The lack of an ultra-fine point, washable material marking pen has been a constant source of aggravation to me the entire time I’ve been sewing. every time I try to mark the top stitching line on my pocket corners or the stitching line on a v-neck t-shirt, as well as it comes out all wonky since my marks were as well thick, I think, “If only I had a finer point marking pen, this might have come out perfectly!” A few months ago, for no apparent reason, this aggravation suddenly went from a somewhat irritating issue in the back of my mind to a pressing issue that I just had to solve.
After ending up being consumed with discovering or making the perfect extra-fine point washable marking pen for fabric, I spent an absolutely ridiculous amount of time as well as money trying different pens. Seriously, I’ve barely stitched anything for the last few months. I’ve just been playing with pens. luckily you can benefit from my crazy obsession, since while I couldn’t discover a easily offered truly washable fine point pen that would mark fabric, I did lastly come up with a method to make the perfect washable material marking pen.
When I found Crayola Ultra-Clean fine line washable markers a few years ago, it was definitely a game changer for my sewing. They are amazing, as well as they laundry out well sufficient that I am rather comfortable utilizing them to mark the right side of white fabric. I mark all kind of things I wouldn’t have before, as well as my stitching has improved since of this.
The only issue is that Crayola fine line markers make a mark about 1 mm wide when they are new, as well as the lines get broader as the marker tips wear out. most of the time this is fine for garment sewing, however sometimes I truly requirement a washable marking pen that makes a finer line—about the width of a piece of thread. as well as it needs to be a type of pen that will compose on all kinds of fabric, even stretchy knits, without snagging or stretching out the fabric.
I tried a lot of different washable pens on the market, including some that were really marketed as washable material marking pens, as well as none of them washed out anywhere near in addition to Crayola Ultra-Clean washable markers. I examined each of them at the end of this post. If you are only marking on the wrong side of your material as well as don’t requirement a super-washable pen, perhaps one of those choices would work for you. however I’ve gotten spoiled utilizing Crayola Ultra-Clean washable markers, as well as I couldn’t bring myself to utilize anything less washable.
So I started believing about exactly how I might put Crayola washable marker ink into a finer point pen. It turns out, it is possible, as well as it works great! I tried it with many different kinds of porous plastic tipped fineliner pens that compose 0.5 mm wide or finer, as well as most of them worked.
I’m sharing this tutorial with you so you as well can have the perfect material pen. I hope someday Crayola will either make fineliner pens that utilize their ultra-clean washable ink, or partner with a stitching notions business to put their amazingly washable ink into fineliner pens to make truly washable pens for sewers, however for now you will have to do some pen hacking as well as put together your own washable fine point material pens.
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To make your perfect ultra-fine point, ultra-washable material marking pen, you will requirement Crayola fine Line Ultra-Clean washable markers* as well as a fine tipped fineliner pen that has a marker-style fiber filled ink reservoir inside it. I have chosen out seven kinds of pens that I understand work to transplant the Crayola marker ink into, as well as I include specific directions as well as supply listings for every type of pen below, since they are all a bit different.
There are no substitutes for the Crayola fine Line Ultra-Clean washable markers. Sorry. Do not utilize Crayola super Tips, other Crayola washable markers, or any type of other brand of washable markers. Crayola makes a great deal of different type of markers, as well as not all stores that offer Crayola markers bring this specific type of marker, so make sure you are getting the right kind. look for “Ultra-Clean” as well as “Fine Line” on the package.
I haven’t discovered any type of other marker, pen, or ink that is anywhere near as washable as the Crayola Ultra-Clean washable markers. To show just exactly how much more washable the Ultra-Clean markers are, below is a test swatch of white cotton jersey that I marked on with a RoseArt washable marker (left), a Crayola super tip washable marker (center), as well as a Crayola Ultra-Clean washable fine line marker (right). I ironed the sample on the part below the dotted line, then threw it in with a tons of laundry I was washing in chilly water. The Crayola Ultra-Clean marker washed out completely, however the other two left stains, particularly where they were ironed.
I don’t understand whether or not Crayola marker inks contain any type of chemicals that will corrode metal over time, so the safest choice is to select fineliner pens that do not contain any type of metal in areas that are in get in touch with with the ink.
I did geek out as well as test the pH of the Crayola Ultra-Clean marker ink, since the only thing that Crayola states regarding the pH is that most of their products are not acid-free, as well as I was worried the marker ink may be truly acidic. In situation you would like to know, right here are the results of my pH tests:
pH of Crayola Ultra-Clean washable Marker Ink
Red
6.5
Orange
6.6
Sandy Tan
6.8
Yellow
6.7
Green
6.4
Blue Lagoon
6.6
Blue
6.2
Violet (Purple)
5.8
Pink
6.7
Brown
6.0
Gray
6.5
Black
6.0
I’m not sure what the pH will tell you, other than the marker inks are all somewhat acidic (but not acidic sufficient that I would concern about utilizing them on fabric). Purple had the lowest pH, so perhaps it may be more prone to corrode metal pen parts. however who knows, it may be fine. I have an older purple Crayola Ultra-Clean washable marker that is a somewhat different color than the one in my newest set, so obviously Crayola modifications their ink formulas sometimes. Don’t count on your markers being the exact same as the ones I bought this year.
Most fineliner pens have metal around the tip, so even though it may be risky to utilize these pens, I will show you exactly how to put marker ink into a few of these types, in situation you want to try it. If you try a pen with metal on the tip, I suggest that you regularly inspect for visible corrosion on the tip, as well as test laundry a marked scrap of material now as well as then to make sure the ink is still totally washable (rust will leave long-term spots on fabric). keep in mind the chemical formula for every ink color is different, so just since one color is risk-free doesn’t mean the others are. likewise keep in mind Crayola might modification their ink formulas in the future.
I haven’t had any type of issues with my metal tipped pens yet, however it’s only been a few weeks, as well as I haven’t tried every color in every type of pen. If you have a issue with corrosion on your pen tip, please leave a comment at the end of this publish with the pen type as well as ink color you utilized so others will understand what to avoid. Also, if you are reading this in, say, the year 2021 or later, as well as want an update on exactly how my metal-tipped pens have fared over time, leave a comment asking me for an update.
Before we get started with directions for every of the pens you can convert to washable ink, right here are some tips as well as cautions for washable material markers/pens:
Maybe this very first one is obvious, however only utilize washable material markers or pens on products that will be washed in water.
Don’t utilize washable markers/pens on fusible interfacing or material that will be fused to interfacing, since the ink will mix with the interfacing adhesive as well as set in permanently.
While I personally utilize these washable markers as well as pens with abandon on whatever I sew, I do suggest that you test before utilizing them on a special job or an unusual fabric, just to be safe.
Crayola Ultra-Clean marker ink laundries out finest from material made of plant fibers or synthetic fibers (cotton, linen, polyester, rayon, etc.). Be sure to test before utilizing them on silk, wool, or other animal fibers. I do not hesitate to utilize these washable pens on washable silk or wool, however I am additional cautious to mark lightly. fine tipped pens are much better than markers for silk as well as wool, since they put less ink into the fabric. On materials that discolor more easily, it may assist to soak the garment in ordinary chilly water before washing with detergent. If marks stay where you saturated the material with as well much ink, a second laundry usually gets them out.
Mark your material lightly. Don’t press difficult or saturate the material with marker ink, or it will be harder to laundry out.
Porous plastic point pen tips are fragile (don’t decrease your pen on the tip!) as well as like felt-tip markers, they wear down with use, so pressing lightly when you utilize your pens will prolong the life of the pen tip.
If you utilize washable marker ink on areas that will be enclosed inside bulky seams or locations that will be covered in dense stitching (such as buttonholes), it may take a number of laundries to get the ink out. It will ultimately laundry out, though. You can speed up the process by soaking the garment as well as then spraying the inky area with high pressure water from a hose or vegetable sprayer.
Don’t iron your material instantly after marking it, while the ink is still wet. wait a few minutes for the ink to dry before ironing. Ironing instantly may set in ink stains.
The longer the ink sits on fabric, the harder it is to laundry out. It is finest to utilize washable markers on jobs you will surface within a few days. If the ink stays on the material longer, you may requirement several washes, warmer water, and/or oxygen bleach to get the marks out completely.
It takes a fair amount of agitation to laundry out the marker ink. One routine washing machine cycle is usually plenty, however if you are hand washing your item, it may take a while to get the ink out. soaking helps.
Store your fineliner pens or markers point down. If that’s not convenient, get them out before you utilize them as well as set them point down in a cup for a while to assist the ink flow toward the tip.
Crayola washable marker ink has a tendency to dry out relatively quickly on the tip of porous plastic tipped pens, so cap your washable pen as soon as you are done utilizing it. If your pen stops writing, a quick scribble on a piece of paper will usually get the ink streaming again. If your pen needs a bit more assist after not being utilized for a while or after being left uncapped, briefly dip the tip in water, then blot the tip on a paper towel or material scrap.
OK, lets get started making a washable material marking pen! I’ll show you exactly how to convert seven different kinds of pens, so you can utilize whichever type you prefer.
There are some steps that are the exact same for every type of pen, so lets discuss those first.
You will requirement to eliminate the ink reservoir, which is a versatile plastic tube full of polyester fibers as well as ink, from the Crayola marker. You should either wear disposable gloves or laundry your hands well before handling the ink reservoir. The ink has biocides in it to prevent mold as well as bacteria growth, however it is finest not to danger contaminating it. I’ve had my kids’ markers get moldy before, as well as at that point there is nothing to do however throw them out.
To eliminate the marker’s ink reservoir, you can either pull the end cap off with pliers (it will get smooshed, however you will be throwing it away anyway) or utilize a big pair of sharp scissors to wiggle off the end cap. eliminate the fibrous cylinder that contains ink from inside the marker.
You will requirement pen flush to clean the original ink out of most of the pens. right here is the recipe:
Pen Flush
½ cup (100 ml) unscented home ammonia
1 cup (200 ml) distilled water
2 drops meal detergent for hand washing dishes (washing up liquid, for those of you in the UK)
Mix the components together as well as store sealed in a jar.
Some of the fineliner pens don’t requirement pen flush to clean the original ink out, so inspect the directions for the specific pen you are converting. Also, even in the exact same type of pen, some colors of ink clean out more quickly than others. You may only requirement to utilize water with a couple of drops of meal detergent to clean a few of the pens. I mention this since I’m composing this blog publish during the COVID-19 pandemic when people are buying out cleaning products, as well as ammonia can be difficult to find by. An ammonia-containing window cleaner utilized undiluted may work instead of pen flush, as well (I haven’t tried it, though).
*** security tip *** Remember, don’t mix ammonia as well as bleach! After putting ammonia down your drain, flush lots of ordinary water down the drain to get the ammonia out of the P-trap before scrubbing those ink spots out of your sink with a cleanser containing bleach.
You will requirement a bulb syringe* (aka nasal aspirator, ear syringe, snot sucker) to clean your pen. If you are utilizing the type of bulb syringe that doesn’t open up for cleaning, utilize a new one (boogers as well as ear wax are poor for pens!). If you have one that can be opened up for cleaning, make sure it has been cleaned well before utilizing it on your pen.
Below is a picture of a muslin test swatch of the washable pens I have currently. There are some slight differences in line width. I would state the Clover extra-fine air erasable pens as well as the uni-ball onyx eco micro pens made the finest lines (though there’s not a whole great deal of difference—maybe a tenth of a millimeter). The Staedtler triplus pens had the widest lines as well as most consistent flow when kept point up, however storing any type of of the pens point down will enhance their ink flow.
You can see that the pen lines are almost as fine as the width of a piece of thread—perfect for those times when you requirement to mark the precise place of a stitching line. The last two are Crayola fine line markers for comparison.
And here’s proof that the ink laundries ou