Have you seen these Pilot FriXion pens in the fabric or quilt shops? I bought this multi-pack on Amazon, but the blue and the black can be found in some shops:
That’s, from left to right, brown, hot pink, blue, orange, black, purple, green and red. I got this multi pack from Amazon for $13.58.
So, originally, I heard about this pen that was made to be an erasable office pen, but someone figured out that the friction caused by the FriXion rubber top to erase could also be duplicated with heat…or maybe that was how the engineers who designed originally came up with it…I may never know…either way, a quilter and/or sewist got the info and somehow it got to me and here I am.
The info I had gathered was pretty vague. When you iron it, it disappears. I tested this, and it’s true, although on white fabric you can detect a slight, almost residue line. There was a rumor that it comes back if you freeze it. I’m not in the habit of freezing quilts, nor do I plan on moving anywhere that it may be necessary to brave the elements with only a quilt, but people do leave quilts in cars on cold nights, so ok.
Enter Moda Optic White 200 thread count muslin (that stuff is super bright) quilt sandwich used for FMQ practice with white cotton Aurifil 50wt, and two Bs drawn in FriXion blue.
This muslin sandwich nor any of its components have been washed prior to the alliterated graffiti.
Here, the B on the right has been ironed:
You can see a little bit of residue there…the photo doesn’t pick it up as well…the photo makes it look like it’s an impression from the pen, but it is most certainly residue or some ink left behind. I used an Oliso Pro on high with steam.
So, I threw it in the washer (cold, mild ‘free and clear’ detergent) and into the dryer (permanent press setting).
I spaced taking a photo, but both Bs were gone! Seriously, duh, Becky, the dryer heat. Anyway, more importantly, the residue was gone! That’s the best part.
I got too excited and just threw it in the freezer to kill this silly freezer rumor.
Priorities in my freezer: Chocolate chips, Chocolate ice cream, meat and quilts. What.
This shot was me pulling it out of the freezer…my man thought I was nuts taking a photo of the inside of our freezer. You can already see it here….
Sure enough, that ink does come back! I totally thought it sounded like some woo-woo rumor, like some skunk-cabbage-voodoo-Aleister-Crowley spell or something but it really does come back.
So, I thought….if it’s already ruined, so be it…it was a test. But what if….I pressed it again…
Look at that! Not a hint it was ever there. I put a quick iron to it and it’s gone again. So if you’re that person that leaves quilts in cars over night in Alaska, you’re golden – just toss it in the dryer for a quick spin and the ink will disappear!
This is exciting. You have no idea how many times I’ve ironed over ink you’re *not supposed to* iron over! Or maybe you do and you’re as excited as I am.
Honestly, they’re missing out on a market here!! Crazed sewers unite! We have a pen!
I can’t think of any other way to test them. I didn’t use fabric softener or dryer sheets or oxyclean or anything other than just plain Costco/Kirkland detergent, but I wouldn’t anyway in my normal use so I’m safe. I have used them so far for making quilting marks and for garments and they have been great.
Hope that helps you if you’ve been afraid of trying them too! I’m splitting this batch with my mom, but if you are lucky and have a local sewing circle, this would be a bargain.
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