What is the bestest pen that you have use/have used to sign your blocks?
Also, what is the best and easiest way to do it. I have to sign 100 blocks for a swap that I'm in and I want it to be as painless as possible.
TIA!!
Ha! ready for a Cranky Pants? I've tried everything but I must be missing something. I have the pricey Micron and even fine-tipped brush Pigma. I've tried ironing the fabric to freezer paper to hold it still. I've tried placing it over sand paper to keep it steady. I've tried moving very slowly. Going over it twice. Painless? That would be a real treat for me. I'd be happy just with success. Never mind success. Just vaguely acceptable would be an improvement. Guess I should be grateful that my name isn't BobbySueJunior or something. Thank you for asking, Cindy. Polly
"Cindy Schmidt" What is the bestest pen that you have use/have used to sign your blocks?
LMAO Polly - that wasn't really what I was looking for but I'm in the same boat. I've had no luck at all either. It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to sign a ton of them.
I'm actually thinking of just getting a stamp designed (self-inking) and that would solve my problem. Maybe?
Now to just decided on what to put on it. I want my siggy line from here BUT what happens when I do move to GA?
get a self made stamp that you can alter when you move. should do the trick. j.
"Cindy Schmidt" wrote ... LMAO Polly - that wasn't really what I was looking for but I'm in the same boat. I've had no luck at all either. It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to sign a ton of them.
I'm actually thinking of just getting a stamp designed (self-inking) and that would solve my problem. Maybe?
Now to just decided on what to put on it. I want my siggy line from here BUT what happens when I do move to GA?
How about
Cindy from GA (Formerly from MO)
That just doesn't look right but what can I say,,,
Get a piece of really, really fine grit sandpaper, and put it under the blocks you are signing. That will keep your fabric from sliding all over. I used rubber cement to glue mine to a piece of thin cardboard and that's even better!
The best pen to use is a Pigma Micron pen. I like one a little thicker than a lot of people go for -- the size I use the most is "05" or "08", I think? Can't find it at the moment. The "BR" (brush tip) is fun to play with, not so good to sign quilt blocks with. The "1" signs like a Sharpie but doesn't bleed -- that's the one I take to concerts with me for autographs. :-)
An art store is a great place to find your Pigma pens. They have a better selection of sizes, colors, and tips, for usually about 60% of the price the LQS carries them at. I try to keep them in ziplock bags so they don't dry out too quickly.
Let the signature dry, then heat-set it and it's pretty permanent. The Pigma Micron is an archival-quality pigment pen, rather than a dye-based ink. That's what makes the signature last.
Or you could do like they did 100+ years ago and use India Ink and a dip pen....what, you don't want to go that route? Sigh....youngsters these days! But it was permanent because it was a pigment, not an ink.
Dragonfly
...or Cindy from GA/MO or Cindy from MO/GA or not. i read them as GAIMO or MOIGA with the / looking a bit like an I
tricky one ya got there. i have noooooo idea what i'd do. j.
"Cindy Schmidt" wrote ... How about
Cindy from GA (Formerly from MO)
That just doesn't look right but what can I say,,,
I like the Pigma Micron pen. I haven't tried sandpaper -- now *that* sounds like a good plan, esp. if you're signing a lot of blocks. I've played around with freezer paper to stabilize the fabric for signing. That works pretty well.
Sherry
Hi Dragonfly & all, Another "old=timer" here who doesn't post often but reads lots.
I also use the sandpaper under siggies. In addition I took a wider marker and drew a couple of straight lines on the sandpaper to use as guide lines. Gotta stay on the straight & narrow you know. Anna Belle in Palm Bay
On Wed, 3 Mar 2010 19:01:35 -0600, Cindy Schmidt wrote (in article ):
I usually use a fine tipped Pigma pen.
Maureen
Sharpie has come out with a fine point permanent marker in different colors and it doesn't bleed at all. I really like them
I can't imagine doing 100 of them, but when I have to make any, I print what I want to say or draw on the computer, spray the front of the paper with 505 spray or even cheaper Elmer's spray glue and mash it to the back of the fabric. If it's easy, I just trace onto the fabric. Or, I use my light box if I need to.
Cindy in Kansas
When I wrote all the signatures on the 'Navan Church Quilt' - I had pigma micron pens of all nib sizes (I had originally thought that the donors to the signature blocks would want to write their own - I was wrong!) - I tried all sizes myself when the time came to write all the names as well as the border blocks of history - I much preferred to use the #5 or the #8 depending on the background that I was writing on. All of the blocks had been ironed onto freezer paper and I didn't find that I had any problems with shifting, etc. jennellh
Yeah! Another fan of the 5 & 8! :-) I think the slightly-fatter nib makes it easier to write with those sizes. The skinnier nibs catch on the threads of the fabrics. With a 5 or an 8, if you take it slow and have sandpaper or freezer paper, it's pretty painless.
Dragonfly
Howdy!
Cindy from MO to GA
Dharma Trading's info on permanent fabric markers:
The good ol' Micron Pigma pens have always worked for me; I like the ones w/ the thicker tips.
F> LMAO Polly - that wasn't really what I was looking for but I'm in the same
Hi! I like the thicker line pen too. The one I have for a current project is a brown ink pen by Fons and Porter. I bought it at Joanne Fabric. NAYY. Pat in Virginia
I have a couple of roller ball gel pens for laundry marking, and they are excellent: One is called Pilot Laundrey-Tec, and the other is Pentel's Gel Roller for Fabric. So far both have withstood several washes in things like the GMNT's school blazer and chunks of cadet uniform.
AHA ! Thank you Pat and Kate. All these years I've been going with the expensive fine pens. Never crossed my little mind that a laundry marker or gel roller would do the deed. I'll try the others. YeeHa. I really am tickled to maybe, maybe get over my fear of signing. Polly
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