The Sewing Place
The Emporia => In the wardrobe => Technical Help => Topic started by: Vezelay on October 01, 2018, 20:24:28 PM
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I used a blue erasable gel pen (similar to Frixion) down the front of my new jacket. I've used this dozens of times on cotton and it's always disappeared with a warm iron. This time it's left a very visible pale line right down the maroon front next to the zip. I've tried wetting it but once it dried the mark is still there.
I'm horrified - it's taken me ages to make this jacket and now look what I've done.
Any ideas on how I can remove this? The fabric is a cotton polyester sweatshirt fleece. I'll post a picture in a minute.
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I've never used the sort of pen that disappears with heat, but I often use the blue water soluble ones. I have found that sometimes just wetting it makes the ink spread out rather than go away, and it needs to be properly washed - but it has always come out when washed thoroughly.
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I was hoping to never wash this jacket! The fabric is really thick and heavy, winter weight for sure. But if I have to... The blue disappeared all right, but I wasn't expecting that white line - it looks horribly permanent.
Here's the photo.(https://i.imgur.com/2FHhNBg.jpg)
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That doesn't look at all like what I've experienced, so washing may not be any use anyway.
I'll leave any further ideas to those who have used the same type of pen. Good luck.
Could you put some sort of trim - very fine cord, maybe - along the line to cover it?
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I marked a fabric scrap - again white lines - then just washed it with warm water and vanish, dried it with a hair dryer and the marks have gone! So @Acorn I think you were right first time. With luck a low temp machine wash (with a little vanish on the stain) should hopefully do it. It's going in the machine right now!
I'm a catastrophist, I know :'(
I won't know if the mark is gone until the jacket is completely dry, probably tomorrow evening - fingers crossed.
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I have my fingers and toes crossed for you.
I'm going to fall over, but never mind... ;)
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@Vezelay I learned that lesson on something that fortunately didn't matter. It was the base of a knitting bag I made to try out some free motion quilting. I used a red frixion pen on dark purple cotton and it left pale marks after it cooled again. I've since been careful to only use them on the wrong side of fabric.
Keeping my fingers crossed for you.
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Maybe we should start a new section on the forum "Warning! Please don't do what I did!" :[
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I came across some information about Frixion pens and fabric at this site (https://quiltskipper.com/2015/08/frixion-pens-all-you-need-to-know/). :'( I hope the Vanish works for you with your gel pen. If not, perhaps one of these suggestions will help?
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Oh dear, neither of the products that Frixion recommends on your link @jesster have encouraging Amazon reviews so I hope it won't come to that.
Jacket's out of the wash now and air drying - slowly.
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Fingers crossed that the line has disappeared. If not how about doing some embroidery down each side of the zip like chain stitch or some other lovely hand stitch in a lovely contrast colour and thus make a feature of this.
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I wasn't so impressed by those products either, @Vezelay , although desperate situations sometimes call for desperate measures. :S In the days of ball point pens, alcohol (the medical kind) would remove the ink marks. If you have fabric scraps to play with, it might be worth a try. Otherwise, covering the line with something seems the best solution. Using the same color thread as the background fabric for a line of embroidery can look very subtle and sophisticated in some items. So sorry this happened. Fingers crossed that you find it gone when your jacket is dry.
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Well it's semi-dry and OK so far but I won't know until it's drier. Plans at the moment are:
a) if the wash fades it somewhat, wash and Vanish again
b) otherwise try the Amodex on Jesster's link - Amazon will send that to Ireland
c) if that doesn't work, do as a few of you suggested and cover it up. It's about 5 layers thick there so I'll have to think carefully what would work.
Still hoping even plan a) won't be required. The reason I'm being cautious about the result is because when I originally dampened the whole area I was so sure it was gone but I came back later and the mark had reappeared..
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Phew! It's bone dry and the mark has completely gone thanks to Vanish (bless whoever invented that stuff - it's my go-to for all stains)) and a short warm wash. :)
I'll post a review of the Evergreen soon as I don't see many versions around other than the pattern testers'.
Lessons learned:
1. Never use fabric markers on the right side of garment fabric - at least not without first testing on scraps. I should know that by now :|.
2. Someone on the forum will probably know. @Acorn 's initial reply set me on the right road. (And thanks to all who posted for your support)
3. Don't panic!
Happy ending :).
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Yay!!! :D :D :D
(https://media.giphy.com/media/10UeedrT5MIfPG/giphy.gif)
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(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQLaliV-Ns8n0zOFZTS2FQJbBVjARL9oE2S5mXB-6NvMQNI7ZxVaA)
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So glad you had success!
I use conte pencils or white charcoal pencils almost exclusively. These have no oil base,can hold a sharp point and have never marked anything permanently. I've read the instances of frixion pen marks returning in icy temps.(Run out to your auto for something in January and arrive back in the office with "X" marks the spot on the breast points of your shirt. :|)
Many years ago, my first brand new auto, two weeks old, had nice quality 100% nylon pale gray carpet. Two blocks from home, I took a turn a bit quick and my full bottle of open orange soda emptied onto the passenger side floor. Got home and used several clean white bath towels to soak up all of the moisture. Figured I could bleach them clean. Imagine my shock when I lifted the towels to find them wet - yet snow white. The orange food color had permanently bonded to the nylon immediately - and nothing would remove it. We have no way of knowing what kind of chemical reactions can occur with any synthetic fabrics and colorings or even with the various processes used to finish natural fabrics.
I'll even use a #2 or HB pencil in a pinch - and have yet to have a removal issue.