I do not know whether anyone else mentioned this, but we also have “other chemicals” that could be interacting with the inks – these would be waxes and any treatment used on batiks to easily lift the wax after the dye is applied, the chemicals in the dyes, the chemistry of our water in the area where we live – perhaps this water element is THE key contributing factor that affects the ability of some quilters to remove the ink when laundering and others who saw no difference after laundering. Quilters wrote articles noting that if the marks reappeared in the cold, it was because the quilter did not thoroughly steam the marks. This simply is not the case. The ink combination used in the pens has two parts-one part makes the mark and one part makes the mark disappear. There is still ink left on your quilt after steaming, you just can’t see it. The ink is still there and will reappear in the cold. All things considered, I was very pleased with how these pens performed! I will definitely use these pens for note-taking. They won’t replace my Sharpie pens anytime soon (only because gel pens aren’t my favorite for journaling), but I’m also actively forcing myself to accept more mistakes. It’s helping my productivity. FriXions are a great option if you need smooth, dark lines with the freedom to erase. Over to you! Have you tried FriXion or another brand of erasable ink? Comment below to share your tips for stress-free journaling. Brainstorm with me! All of these products have thermo-sensitive “erasable” ink. Erasable highlighters come in handy for me since I tend to go highlighter crazy. I had a professor in college tell me, “If you highlight everything, you’ve highlighted nothing.” Good advice, doc. Erasable Highlighters

the Pilot Dr. Grip Center of Gravity, an ergonomic ballpoint, for people who get hand cramps, have arthritis, or just want something with a larger barrel size Some people like 0.7mm tipped pens because it’s not too bold like the 1mm or too thin/light like the 0.5mm. Others prefer the extra-fine point while there are a few who is more at ease writing with the medium point. Whatever tip you prefer isn’t an issue. The issue is, do you know what kind you prefer? If you’re not familiar with Frixion pens, they are a line of pens and highlighters made by Pilot that are heat erasable. Frixion pens make a crisp, clear mark which goes on smoothly and easily with no skipping. After quilting, you simply steam the ink lines away and poof, they are gone! This seems like the Holy Grail of marking methods for us quilters. It is important to note that Pilot did not design the pens for fabric and did not test them on fabric while developing the concept. With a 0.7mm medium tip, Frixion Ball erasable ink pens offer precise lines and smooth, fluid writing. Boasting a grip, the ergonomic pen offers a comfortable hold. The cap has a handy clip allowing you to clip it to papers and notebooks and bring it everywhere with you.

Receive our newsletter :

I know of a person who filled out some paperwork with a Frixion pen, and gave the papers to someone else. Of course she left them in a hot car, not knowing what could happen. Oh no! It’s blank! So the author re-wrote the paper, not knowing that the freezer would solve this issue. I do think we need to continue to pass the word about the “hazards” of using these pens. They are fantastic for school. Like regular gel pens, the ink easily flows & does not pool or dry in the tip. Unlike regular gel pens, they form a very thin line & can actually be erased. Students who use Frixion pens tend to have neater papers than those using ballpoint pens (which can also sometimes be erased) or other gel pens (which cannot be erased at all) and I’ve yet to see a single instance where a student ended up with ink all over his/her hands from a Frixion pen. I’m 100% in favor of them on paper. I personally don’t allow them anywhere near my sewing studio. Frixion pens sometimes leave a ghost mark after steaming. This is the thermo ink showing on the quilt, not the gel. The Pilot rep said to rid the piece of ghost marks you would need to treat it with the ink removers listed above. This is my fourth and hopefully my final post on Frixion pens. A recent discussion on FaceBook prompted me to explore this one last time. Some prominent quilters and artists have said things about the Frixion pens that I have not found to be true in my own experience, so I needed to get the facts. I ended up talking directly with a rep at Pilot to get the facts. Frixion pen

the Pilot Precise V5 RT, a rollerball pen, for writing with a more saturated, darker line than you get from a lower-priced ballpoint Fineliners’ needlepoint tips make them a great choice for detailed sketches and crisp writing, with some friction against paper. Having said that, I really don’t have a single marking solution that works on all or even most of my fabrics. If you or anyone you know (and trust!) ever does a Craftsy class or other web tutorial on quilt marking, please let me know — I’d be first in line to sign up! Frixion pens combine gel ink and thermo ink. You are marking your quilt with a gel pen that disappears.I work in a quilt shop. I was first introduced to Frixion pens because they are an amazing tool for drafting patterns. I also learned the hard way that steaming Frixion ink set it. Which makes sense as we are told never to use heat on stains such as grass or blood or it will cause them to set. The last thing I want to do is stream (temperatures in excess of 220 degrees) pigment onto fabric. For this reason I have never told a customer to steam the ink. I tell customers to use a cool iron – nothing hotter than the silk/rayon setting on an iron (120 degrees). This will cause the ink to disappear without setting it. The ink will then wash out with regular laundry detergent on warm wash – just like most ink does. There are many more colors available, and I think it’s safe to assume the other colors behave similarly to the ones I’m trying. When I hear “erasable pen” I think of those old skinny, goopy ballpoints with the hollow erasers on the end. Remember those? They skipped on the paper, smeared like crazy, and dropped what can only be described as ink boogers. So, just to put your mind at ease, FriXion pens are NOT your grandma’s erasable pens. Overall Writing Experience Sometimes they left what I call a “ghost” mark after steaming the initial mark away. It was faint, but certainly not something you would want to see on your quilt. Another source of chemicals would are the brand of spray starch or fabric finishes used during the pressing process.

Having this information will ensure that you’ll be one step closer to getting that really great writing experience we all desire. How well does the Eraser “Erase”? As to the ghost marks, I did not find a pattern as to which fabrics would show the marks. Some say that if you pre-wash your fabrics you won’t get those marks. That was not the case for me. So I had to test on any fabric I wanted to use them on to make sure I would not be left with ghost marks after steaming the ink marks away. As a side note, the quilts I make are not for competition, they are for snuggling under, the clothing I make is for wearing, and as such are laundered just as anyone would regularly launder an item (I doubt most people would even know where to by Quilt Soap).

Frixion ball - MEDIUM TIP:  NEW Creative coloUrS

The marks will reappear if the quilt gets cold (anything below freezing I think-I did not confirm the specific temperature) unless the mark is completely removed with an ink remover. Even after a thorough steam of the marks, they will reappear in the cold. This is part of the inherent chemistry of the ink combination.