QUILTERS - How do you mark your quilt?

[WoodRose]

Hi,

I am hoping to branch out beyond "stitch in the ditch" quilting and incorporate more complicated quilting designs into my latest project. I admit I am completely bamboozled by the range of marking/ transfer options, so am looking for some sage advice from more experienced quilters.

I am planning to machine quilt but can't decide whether to:
(1)use a stencil and mark onto the quilt; or
(2)trace a design onto paper and stitch through the paper and quit layers.

If you mark onto the quilt, which pencil/ pen do you recommend? Are marks made by water soluble pens as easy to remove as they claim?

If you stitch through paper, what sort of paper do you use and how easy is it to remove? I have seen soluble paper on a quilting website, but not sure how economical it is for a larger project.

Any help/ hints gratefully received!

Many thanks.

Be very careful what you use, a lot of the markers do not wash out as claimed. I have used chaco chalk but find even this can leave marks.

Various colours of soap make good markers. White soap for dark fabrics and coloured soap for the lighter fabrics. Check on a swatch it washes out.

I've only stitched through paper on foundation piecing and it removes easily because the stitches are very short. Not sure how this would work on a quilt top.

When I did a fancy pattern I stencilled it using a blue quilter's pencil. I had more trouble with it wearing off before I was finished than with marks not coming off.
However I didn't mind if it didn't come off because traditionally blue pencils are used to mark patterns on strippy quilts and I like that the marks are still visible on some of the old ones I was inspired by.

Can stitch around the boundaries of masking tape (do not stitch thru it, though like I did, numpty). Can stitch thru greaseproof paper (just tape it down to start). Can iron freezer paper on & stitch around the boundaries of that (may need touch up ironing to stay on).

Do not iron the masking tape, leaves marks.

I have heard that watercolour pencils are good, haven't tried them. Plain regular pencil does wash out fine, ime.

Thank you all for your replies. Not sure I have the patience for ragged's masking tape method, though! Pleiades - thanks for the tip re markers. I think I will stencil with a quilter's pencil a la Tunip. Any remaining blue marks will hopefully fade after a few washes. It is a sofa throw so with 2 children and 2 dogs, it will spend quite a lot of time in the washing machine!

this is the one I used, but without the brush. Cheap as chips.

You might not want to mark the whole thing in one go or you'll find it will have rubbed off before you get to it.

I use the Sewline pencil. They are really good and come with a rubber or you can buy an extra one. They have 2 colours of lead, grey or white.

I also use the Hemline pens which wash out very easily - for a tiny area on a sample, I have licked the end of my finger and wiped it on the fabric and it goes instantly. Occasionally you get a stubborn dot (usually under a stitch where a quick wipe won't penetrate) but if you just hold a damp sponge against it for a few seconds it will go.

The most important thing is to test any marking device on your fabric before you commit to a whole pattern.

When I made an Amish quilt in dark fabrics, I used a white pencil over small areas. However as others have stated, test and test again, it really is little and often when you work.

As to marking out the pattern, part was done with a ruler, some designs were done free hand and some were done with a stencil... each element that you use will need a different technique.