Marking your Quilt Tops?

To Mark, or Not to Mark

Of course that is the question, but only you (and your client) can decide the answer! Whenever you choose to mark a quilt with any method, test your marks on the back of the quilt in the seam allowances to be sure you can successfully remove them. Test any fabric which you intend to mark-especially lighter fabrics or those with special coatings that may affect how much pressure you apply with your tool.

For water-soluble marking tools, testing is imperative. These tools need a large number of water molecules in relation to the chemical molecules in the ink so that they will lift completely from the fabric. This usually means completely soaking the quilt in cool water (sometimes several times) to make the ink vanish. Lightly spraying or misting the fabric with water will push the ink into the batting, only to come back and haunt you later. Many water-soluble inks can become permanent if exposed to heat (such as an iron, sunlight, or even a hot car). Take necessary precautions and remove the ink as soon as you are finished quilting. You can even use special pens designed to immediately remove the marks from your fabric. Clover is one brand that carries such a tool...visit your local quilt shop to find out more.

To keep your water soluble marking pens in top working condition, quiltmaker Debra Wagner advises that you store the markers in self-sealing plastic bags to prevent evaporation. Debra also places her markers in a tall tin container in the vertical position with the tip facing down, so that the ink will flow easily whenever she wants to use the marker.

Cutting Fabric

You Can Avoid the "Bends" when Cutting Your Fabric Cross-grain

Rotary cutters have greatly improved the speed at which we can complete our quilt tops. However, in our haste we sometimes end up with long fabric strips that have a bend or unusual sharp point at the midpoint. To avoid this mishap, you must take the time to fold your fabric correctly before wielding your rotary cutter.

Press your fabric to remove the influence of the bolt fold, and then fold it so that the selvages are together. Then pick up the selvages in both hands and slide the selvages from side to side along each other until the fabric's fold is flat. Lay the fabric back down on your work surface and fold the fabric in half again, bringing the fold to the selvage edges so that they line up.

Now you have one edge that is a fold and two selvage edges. Those must all align with each other. When you are confident that the edges are straight, align your rotary cutting ruler with the fold of the fabric, and slice away!