The Best Marking Tools for Quilts

Today’s Topic:  The Best Marking Tools for Quilts

Marking quilts can be frustrating.

You can tell this by the number of marking tools we all have stashed in our sewing room drawers.

We buy every pen, pencil and marker in quest of the Holy Grail of Markers…

I’ve come to the conclusion, the perfect marking tool does not exist, but I’ve found a few that come close…

The Requirements

To be a good quilt marker, a pen or pencil must be:

• Easy to See
• Easy to Erase
• Not dry out or break easily
• Reasonably Priced--(Though I would pay a lot for the perfect quilt marking tool)

No Thank You…

This excludes any pen or marker that:

• The line is too faint to see while free motion quilting (hera and soapstone markers)
• Dries out quickly (blue washout markers)
• Breaks frequently (many pencil markers)
• Is difficult to erase (blue washout markers, Frixion Pens, many pencils and anything with wax)

Put to The Test

For years, every time I stopped at a quilt shop, I would head straight to the notions wall and purchase all the marking tools. Back at home, I would put them all through the test. (Think of me as the UL of markers, the Ralph Nader of pens, or the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval)

Very few markers–even those highly recommended by other quilters, passed my tests.

Two Sets of Marking Tools Required

One thing is clear, quilters need two marking tools: one for light colored fabrics and another for dark colored fabrics.

The Best Quilt Marking Pen for Medium to Dark Fabrics

My favorite marking tool for medium to dark fabric is white chalk in any form. White chalk is easy to see, erases with a wipe and never dries out. White chalk is the perfect quilting marking tool for dark fabrics!

I like to use the Dritz Chalk Cartridge (white only)

The Clover Chalk Wheel (white only)

or a white Tailor’s Chalk Triangle.

The Best Marking Pens for Light Fabrics

For a long time I still struggled to find the perfect marking pen for light colored quilt fabrics.

Then several readers recommended Crayola Ultra-Clean Washable Markers.

Read about my test of Ultra Clean Markers HERE.

Crayola Ultra-Clean Washable Markers win the LKQ seal of approval!

Alway Test First!

If YOU don’t have a favorite marker, this list is a good place to start.

But don’t take my word for it…avoid the heartache so many of us have experienced!

ALWAYS test the markers on YOUR project!

As you test, consider that some marks may vanish when heat pressed, while other marks may be set when pressed with an iron!

Some markers require washing, while others can be whisked away (chalk).

Another Favorite

The Purple Air/Water Erase Pen is one other pen I use frequently. The purple marking pen disappears in a day or two (sometimes faster) and is perfect for marking as you go.  I often keep it at my sewing machine and use it to mark spacing lines between motifs.

The Best Marking Tools for Quilts

The Dritz Chalk Cartridge (White Only)

The Clover Chalk Wheel

Tailors Chalk

Crayola Ultra Clean Washable Markers

The Purple Pen

YOUR Favorites?

What are YOUR favorite marking tools?

Have YOU had any problems with my favorite five?  (Please share-so I can re-evaluate!)

Your Doctor of Quiltology,

Prof. Lori, QhD