Mark Those Fabrics!
There are many pens and markers available to use for marking fabric for quilting and embroidery. Water soluble, air soluble or heat soluble; which one is the best? Blue lines, purple lines or white lines; which one is the most needed? How are the marked lines removed from the fabric? Can the marks be pressed with an iron and then removed? Which kind of pen should you use on what kind of project? Here are some different pens and tips for marking each one.
Water Soluble Pens - Water soluble pens mark a blue line that is removed with water. Some blue marking pens mark a fine, thin line and are great to use for really precise markings that need to be made. There are also blue markers that make a brighter, thicker line. These can be used when you need a bold line on a piece of fabric. The blue lines are removed by spritzing with water or dunking the fabric in water. The heavier the line, the more water is needed to rinse away the markings. The markings from water soluble pens will stay in the fabric until they are rinsed out with water.
One of my favorite water soluble pens is the Collins Fine Line marking pen which marks a thin, fine line. I use it for precise markings that I need to do. My other favorite is the water soluble marker by Collins, called the Wonder Marker. The Wonder Marker marks a brighter, bolder line which shows up better on some fabrics where the fine line pen does not.
With the numerous classes I have taught, I have used these all the time to mark quilt blocks, placement stitches and embroidery designs for my students. I have used them on cottons, muslin, linen and satins and not had a bit of trouble! I have even pressed over the lines with an iron and still been able to rinse the lines away in water. I wouldn't recommend that you press over them, but I have done it many, many times and not had any problem rinsing away the lines. Always, always test your fabric with the pen your using on a fabric scrap before using it on your project to be certain it can be removed.
Air Soluble Pens - Air soluble pens mark a bright purple line and come with a fine tip for marking thin lines or in a marker which marks a bright, bold line. Depending on the brand of pen and type of fabric you are using, the purple lines will stay marked on the fabric for one hour to twenty-four hours. The lines will disappear after a while or can also be removed with water. This is a great choice of pen if you are needing a quick mark for something you are doing at the moment. Don't mark something that you will be using the next day because those lines won't be there!
I use Collins Fine Line marking pen if I'm needing an air soluble pen. I don't use this pen very often, mainly because I may not complete my project within a few hours and I need my lines to stay there longer. But it's handy to have for a quick marking I'm needing at the moment.
Heat Soluble Pens - Heat soluble pens mark a white line on your fabric. If your fabric is not washable or you are not planning to rinse your fabric or project in water, then this is the pen to use. It marks a line that is visible and can be removed by running a hot iron over the marks. For darker fabrics this white line is more visible than a blue or purple line.
The Clover white marking pen is the best heat soluble pen I have used. It takes a moment or two after the line is drawn for the white mark to appear, but the line is precise and easy to see. Plus it disappears by running a hot iron over the marks. The Miracle Marker is the other white pen I like using because it instantly marks on the fabric and is still removed by a hot iron.
Not only do all these pens have different ways of marking and different ways for removal, but they also are different colors which allows you to mark on all colors of fabric. The blue and purple pens will not show up on a darker fabric, but a white marker will. On white or lighter fabrics, the blue or purple pen is the obvious choice. The pen or marker you choose to use may be based on a fine or bold line, the way the mark is removed or the color of the mark. It's best to have one of each on hand, so when you need it, you have it!
Keep in mind that with any pen or marker you use, always do a test sample on the fabric you are using. Fabrics react differently to each one. Also, be careful of setting the marks by pressing with an iron or drying in the dryer. Always test on a sample piece of fabric to be sure the marks can be removed when your project is complete!
Water Soluble Pens - Water soluble pens mark a blue line that is removed with water. Some blue marking pens mark a fine, thin line and are great to use for really precise markings that need to be made. There are also blue markers that make a brighter, thicker line. These can be used when you need a bold line on a piece of fabric. The blue lines are removed by spritzing with water or dunking the fabric in water. The heavier the line, the more water is needed to rinse away the markings. The markings from water soluble pens will stay in the fabric until they are rinsed out with water.
One of my favorite water soluble pens is the Collins Fine Line marking pen which marks a thin, fine line. I use it for precise markings that I need to do. My other favorite is the water soluble marker by Collins, called the Wonder Marker. The Wonder Marker marks a brighter, bolder line which shows up better on some fabrics where the fine line pen does not.
With the numerous classes I have taught, I have used these all the time to mark quilt blocks, placement stitches and embroidery designs for my students. I have used them on cottons, muslin, linen and satins and not had a bit of trouble! I have even pressed over the lines with an iron and still been able to rinse the lines away in water. I wouldn't recommend that you press over them, but I have done it many, many times and not had any problem rinsing away the lines. Always, always test your fabric with the pen your using on a fabric scrap before using it on your project to be certain it can be removed.
Air Soluble Pens - Air soluble pens mark a bright purple line and come with a fine tip for marking thin lines or in a marker which marks a bright, bold line. Depending on the brand of pen and type of fabric you are using, the purple lines will stay marked on the fabric for one hour to twenty-four hours. The lines will disappear after a while or can also be removed with water. This is a great choice of pen if you are needing a quick mark for something you are doing at the moment. Don't mark something that you will be using the next day because those lines won't be there!
I use Collins Fine Line marking pen if I'm needing an air soluble pen. I don't use this pen very often, mainly because I may not complete my project within a few hours and I need my lines to stay there longer. But it's handy to have for a quick marking I'm needing at the moment.
Heat Soluble Pens - Heat soluble pens mark a white line on your fabric. If your fabric is not washable or you are not planning to rinse your fabric or project in water, then this is the pen to use. It marks a line that is visible and can be removed by running a hot iron over the marks. For darker fabrics this white line is more visible than a blue or purple line.
The Clover white marking pen is the best heat soluble pen I have used. It takes a moment or two after the line is drawn for the white mark to appear, but the line is precise and easy to see. Plus it disappears by running a hot iron over the marks. The Miracle Marker is the other white pen I like using because it instantly marks on the fabric and is still removed by a hot iron.
Not only do all these pens have different ways of marking and different ways for removal, but they also are different colors which allows you to mark on all colors of fabric. The blue and purple pens will not show up on a darker fabric, but a white marker will. On white or lighter fabrics, the blue or purple pen is the obvious choice. The pen or marker you choose to use may be based on a fine or bold line, the way the mark is removed or the color of the mark. It's best to have one of each on hand, so when you need it, you have it!
Keep in mind that with any pen or marker you use, always do a test sample on the fabric you are using. Fabrics react differently to each one. Also, be careful of setting the marks by pressing with an iron or drying in the dryer. Always test on a sample piece of fabric to be sure the marks can be removed when your project is complete!
Labels: Fabric Tips, Helpful Lessons, Pressing/Ironing, Tips for Tools
posted by Serena at 11:13 PM
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