Disappearing Ink Pens Summary (LONG)
Cheryl Masuo Ing
opinions on disappearing ink pens. I finally have a bit of time to post
a summary of the responses I received. I'm reprinting my original post
followed by the responses. I'm crossposting, so I apologize if you get
this multiple times. Thanks to everyone who responded, and I'm sorry
it took so long to summarize.
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About a month ago, someone (sorry, I didn't save the post) posted how she
used disappearing ink pens. I was wondering what people thought about
using these pens. There are two types of pens. One is blue, and the ink
disappears when you wet the fabric. The other is purple, and the ink
disappears by itself (how long the ink remains depends on how humid it is).
I know these pens are really helpful in copying patterns, but I've also
have been told to avoid them if I could.
My quilting teacher told us of a woman who had done beautiful work on a
white-on-white quilt, only to find holes developing where the ink had been.
Granted, it had taken the poor woman 7 years to finish her quilt, and that
is probably part of the problem. My tole painting teacher (I paint on fabric)
has also told us that the ink will cause some type of damage to the fabric
fibers, and we should not use these types of pens.
Have you had any problems with these pens? What would you say is a "safe"
time period for the ink to remain on the fabric, if at all? I would
really appreciate any advice you can give. It takes me a really long time
to complete anything, and I don't want to risk ruining something like a
quilt because I used the wrong materials. If you don't use these pens,
what are your favorite marking materials?
Thanks for listening to me ramble and thanks in advance for the advice!
Cheryl
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From: ca...@Wattres.SJ.CA.US (Catherine Watt)
I've never really had any problems with the disappearing ink pens, except
for one that really has nothing to do with fabric... I did some shopping
one day, and crossed som things off my list, then wrote a check with the pen
I'd been using - a nice PURPLE FELT-TIP! Later, I noticed that my list
didn't have any deletions anymore! The guy at the store needed a few
minutes to understand what I was telling him, and then, just would not stop
laughing!
Don't let one of these pens get too close to the house supply! :)
Catherine Watt (ca...@wattres.sj.ca.us) KD6LSP
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From: arl...@isi.com (Arlene Cox)
If you decide to use these pens, be sure to test them on a scrap of the
fabric first. I have had the experience of using one on material that
was not 100% cotton. The ink would fade with water, but would not disappear!
On a couple of small cotton quilting projects, I marked the fabric, quilted
it pretty quick and the ink was completely gone - like magic!
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From: FN...@acad3.alaska.edu
I think I have used just about every marking system ever made, and
I am still looking for the perfect marking system. I was *very* unhappy
with both the blue and the purple markers. They both disappear too
rapidly for most of my projects, I seem to remember that you mentioned yours
would take a while. They don't disappear completely on all fabrics either.
You need to test them on the fabric you will be using. Both of them tend
to fade or disappear when ironed which was a problem for me, and the purple
would disappear with too much handling--must be my warm hands!
The best marking system I have found so far is a sharpened piece of
soap for dark/medium fabrics and a real cheap blue chalk for lighter material.
I haven't had any trouble with these not disappearing when rubbed lightly or
washed. If I am doing something that won't show too much, I use a berol
brand colored pencil which is cheap and very soft. The yellow shous up on
both light and dark fabrics. It seems to wash out very well, but I'm not
sure I would risk it on quilting lines that might show later. BTW don't
waste your money on those rolling chalk things. They don't show up very
well, brush off too easily, and are generally a pain in the neck to deal with
not to mention that the metal roller is sharp and can snag delicate material.
Hope this helps.
Kathe FN...@acad3.alaska.edu
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From: Nicole Vecchi <nve...@cscs.ch>
I responded to the original poster. I too have had problems with these
"disappearing" pens. Seems the only thing that disappears in the pigment,
not the chemical vehicle. Even after washing (which I do after finishing
every quilt) there is residue left. I had a client come back to me because
there were yellowish lines everywhere on the white fabrics, and a bleaching
effect on non-white fabrics. That was the last time I used those pens.
nicole
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From: maeh...@pro-novapple.clark.net (Mary Ann Harpe)
I have been told that some detergent will set these pens. I always run my
quilts thru a water only cycle before I wash in detergent and have had no
problems but I am not looking forward to the first wash on the quilt I've
worked on for years(Grandmother's Flower Garden) I originally used these
markers before I switched as it has taken me over 4 years to complete. I'm
afraid some of the lines will be set for life!
Mary Ann
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From: nr...@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.EDU ( Nancy Roth)
I use a transfer pencil which washes out. I've drawn a picture
on transfer paper and ironed it on and also drawn right on the t-shirts
I paint or adorn. I wash the shirt and the markings disappear.
I thought these were the greatest item made. Now I'm wondering
if I will have trouble with these shirts now. Too late now, but will
monitor the wear on the shirts (most stayed in my family) and let the
net now if I have problems.
I also used a regular pencil, but only where I would be placing
a bead or material over it so in case it didn't erase or wash out, it
wouldn't show.
Nancy
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From: wyl...@CSOS.ORST.EDU
I never use these pens becuse the stuff in them causes the fabric to rot,
and if you aren't careful, sometimes the color won't come out at all.
wyldwmn
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From: sn...@cornell.edu (Sylvain Bergeron)
In article <CJ8E...@news.Hawaii.Edu> Nancy Roth,
nr...@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.EDU writes:
> I use a transfer pencil which washes out. I've drawn a picture
>on transfer paper and ironed it on and also drawn right on the t-shirts
>I paint or adorn. I wash the shirt and the markings disappear.
> I thought these were the greatest item made. Now I'm wondering
>if I will have trouble with these shirts now. Too late now, but will
>monitor the wear on the shirts (most stayed in my family) and let the
>net now if I have problems.
> I also used a regular pencil, but only where I would be placing
>a bead or material over it so in case it didn't erase or wash out, it
>wouldn't show.
Nancy,
Could you simply make a sample with a (few) pieces of scrap cloth and the
different kinds of pens/markings (some may be heavier than others) and
just put them in the laundry every time you wash clothes? That would
give you the 'accelerated' evaluation program...
BTW, I thought the ink got washed out, if not all in the first wash, at
least gradually. Does anyone know about this? I have used 2 kinds of
disappearing ink markins (the purple that goes away with air or water,
and the blue that goes away with water, mostly on medium to heavy weight
cottons. I haven't noticed any deleterious effect on the cloth after a
couple of years of wearing the shirts. I did notice that how much in
goes on the fabric determines how easy the marking will fade out. A
heavy blot does not always disapppear readily.
Sylvain
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From: ron.p...@uttsbbs.uucp (Ron Parker)
On 7 Jan 1994 Sylvain Bergeron <sn...@cornell.edu> wrote:
> Cs of scrap cloth and the
> different kinds of pens/markings (some may be heavier than others) and
> just put them in the laundry every time you wash clothes? That would
> give you the 'accelerated' evaluation program...
Another useful test would be to hang a set of these samples in a
sunny window for a few weeks (or months?), then wash. Sunlight
is sometimes a powerful catalyst or accelerator for fabric
destruction.
Nancy Rose
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From: a20...@mksol.dseg.ti.com (Denise L Bourgoyne)
I have also heard that the disappearing ink can reappear after a
few years, expecially it if makes itself down into the batting.
I would caution people from using these products. There is an
article about marking in last month's QNM; they basically came
to the conclusion that there was no one good way for everyone.
My eighty year old grandmother uses a regular pencil (traced
lightly) or soap chips (the remainder of bath soap). She just
erases the pencil (however she doesn't particularly care if it
shows a little) or washes the quilt to get rid of the soap.
I personally feel chalk would be the easiest to get rid of. I
just hate the thought of the disappearing ink cutting down
on the lifetime of the quilt.
Denise Bourgoyne
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From: stella...@solar.org (Stella Nemeth)
The consensus seems to be that the pens are fine if you are making
garments that you are going to wash. The act of washing the garment the
first time will remove the pen marks thoroughly enough to take care of
any problem.
Problems come when you are making something that you are not going to be
washing any time soon. In the case of a quilt, the pen chemicals will
get into the batting as well as the fabric and you really have to soak
the quilt thoroughly to get the chemicals out. Also, if you are like
me, quilting a quilt can take years and keeping the pen markings in the
quilt for years is asking for trouble.
So, I chose to use this tool with caution. I do use it in sewing
projects that will be finished quickly and which I will be washing
thoroughly and frequently. I don't use it if my project won't be
washed, or if it isn't likely to be washed soon and often.
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From: sal...@netcom.com (Sally Holmes)
stella...@solar.org (Stella Nemeth) writes:
>The consensus seems to be that the pens are fine if you are making
>garments that you are going to wash. The act of washing the garment the
>first time will remove the pen marks thoroughly enough to take care of
>any problem.
There's supposed to be a problem with the blue type in that it gets set
by heat, for example, when you iron a garment during construction. I've
never had a problem with this, but the same manufacturer produces a pink
pen - just like the blue one - that _definitely_ heat-sets (I have the
spotted shirt to prove it). So, be careful.
Sally
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From: sal...@netcom.com (Sally Holmes)
Sylvain Bergeron <sn...@cornell.edu> writes:
>BTW, I thought the ink got washed out, if not all in the first wash, at
>least gradually. Does anyone know about this? I have used 2 kinds of
>disappearing ink markins (the purple that goes away with air or water,
>and the blue that goes away with water, mostly on medium to heavy weight
>cottons.
The purple can vanish too quickly in humid conditions - I once took a
class with a lady from Georgia, who said that when she used the pen at
home the first marks had vanished by the time she'd finished marking the
quilt!
The blue pen's colour disappears when it's wet. It may come back when
it's dry, if it was only spritzed, but I've never seen it come back
after washing.
I've been warned that the blue pen's colour becomes set by heat - so, if
you use it to mark something which is ironed before it's washed (say,
construction marks on a garment) the marks will stay. I've never had
this problem with the blue pen, but it's manufacturers also produce a
pink pen "wash out" that _does_ heat-set - beware of this one!
Sally
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From: gillian...@solar.org (Gillian Cannon)
I have heard all the horror stories. I have been using the blue
disappearing pens for over 10 years, probably since they first were
marketed widely (maybe 15 years ago). I used (and use) them extensively
for marking on my counted cross stitch (I mark Aida with dots to
indicate the color with which I am working and I don't have to go back
and forth to the chart. If I make a mistake, I take a wet Q-tip (that I
have squeezed almost dry) and "erase" the mark. I rinse my piece out
with cold water when done.) I have not had any problems with any of my
cross stitched pieces, including ones that were done over ten years ago.
|My quilting teacher told us of a woman who had done beautiful work on a
|white-on-white quilt, only to find holes developing where the ink had been.
I have heard the horror stories. I have never experienced the problems
however. I bought a purple pen but decided that it disappeared too
quickly for my cross stitching purposes. I wonder if some other factor
may be involved in the problems experienced such as if the items were
stored in plastic, what length of time the pen was on the fabric, and
even if there was a possibility that critters liked the ink and ate that
section of fabric (I had a problem with some cross stitched bibs I made
and discovered that the non cross stitched bibs had hole problems too.
Discovered that crickets were eating holes in the bibs, apparently where
there had been spills of milk or food.)
Certainly if you are concerned you should either not use the markers, or
call or write the manufacturer and ask them right out what problems are
encountered and what should be avoided.
I use the pens, but I don't use them for quilting. I assume you are
doing applique work on quilts which is why you are using the pens. You
might want to use the white quilt pencils instead (I think they come in
another color for light fabrics).
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From: wyl...@CSOS.ORST.EDU
In article <9401081...@solar.org>,
Gillian Cannon <gillian...@solar.org> wrote:
>
>I have heard all the horror stories. I have been using the blue
>disappearing pens for over 10 years, probably since they first were
>marketed widely (maybe 15 years ago). I used (and use) them extensively
>for marking on my counted cross stitch (I mark Aida with dots to
^^^^
>I have heard the horror stories. I have never experienced the problems
>however. I bought a purple pen but decided that it disappeared too
>quickly for my cross stitching purposes. I wonder if some other factor
>may be involved in the problems experienced such as if the items were
>stored in plastic, what length of time the pen was on the fabric, and
>even if there was a possibility that critters liked the ink and ate that
>section of fabric (I had a problem with some cross stitched bibs I made
>and discovered that the non cross stitched bibs had hole problems too.
>Discovered that crickets were eating holes in the bibs, apparently where
>there had been spills of milk or food.)
My understanding is that the chemicals in these 'spit pens' are what
cause the fabric to rot away in time. I suspect that the Aida, being
thicker, may take longer to rot away.
>Certainly if you are concerned you should either not use the markers, or
>call or write the manufacturer and ask them right out what problems are
>encountered and what should be avoided.
I suspect that a manufacturer isn't going to be to quick to say: "Yeah,
the spit pens are great....as long as you don't mind your stuff rotting
away after a couple of years..."
My inclination would be to ask at quilt shops.
wyldwmn
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From: quil...@marny.Corp.Sun.COM (Marina Salume)
One last note about these pens: I usually mark and area
of the quilt, quilt it, then use a barely damp sponge or
wash cloth and wipe the marks off. Keep doing that until
the quilting is done. Maybe that's why I haven't had a
problem with the marks coming back, although sometimes I
do find spots where I missed the markings when I was
wiping them off.
--marina