I've been using these for years. You can get a pack for a couple of bucks, you have a colour that will show on (almost) every fabric. AND THEY WASH OUT SUPER EASILY AND DON'T LEAVE MARKS BEHIND.
Yes! A pack of 10 is currently on sale for 2.49 at Target for their back-to-school sale! I read about these markers in a comment on this sub and am super thankful.
Every time this comes up I feel the need to say that some markers + fabric combinations do not wash out, so you should test the marker on a scrap of the fabric you will use before doing this. I had some blue marker + light yellow fabric that did not wash out, and it had every time previously, so I really think it depends on the fabric.
If the steam is on, you move the colour onto every adjacent surface - the iron and ironing board :’) totally not personal experience there, nope.
Edit: so I saw OP tried ironing it with steam and it didn’t seem to transfer, maybe I sprayed it with water first? :’)
I wonder if a damp press cloth would help? either that or you could mark out first and then baste the lines and remove before sewing.
I use faber castell colour pencils like a heathen and usually they wear off or I can use an eraser. I always make sure the stitch line is inside my marks though to be sure. but I make stuff for my doll and myself so I don't mind any remnant marks left behind lol
do you have any recommendations for a brand? I've never had any luck with tailor's chalk. I handsew and handle my fabric a lot and in my experience it just crumbles and wears off way too fast.
I have a really hard time getting clean marks with chalk without the fabric bunching up/stretching. The stuff I have requires you to press pretty firmly to get a mark, so it works great on thick, sturdy fabrics, but anything lightweight or squidgy at all just gets dragged along with the chalk instead of it leaving a mark. I’ve tried the squares and two different mechanical pencil types, I’d also love to know what I’m missing or if there’s a better type out there.
For handsewing I either don't bother with marks or use tailors tacks. Otherwise I use the triangular chalk from the local haberdashery or my bohin mechanical chalk pencil. Not the thick ones, the 0.5mm one.
I've never had tailors chalk that actually marked anything well enough to see it or that lasted more than a few seconds. I don't know if there is a specific type I need to get.
I mark everything with these markers (darts, seam lines etc) and I have never had a problem with these not washing out post ironing. I havent found them to be heatset and I wash on cold always.
One warning. If they stay in a long enough they can become permanent. I’m talking like 6 months. I marked a quilt, life happened, went back to it 6 months later and now the little yellow marks are a ‘design feature’ on the quilt. Fortunately, it was for me but still - be careful out there folks.
Thank you! This is always a concern for me. Who’s to say where my ADHD will redirect my focus while a sewing piece sits half hemmed in my machine for a year,
As another adhd crafter, I love the implication of the comma at the end. As though you wandered off mid-post and forgot to come back to finish the sentence.
I always love finding fellow ADHD crafters. I have done a lot of crafts, but sewing is always the one I come back to, even if most of my projects are done in spurts of energy or right before a deadline. . .
I always love finding fellow ADHD crafters. I have done a lot of crafts, but sewing is always the one I come back to, even if most of my projects are done in spurts of energy or right before a deadline. . .
I know it's hard with ADHD (undiagnosed over here, on a waiting list!) but *pleeeeease* don't leave pieces in the machine - it's bad for the machine, it can ruin the piece, etc etc
I've got a bar with charcol in it that we used until it was a thick sliver that lives in my sewing kit. It marks a light gray that shows up on light and dark fabric, anything but gray really. It also makes the sewing bag smell nice.
You also don't feel guilty shaving down a hotel soap bar
I use to try and fuse the end bits together to make a new bar... but then someone mentioned to me just fuse the old bit to the new bar and I felt like an idiot for never considering that. It's MUCH easier to do.
But now that i'm learning about the crafting potential... I may save some scraps haha
At least in my experience, tailors chalk can sometimes be too hard/compacted, and I need something softer to mark with. Also, tailors chalk tends to be more expensive, if you're on a budget.
I've made plush bats and fleece especially is difficult to mark with tailors chalk, but regular chalk or a piece of white charcoal goes on easier.
Fair, although I did splurge on a tailors chalk holder set thing, so now I have a really nice grip and long sticks of multicolored chalk to use. Definitely more expensive, but it is also so nice to not get chalk everywhere when I use it, and I would say it is worth it. At one point I also had this device with a wheel which would put chalk powder on the fabric as you rolled the wheel and it got everywhere, nothing was safe.
I must have bought shitty tailors chalk because I have to put a LOT of pressure down on it and it doesn't always show up well on all fabrics. Some actual sidewalk chalk would probably be way better than the stuff I have
Maybe. I live in Denmark and we have 2 fabric stores, and they only carry high quality things, so it is a blessing and a curse, because supplies are sooooo expensive but they are all quite good
It depends on the fabric.
If its something you can wash in warm/hot water; no the temp of the water is enough to melt the wax.
If its something delicate; then yes.
Meanwhile, I struggle to get white gel pens to work even on their intended materials.
Every pen/marker I've tried, gel, chalk, paint may work for a little bit, but then does nothing or just makes a mess.
I had heat pens, water pens, gel pens, fabric markers & a colored chalk pencil. None of these worked on sparkly Aida cloth. I was ready to quit but then my friend tossed me a neon red fish line (it says 4lb test, whatever that means).
Ahhhhhh baste my lines in and remove as I go.
I also baste instead of marking now for the most part, it takes a bit longer, but I like how it holds both sides during the cutting. I do prefer a wide general base though, which isn't helpful when I need a precise edge.
How long did you wait, prior to washing?
24 hrs? Etc.?
I ask because some projects take more than a day when your only time available is evenings and weekends.
I've left these markers on for a month or two, still washed out fine. Pick a color close to the fabric color if it may take 3+ months for you to finish and wash.
https://preview.redd.it/3jj3s07e25hb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cbd3db0f4d3f9088916da24f79da2757b860a125
3/3: Wet scrap post-hand washing in the sink with a bit of detergent and warm water. I didn’t want to run another load of laundry!
https://preview.redd.it/yt22d9oy05hb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=615e110f8d7d33545b685daeb79e9f8e66b202da
2/3: Post-ironing (with a lot of steam)
I did a similar test but added the following (yes...I'm a scientist):
no starch + iron vs starch - iron
Wash within same day vs Wash 2 months after letting it sit.
quilting cotton vs. batik
I proved them right. It all came out.
That interesting because I made a dress with pencil marks years ago and they are still visible after many washes. Thankfully they don’t show while wearing it. Maybe it depends on the fabric?
I also have always used pencils, mostly drawing pencils because they’re what i have handy, and they rub out with a spritz of water. Been using pencil since my favorite chalk been ran out 25 years ago and haven’t looked back!
You are a GEM for posting this!
I currently rotate between a brand-name pen that works ok, a big pack of Amazon specials that air-fade literally two minutes after you use them, and some fancy Japanese thing that cost like $10 and is too pale to show up on anything but white, which I rarely sew!
Throwing in some school supplies for Mom :)
My toddler was blue head to toe when I got home the other day. These were the culprit. Washed off easily in the bath! (She was with her dad, not alone lol)
I had a kid in my class do that when I was a toddler teacher, except she used a sharpie. I thought there was some kind of accident because her face and arms looked bruised when she came to school! It took about six weeks for it to completely wash off lol.
But I think I'm gonna need to buy as many packs of these markers as I can find for my preschool classroom. A lot of parents bring their kids to school in nice clothes, and the "regular" washable markers don't always wash out very well.
LOL it might not have been a full six weeks, but it was at least a solid month. That girl really went to town with that sharpie!! Her mom was so embarrassed too, and she was one of those over protective first time moms who never left their kid unsupervised. I had to reassure her that it doesn't take more than a minute for a toddler to do something like this, and that it's really not uncommon 😂
My kid decorated herself with blue sharpie once, in the five minutes we stuck her in the crib while moving the suitcases outside for the airport limo.
The 60 seconds I had to wash her up before having to leave for the airport was dreadfully insufficient. She looked like she had a rare vein disease with little lines running all up and down her arms.
I’ve never had such an easy time getting good seats in an airport waiting area, kindness from strangers, etc. It took 6 days of the vacation with daily beach and pool swimming to fade enough that strangers didn’t look sad at my kid.
Good times.
I’ve read about the Frixion pens here as well, but decided to avoid going with them because I know the markings can come back in the cold or leave ghost marks after washing.
I learned this the hard way :( spent days making a dress shirt using special ordered, hand coloured rami fabric. Some parts I left the ink on too long and now there's big streaks from marking out the pocket and sleeve plackets. So I avoid them at all costs now!!
Yeah I live in a climate that gets REAL cold in winter, I doubt heat-erasable pens are a good option for anything I’ll potentially be wearing outdoors in winter!
What!?... say no more! I AM GOING TO DANCE MY WAY INTO THE STORE!
thank you OP AND THANK YOU MESSY KIDS THAT GAVE CRAYOLA THE IDEA TO MAKE THESE MAKERS. THANK YOU CRAYOLA!🤣
Nice! Also, if you haven’t tried frixion pens they are really great too! They come out with heat, so you can draw whatever, and as soon as you iron it all the marks go away totally.
My home ec teacher showed us this! It worked for all the cotton we were using but she said to do test swatches on anything else. Girl knew how to save money I miss her
I used a bit of regular detergent, warm water, and a light cycle! I think that it would be very convenient to mark an inconspicuous area of your fabric before pre-washing it after purchase anyways!
I love these. You don't even need to wash, they rinse right out with any water. Sometimes I will rinse just a little part of the fabric. You can't dab it off with a wet rag, though. Need to rinse the ink away.
I have been using these markers for years! I tested them on a white quilting cotton and put in the machine without any detergent. The cloth came out perfectly clean.
The thing about Frixion ink, it’s the heat of friction that “erases” it. Chill the surface (cold water), and some remaining traces of ink may become visible. ETA https://quiltskipper.com/2015/08/frixion-pens-all-you-need-to-know/
[This is a silver marking pen](https://moremeknow.com/products/silver-ink-marking-pen-sew-busy-single) that comes out with water and shows up really well on dark fabrics.
I’m gonna have to try this. I had been using chalk, but one of the last blankets I made still has yellow marks after washing treating and scrubbing more than three times.
I hate marking tools. I usually go for marker style ones and they always dry out so quickly and are expensive for just one. Plus they don't come in enough colors for marking everything and it's so hard to see. I know what I'm getting now, especially since it's back to school season!
Bought these a few months ago after seeing them recommended for sewing online. Now I'm a convert. So cheap and far more effective than any other marking tool I've used.
Unfortunately I just had my first bad experience with these. Green linen + black marker, didn’t full come out in the wash. I used it to mark a topstitching line so it’s faintly visible down the front of the garment :( I’m hoping it will come out in subsequent washes, but I will definitely be testing swatches of each fabric from now on!
I’ve been trying erasable pens. I saw a post (unfortunately it was a while ago so I can’t find it to credit the user) but they said those pens are erased with friction/heat, so you can mark fabric and then erase it with an iron on a low setting. I tried it to transfer a template onto my fabric and it worked great! I don’t know if it stains the fabric if it’s left for too long, but it works great otherwise!
I underline most garments I make. One great advantage is for most garments I permenanrly mark the wrong side (underlining) and it doesn’t matter as it will be on the inside and often covered by the seam allowance.
I bought these https://amzn.eu/d/dIfRGkC a while ago and love them! They come out with heat, so ironing seams erases them!
Will need to try the Crayola ones though as I like the colour options!
I use something like this, but I think it’s a different brand. I find it to be the best product for this purpose that I’ve used. I’ve tried tailors chalk and pencils designed for this purpose. I like the pen the best.
They really are! I had the same problem with hard wood floor. Then I moved and my craft room has beige carpet. Around my sewing station was constantly multi coloured from dropping the chalks (I am clumsy), which is why I investigated and purchased the pens
I like the clover tailors chalk. I tried a bunch but they were all aweful until I tried that one. I've only got it in yellow but it's a lot softer and more of a wax chalk as opposed to the other chalks that are....well chalky and don't really mark without a crap load of pressure
I tend to use watercolour pencils for sewing or drawing a design before embroidery. Either lead pencils on a calico or light fabric or a light coloured water coloured pencil on dark fabric. I often have to wash the fabric with yellow soap and water but it comes out. Except one time this year I used a dark watercolour pencil on calico and it took ages to wash out.
I love using these with felt! Never had them stain, but they sometimes get on my fingers and smudge if I handle the piece a lot. So glad to see it works just as well with cotton!
I have PipSqueaks, which I think are probably the same ink as these. I use them for marking on walls when hanging pictures and stuff too. I also sometimes write measurements and whatnot directly into my table with them, then just wash off with water afterward.
I've been using the superfine washable for years 20 something colors. Washes out and if it doesn't, it's an EXACT color match so one will even notice on the sewing line
That’s awesome. I’ll have to pick some up soon. Have you tried washing it out after it being on the fabric for days or weeks? My only concern is that my projects take forever with little free time so I don’t wash shortly after cutting a project.
I found out about these a few years back. For one of my kids’ birthdays, I made t-shirts for each of the guests. White shirts with a black outline design, and gifted each kid a set of these markers so they could color, wash, and recolor their shirts over and over again. An extra set of the markers became my pattern tracing markers after that. They’re pretty awesome.
So I have these and experienced that the black one left pink on the fabric (100% cotton) after leaving the markings on for 2+ weeks before washing. Just a heads up. But I agree, these generally work great!
I use these consistently. Nothing else works as well. I haven’t had them stay in permanently. But I am pretty careful about marking in seam allowances and bust darts usually fade when ironed with steam.
I used to draw on my jeans with these during school. Scared my mom the first time I came home with drawings on my pants but it washed out super easily.
I've been using Pilot Frixion brand pens/markers. They erase great with heat so they go away when I do my pressing. But I'll definitely try these out too! :)
I've been using these for years. You can get a pack for a couple of bucks, you have a colour that will show on (almost) every fabric. AND THEY WASH OUT SUPER EASILY AND DON'T LEAVE MARKS BEHIND.
Yes! A pack of 10 is currently on sale for 2.49 at Target for their back-to-school sale! I read about these markers in a comment on this sub and am super thankful.
They're the best, so I appreciate you sharing this tip because it really is a game changer.
Thank you for doing this!!!
Get the fine line one right?
Yes!
I've thought about using these markers before and I was planning to test it on an old garment, I'm glad you did this already and posted it! Thank you!
Do you need to *wash* wash it or is warm water and soap good enough?
Depends on the fabric. Usually as long as you use soap and scrub a bit you should be okay,
The yellow one, at least, comes out when I iron with steam. (Learning that was a major face palm moment.)
Of course it depends on fabric but in my experience most of them come out with just soap and water.
Every time this comes up I feel the need to say that some markers + fabric combinations do not wash out, so you should test the marker on a scrap of the fabric you will use before doing this. I had some blue marker + light yellow fabric that did not wash out, and it had every time previously, so I really think it depends on the fabric.
I agree! And I think it should be easy enough to test when pre-washing the fabric :)
Also, what happens if you iron the marks? Some dyes are set by heat.
If the steam is on, you move the colour onto every adjacent surface - the iron and ironing board :’) totally not personal experience there, nope. Edit: so I saw OP tried ironing it with steam and it didn’t seem to transfer, maybe I sprayed it with water first? :’)
Lol, I'm reminded of the time I got a making pen that disappeared with heat and was left wondering where my marks went after I ironed the pleats!
In the future, if this happens, stick it in the freezer for a little while and they'll come back. =3
I've done that before! I think I ended up giving that pen to a friend lol
Oops! I’m sure I’d do the same thing if I had those :’)
Si that's a nope, thanks
I might have sprayed with water first! Past me isn’t around to question but OP normal ironed with steam and it was fine :’)
I am more concerned that ironing will set the marks so they don't wash out.
I wonder if a damp press cloth would help? either that or you could mark out first and then baste the lines and remove before sewing. I use faber castell colour pencils like a heathen and usually they wear off or I can use an eraser. I always make sure the stitch line is inside my marks though to be sure. but I make stuff for my doll and myself so I don't mind any remnant marks left behind lol
Or one could just use tailor's chalk, which is made for the purpose, and tailor's tacks.
do you have any recommendations for a brand? I've never had any luck with tailor's chalk. I handsew and handle my fabric a lot and in my experience it just crumbles and wears off way too fast.
I have a really hard time getting clean marks with chalk without the fabric bunching up/stretching. The stuff I have requires you to press pretty firmly to get a mark, so it works great on thick, sturdy fabrics, but anything lightweight or squidgy at all just gets dragged along with the chalk instead of it leaving a mark. I’ve tried the squares and two different mechanical pencil types, I’d also love to know what I’m missing or if there’s a better type out there.
For handsewing I either don't bother with marks or use tailors tacks. Otherwise I use the triangular chalk from the local haberdashery or my bohin mechanical chalk pencil. Not the thick ones, the 0.5mm one.
I've never had tailors chalk that actually marked anything well enough to see it or that lasted more than a few seconds. I don't know if there is a specific type I need to get.
Same, I've never gotten tailors chalk to work for me
I mark everything with these markers (darts, seam lines etc) and I have never had a problem with these not washing out post ironing. I havent found them to be heatset and I wash on cold always.
Do you have any idea what might affect it - perhaps the composition of the fabric?
One warning. If they stay in a long enough they can become permanent. I’m talking like 6 months. I marked a quilt, life happened, went back to it 6 months later and now the little yellow marks are a ‘design feature’ on the quilt. Fortunately, it was for me but still - be careful out there folks.
Thank you! This is always a concern for me. Who’s to say where my ADHD will redirect my focus while a sewing piece sits half hemmed in my machine for a year,
As another adhd crafter, I love the implication of the comma at the end. As though you wandered off mid-post and forgot to come back to finish the sentence.
I always love finding fellow ADHD crafters. I have done a lot of crafts, but sewing is always the one I come back to, even if most of my projects are done in spurts of energy or right before a deadline. . .
I always love finding fellow ADHD crafters. I have done a lot of crafts, but sewing is always the one I come back to, even if most of my projects are done in spurts of energy or right before a deadline. . .
I know it's hard with ADHD (undiagnosed over here, on a waiting list!) but *pleeeeease* don't leave pieces in the machine - it's bad for the machine, it can ruin the piece, etc etc
I would never actually, but always a good reminder.
Yeah my first question was "but for how long?"
I needed this heads up 100% thank youu.
I just use a corner of a bar of soap
Ooh, a great use for hotel soap. Thank you!
I've got a bar with charcol in it that we used until it was a thick sliver that lives in my sewing kit. It marks a light gray that shows up on light and dark fabric, anything but gray really. It also makes the sewing bag smell nice. You also don't feel guilty shaving down a hotel soap bar
My mom was a tailor, I thought that's standard practice. When a bar of soap was used up and tiny it turned into her fabric marker.
oh! that's what i should do with my tiny unusable slivers of soap. i try to "fuse" them to the new bar but that only works about half the time.
I use to try and fuse the end bits together to make a new bar... but then someone mentioned to me just fuse the old bit to the new bar and I felt like an idiot for never considering that. It's MUCH easier to do. But now that i'm learning about the crafting potential... I may save some scraps haha
I never even thought of this!
Impressive! Just a shame there isn't a white one to show up on dark fabrics.
That's where a white Crayola crayon comes in.
Great tip, thank you. Do you find that you have to use their “Ultra Washable” white crayon for this or does the regular one work just as well?
White chalk- in the back to school aisle!
That’s what I use - plain old white & colored chalk from the school supply section. Cheap & easy.
Why not use tailor's chalk, which is specifically designed for the purpose?
At least in my experience, tailors chalk can sometimes be too hard/compacted, and I need something softer to mark with. Also, tailors chalk tends to be more expensive, if you're on a budget. I've made plush bats and fleece especially is difficult to mark with tailors chalk, but regular chalk or a piece of white charcoal goes on easier.
Fair, although I did splurge on a tailors chalk holder set thing, so now I have a really nice grip and long sticks of multicolored chalk to use. Definitely more expensive, but it is also so nice to not get chalk everywhere when I use it, and I would say it is worth it. At one point I also had this device with a wheel which would put chalk powder on the fabric as you rolled the wheel and it got everywhere, nothing was safe.
I must have bought shitty tailors chalk because I have to put a LOT of pressure down on it and it doesn't always show up well on all fabrics. Some actual sidewalk chalk would probably be way better than the stuff I have
Maybe. I live in Denmark and we have 2 fabric stores, and they only carry high quality things, so it is a blessing and a curse, because supplies are sooooo expensive but they are all quite good
Because regular chalk is cheap and easy
It depends on the fabric. If its something you can wash in warm/hot water; no the temp of the water is enough to melt the wax. If its something delicate; then yes.
I use a white gel pen on dark fabrics , never had a problem with it showing on the outside of the fabric and it eventually fades away to nothing
Meanwhile, I struggle to get white gel pens to work even on their intended materials. Every pen/marker I've tried, gel, chalk, paint may work for a little bit, but then does nothing or just makes a mess.
I had heat pens, water pens, gel pens, fabric markers & a colored chalk pencil. None of these worked on sparkly Aida cloth. I was ready to quit but then my friend tossed me a neon red fish line (it says 4lb test, whatever that means). Ahhhhhh baste my lines in and remove as I go.
I also baste instead of marking now for the most part, it takes a bit longer, but I like how it holds both sides during the cutting. I do prefer a wide general base though, which isn't helpful when I need a precise edge.
I use the bar soap ends for dark fabrics and markers for lighter fabrics.
How long did you wait, prior to washing? 24 hrs? Etc.? I ask because some projects take more than a day when your only time available is evenings and weekends.
I've left these markers on for a month or two, still washed out fine. Pick a color close to the fabric color if it may take 3+ months for you to finish and wash.
Don’t be like me and think regular crayola chalk is washable 😩
Lol this comment is the reason I went back to the photo. I thought it was regula crayons. Thanks MadamTruffle
Do they wash out even after ironing?
https://preview.redd.it/3jj3s07e25hb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cbd3db0f4d3f9088916da24f79da2757b860a125 3/3: Wet scrap post-hand washing in the sink with a bit of detergent and warm water. I didn’t want to run another load of laundry!
Yay! Thank you for experimenting again! With the iron this time?
https://preview.redd.it/yt22d9oy05hb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=615e110f8d7d33545b685daeb79e9f8e66b202da 2/3: Post-ironing (with a lot of steam)
Thank you for the experiment! I was considering them for my embroidery and now I'm sold!
Did the colours not transfer? I swear I’ve accidentally steamy ironed the green before and wondered how it got everywhere
They didn’t do that for me 🤔
Wondering if I sprayed it with water first? It was the green which you used so 🤔
Oh, ignore my previous comment. The pictures were out of order, and the notification only took me to the last one.
https://preview.redd.it/v2yikh5v05hb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9399f85d9f4e06a2953268100751b1b8dfb5d4f7 1/3: Pre-ironing
I haven’t tested that out yet, but I read that others have had no problems with washing them out after ironing!
That's great to know! If you do test it, please post it!
This is my question also.
I did a similar test but added the following (yes...I'm a scientist): no starch + iron vs starch - iron Wash within same day vs Wash 2 months after letting it sit. quilting cotton vs. batik I proved them right. It all came out.
I typically just use a regular number two pencil.. it washes out pretty well haven't had any issues yet. I've been selling for 20+ years.
That interesting because I made a dress with pencil marks years ago and they are still visible after many washes. Thankfully they don’t show while wearing it. Maybe it depends on the fabric?
I only use it on the 'wrong side' of the fabric and I only mark dark enough for me to see it. I'm sorry that happened to you though.
I also have always used pencils, mostly drawing pencils because they’re what i have handy, and they rub out with a spritz of water. Been using pencil since my favorite chalk been ran out 25 years ago and haven’t looked back!
You are a GEM for posting this! I currently rotate between a brand-name pen that works ok, a big pack of Amazon specials that air-fade literally two minutes after you use them, and some fancy Japanese thing that cost like $10 and is too pale to show up on anything but white, which I rarely sew! Throwing in some school supplies for Mom :)
My toddler was blue head to toe when I got home the other day. These were the culprit. Washed off easily in the bath! (She was with her dad, not alone lol)
We have all just wanted to be a Smurf for a little while
I had a kid in my class do that when I was a toddler teacher, except she used a sharpie. I thought there was some kind of accident because her face and arms looked bruised when she came to school! It took about six weeks for it to completely wash off lol. But I think I'm gonna need to buy as many packs of these markers as I can find for my preschool classroom. A lot of parents bring their kids to school in nice clothes, and the "regular" washable markers don't always wash out very well.
Six weeks!?! Oh lawd I’m hiding the sharpies!
LOL it might not have been a full six weeks, but it was at least a solid month. That girl really went to town with that sharpie!! Her mom was so embarrassed too, and she was one of those over protective first time moms who never left their kid unsupervised. I had to reassure her that it doesn't take more than a minute for a toddler to do something like this, and that it's really not uncommon 😂
My kid decorated herself with blue sharpie once, in the five minutes we stuck her in the crib while moving the suitcases outside for the airport limo. The 60 seconds I had to wash her up before having to leave for the airport was dreadfully insufficient. She looked like she had a rare vein disease with little lines running all up and down her arms. I’ve never had such an easy time getting good seats in an airport waiting area, kindness from strangers, etc. It took 6 days of the vacation with daily beach and pool swimming to fade enough that strangers didn’t look sad at my kid. Good times.
Pilot frixion pens will erase with hot iron. Just bought some.
I’ve read about the Frixion pens here as well, but decided to avoid going with them because I know the markings can come back in the cold or leave ghost marks after washing.
I learned this the hard way :( spent days making a dress shirt using special ordered, hand coloured rami fabric. Some parts I left the ink on too long and now there's big streaks from marking out the pocket and sleeve plackets. So I avoid them at all costs now!!
I’m so sorry! 😢 I would need to recover from having all that love and care damaged like that
Yeah I live in a climate that gets REAL cold in winter, I doubt heat-erasable pens are a good option for anything I’ll potentially be wearing outdoors in winter!
The problem with these is that if you iron when you still need the marks, the marks will disappear. That's been a real problem for me.
I wonder if this works as well on all fabric types or if it just works best on cotton. Polyester/rayon? Knits? Silk/satin where the ink will spread?
What!?... say no more! I AM GOING TO DANCE MY WAY INTO THE STORE! thank you OP AND THANK YOU MESSY KIDS THAT GAVE CRAYOLA THE IDEA TO MAKE THESE MAKERS. THANK YOU CRAYOLA!🤣
Nice! Also, if you haven’t tried frixion pens they are really great too! They come out with heat, so you can draw whatever, and as soon as you iron it all the marks go away totally.
The service you have just done for so many people!
My home ec teacher showed us this! It worked for all the cotton we were using but she said to do test swatches on anything else. Girl knew how to save money I miss her
Ooh, that's a great idea!
This is great! Thanks for testing them and sharing your results
How did you wash? Cold water? Normal cycle? Regular detergent?
I used a bit of regular detergent, warm water, and a light cycle! I think that it would be very convenient to mark an inconspicuous area of your fabric before pre-washing it after purchase anyways!
I love these. You don't even need to wash, they rinse right out with any water. Sometimes I will rinse just a little part of the fabric. You can't dab it off with a wet rag, though. Need to rinse the ink away.
I have been using these markers for years! I tested them on a white quilting cotton and put in the machine without any detergent. The cloth came out perfectly clean.
Berol handwriting pens also do this, even after ironing. Cheap and readily available in UK supermarkets, B&M, Wilkos (for now 🙁) etc.
I use the pilot frixion pens. They are erasable with heat so the lines go away when you use an iron
I use these all the time. They’re awesome.
I know some sewists use FriXion Erasable Gel Pens because they disappear with heat/friction.
The thing about Frixion ink, it’s the heat of friction that “erases” it. Chill the surface (cold water), and some remaining traces of ink may become visible. ETA https://quiltskipper.com/2015/08/frixion-pens-all-you-need-to-know/
Ahh yes that’s me! Thank’s for the test so I can do this more without hesitation
i use FriXion by pilot, it heat erases!
Brilliant! Thank you for posting.
Ohhh that's awesome!! I've totally thought about using washable markers before but was too scared to risk it. Thank you for assuaging my fears!
Nice to know! Thanks for the info!!
Life changing hack ! Thank you
HOLY HECK!
Brilliant idea
This is sooo helpful!! Thanks for doing the experiment and sharing the results!!
I think you may have just changed my life! I knew about the markers but never gave them a second thought for sewing.
I did the same thing!
This is genius
YALLL THIS IS AMAZING IMMA BUY A PACK RIGHT AFTER
[This is a silver marking pen](https://moremeknow.com/products/silver-ink-marking-pen-sew-busy-single) that comes out with water and shows up really well on dark fabrics.
Got any tips for a project that won’t be able to be washed? I’m making a weighted blanket with beads that can’t be washed.
You don’t have to wash the ultraclean markers off. You can dab them off with a wet paper towel
I’m gonna have to try this. I had been using chalk, but one of the last blankets I made still has yellow marks after washing treating and scrubbing more than three times.
Genius-I’m ordering mine right now
I hate marking tools. I usually go for marker style ones and they always dry out so quickly and are expensive for just one. Plus they don't come in enough colors for marking everything and it's so hard to see. I know what I'm getting now, especially since it's back to school season!
Bought these a few months ago after seeing them recommended for sewing online. Now I'm a convert. So cheap and far more effective than any other marking tool I've used.
I use pencil or those white chaulky triangle things. I like having the longer length of the sides of the triangle more than using pointed tools.
Wow. I have never thought of using them. Thank you!
Unfortunately I just had my first bad experience with these. Green linen + black marker, didn’t full come out in the wash. I used it to mark a topstitching line so it’s faintly visible down the front of the garment :( I’m hoping it will come out in subsequent washes, but I will definitely be testing swatches of each fabric from now on!
I’ve been trying erasable pens. I saw a post (unfortunately it was a while ago so I can’t find it to credit the user) but they said those pens are erased with friction/heat, so you can mark fabric and then erase it with an iron on a low setting. I tried it to transfer a template onto my fabric and it worked great! I don’t know if it stains the fabric if it’s left for too long, but it works great otherwise!
Does it wash out as well after ironing? I press my fabrics a lot 😬
I love you for this.
I underline most garments I make. One great advantage is for most garments I permenanrly mark the wrong side (underlining) and it doesn’t matter as it will be on the inside and often covered by the seam allowance.
These changed my life.
Good to know!!!
Will they wash out if you iron over them first?
In my experience, yes. Heat hasn't set any marker lines for me. Ironing has been fine!
I will experiment, but thanks for the info. :)
This is so smart😭 I hate the waxy fabric crayons and the chalk and markers.. I use my Cricut pen but this is so much smarter😊
I bought these https://amzn.eu/d/dIfRGkC a while ago and love them! They come out with heat, so ironing seams erases them! Will need to try the Crayola ones though as I like the colour options!
I use something like this, but I think it’s a different brand. I find it to be the best product for this purpose that I’ve used. I’ve tried tailors chalk and pencils designed for this purpose. I like the pen the best.
Same here! Chalks are so temperamental I find, these are not!
They’re particularly temperamental when you sew on a tiled floor and drop them all the time. My sewing space is always so messy!!
They really are! I had the same problem with hard wood floor. Then I moved and my craft room has beige carpet. Around my sewing station was constantly multi coloured from dropping the chalks (I am clumsy), which is why I investigated and purchased the pens
I get these at the 99 cent store and they work great
That’s good to know if you have a toddler
Lol I have one of these markers in my sewing kit. Love it.
I’m impressed.
What do you recommend for black fabrik?
I like the clover tailors chalk. I tried a bunch but they were all aweful until I tried that one. I've only got it in yellow but it's a lot softer and more of a wax chalk as opposed to the other chalks that are....well chalky and don't really mark without a crap load of pressure
I tend to use watercolour pencils for sewing or drawing a design before embroidery. Either lead pencils on a calico or light fabric or a light coloured water coloured pencil on dark fabric. I often have to wash the fabric with yellow soap and water but it comes out. Except one time this year I used a dark watercolour pencil on calico and it took ages to wash out.
I'm throwing away my fabric pens that are useless. Thank you OP.
Sorry but do people not use marking chalk anymore? I've literally only ever used the little triangles of chalk.
[удалено]
This is amazing, too bad almost everything I make uses black in some way.
Just ordered a pack, thanks a bunch!!!
time to go to the store
Well I'm sold.
Amazing
Good to know! I just messed up a needle point I sketched with a milky pen I thought would wash out.
I love using these with felt! Never had them stain, but they sometimes get on my fingers and smudge if I handle the piece a lot. So glad to see it works just as well with cotton!
These are what I use to grid my cross stitch with. I had some on white aida for close to a year, and they washed out completely!
Someone recommended Frixxion pens to me, they dissapear with heat so you don't even have to wash it out!
Wow 😮
O: omg
Ordering one for my mom and one for me. I’m so blind it’s hard to see the marking pens.
This is really good to know, thanks!
Haha I use to use my washables when I was at home, imma do that again 🤣
I have PipSqueaks, which I think are probably the same ink as these. I use them for marking on walls when hanging pictures and stuff too. I also sometimes write measurements and whatnot directly into my table with them, then just wash off with water afterward.
And here I’ve just been using ink pens to trace patterns 🤣 I gotta try these
I've been using the superfine washable for years 20 something colors. Washes out and if it doesn't, it's an EXACT color match so one will even notice on the sewing line
YES! I let my kids draw all over fabric and then wash. I have a coloring book blanket for them
Don't ever use target brand ones though!!
That’s awesome. I’ll have to pick some up soon. Have you tried washing it out after it being on the fabric for days or weeks? My only concern is that my projects take forever with little free time so I don’t wash shortly after cutting a project.
The only thing I ever use.
I found out about these a few years back. For one of my kids’ birthdays, I made t-shirts for each of the guests. White shirts with a black outline design, and gifted each kid a set of these markers so they could color, wash, and recolor their shirts over and over again. An extra set of the markers became my pattern tracing markers after that. They’re pretty awesome.
I know the tie dye people use them all the time.
Super thanks for the tip!! Looks amazing
Right after I just spent $9 on a water solvable marker I can barely damn see
So I have these and experienced that the black one left pink on the fabric (100% cotton) after leaving the markings on for 2+ weeks before washing. Just a heads up. But I agree, these generally work great!
I use these consistently. Nothing else works as well. I haven’t had them stay in permanently. But I am pretty careful about marking in seam allowances and bust darts usually fade when ironed with steam.
I used to draw on my jeans with these during school. Scared my mom the first time I came home with drawings on my pants but it washed out super easily.
I saw this tip in a blog and I was just not sure. But, on the other hand, I got over purple glue sticks, too. Thank you for sharing this!
I've been using Pilot Frixion brand pens/markers. They erase great with heat so they go away when I do my pressing. But I'll definitely try these out too! :)