gel pen problem

[Janice]

I grabbed a red gel pen from my box and drew a design on my fabric. One of the fabrics was red (only wanted a light marking) the other fabric gray and other black. I just made a few marks. I ironed the marks. The marks turned white on all of the fabrics. I ironed again with the same results. I let them cool and applied water. The marks disappeared on the red and black fabric but the white marks remained on the gray fabric. I , fortunately, did a very small amount of marking on the quilt. I then tried more marks on a sample of the grey. l have enclosed a picture of the grey. It has been ironed twice and water then applied. If I use the pens I will try them on a sample of the fabric first.

[LadyLake]

Thanks for the warning!

[Boni]

I will share a pen problem too. I was at the local market all day, my Frixion pen in my plastic project box. The sun was hot and inside that box it got so hot that all my ink disappeared! I put it in the freezer and couldn't get it to "re-charge" Pen is no use.

[Guest Linda S]

Was this a Frixion pen you used, or what type?

[Boni]

Originally posted by Linda S

Was this a Frixion pen you used, or what type?

Linda, you are asking Janice, right? She said "gel", so I can't help you. My pen was a Frixion.

[Janice]

My pen was also a Frixion.

[Boni]

I used my Frixion pen to write an "invisible" message to my grandson. I wrote on paper, ironed it so the ink disappeared, mailed it to him and told him to put it in the freezer for 10 minutes to be able to read the "hidden" message. He thought it was fun.

It was not so invisible though, because you can see where the ink was on the paper--by a faint liquid stain in the right light! When you put it in the freezer, the ink re-appears, but not so dark. I'm thinking that the "ink" never goes away, or else this wouldn't work. It happens the same way in our fabrics. Just because we iron it, and it appears to disappear, it just changes the chemical composition a little. It will always be there...unless by some chance when it is washed with detergent???

I have decided to use my Frixion pens only on places that won't show, like behind applique, on the edges covered by binding, and on the diagonal when making HST. The rep told me that these pens were not designed for quilting, but when some quilter out there found them, they sold like a miracle product to the quilting industry. I'm wondering where its status is by now?

[lindasewsit]

I am HOPING the Frixton works! I just did a wholecloth marking with it! I am using a hair dryer to make it go away! So far so good... If not.... I just did ALLOT of work for nothing! :o