15 years ago
Petalpatsy,

The quilt I had trouble with was from my Dad's church. They wanted it quilted for a raffle. Turns out it was 20 years old. No marks were visible, so I quilted it with a pantograph pattern and I bound it. I rinsed it in the washer. Yellow marks everywhere! She had used a blue water-soluble marker, but the quilt sat in her hot attic for years! She was really ticked, but finally acknowledged that even she couldn't see the markings after those long years.

The other horror story was from a long-arm quilter who had halogen lights over her machine. Halogen lights are white-hot bright and they can set any sort of marker in just a few hours. The quilt she left for a week under those lights never lost all the marks.

I know these are both extreme cases, but better safe than sorry.

Markers are safe, as long as you know the limitations.
petalpatsy
Original Author
15 years ago
Oh, I'm all for better safe than sorry! I've heard the sad stories about the blue water soluble markers. I've read that you can dab the marks away, leaving the residual dyes deeper in the fibers to change and age to yellow. I believe the recommendation is to truly soak the whole quilt and rinse thoroughly. Count me out!

If I have any doubts emerge about these WMW Crayola's, I can stick to my chalk covered with Press-n-Seal. That works, it's just unpleasant to look at while you're quilting all that time. Plus, I just want to know...the old cat killing problem, curiosity. The worse my eyes get, the more I like things to be really clear.