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Tracing Patterns with the Pilot Frixion Erasable Pen

July 2, 2013 By Chuleenan 4 Comments

My Pilot Frixion Clicker Eraseable Pens

My Pilot Frixio Eraseable Pens

I first heard about the Pilot Frixion erasable pen from milliner and period costume maker Lynn McMaster, when I took her hat finishing class in May at Lacis. (I need to write about the hats I finished in this class.) At some point during the workshop, she told me that it was an erasable pen and that if you used the ink on fabric, it washed out.

I made a note of it and then promptly forgot about it until I needed to meet a $50 minimum to get free shipping on my 8-drawer storage cart (with wheels!) $45.99 from Office Depot‘s website. I had been looking for a storage cart for my sewing stuff for a while. I wanted something with multiple drawers that cost less than $50. I searched Joann’s website as well as art supply places but their offerings were rather pricey or the drawer units didn’t seem very sturdy.

I remembered the pen that Lynn mentioned and I ordered a three-pack of the Pilot Frixion Clicker Erasable Gel Pens for $6.79 from Office Depot.

I started using the pen last week to trace Sewing Cake‘s Hummingbird skirt pattern. The pen skips a little (see the red lines below)  but it erases very cleanly as you can tell from the photo.

The "eraser" is the tip on the end of the pen.

The “eraser” is the tip on the end of the pen. I’ve erased the middle part of the black line.

I’ve pointed the “eraser” part at the line where I erased the middle of the line.

The eraser isn’t like the eraser on a pencil. I’m not sure what it’s made of but it’s hard and has a rubber feel but nothing comes off the eraser so you don’t get those messy little pieces of rubber. The “clicker” part is not the eraser on the end but the clear plastic piece that you can hook on to a notebook.

This is nothing like the erasable pens from years ago that came with a rubber eraser and didn’t erase very well.

I like how you can be very precise with a pen. I have NOT tested whether it washes out on fabric but I’ll be doing some prewashing this weekend and let you know what happens.

I am still very fond of the tactile experience of using drawing pencils (see my post “Tips on Tracing Sewing Patterns“), but you do have to sharpen them often, which can be a little annoying on occasion.

BTW – I’m very happy with my cart. The drawers don’t fall out and there are six shallow drawers (perfect for storing scissors, pattern drafting tools, pins and needles  as well as other notions) and two larger ones on the bottom for larger things.

What do you like to use when you trace a pattern? Pen or pencil?

UPDATE 7/10/13

The pen does wash out from fabric. I tried it on some cotton shirting over the weekend. I could see the pen marks fade as I ran water over the fabric. I’m sure if you use soap/detergent it’ll wash out completely.

However, it’s not such a good pen to use if you’re trying to trace a pattern on fabric; it tends to snag it. So you have to hold down the fabric to prevent it from moving as you mark it. I’m sure it’ll be fine to use for small marks like dots or darts but for longer lines, I wouldn’t recommend using it unless you’re got a hefty piece of fabric that stay put as you mark it.

 

 

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: erasable pen, Office Depot, pens, Pilot Frixion Erasable Pen, sewing, tracing patterns

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  1. Mallory says

    July 12, 2013 at 6:57 pm

    I use the Frixion pens all the time! I haven’t used the clicker pens but I assume they are the same as the regular ones. They erase because of the heat that the eraser causes so they erase when you apply heat – like an iron. I use them directly on my fabrics for hand embroidery or pattern marking and then just iron over the final project to remove all of the lines. It works great. Of course, I would recommend testing this on your fabric before drawing all over it but I’ve never had a problem.

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    • Chuleenan says

      July 13, 2013 at 6:19 pm

      Fascinating! I didn’t know it was friction heat that erased it! Thanks so much for letting me know. Now I’ll have to test that out too!

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  2. Rin says

    July 11, 2013 at 9:15 am

    What an interesting idea.

    I usually use tracing paper and a tracing wheel. I also have a bunch of fabric pens from Japan that fades naturally over time. There’s even a white one that draws on black fabric!

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    • Chuleenan says

      July 11, 2013 at 7:41 pm

      The pen erases so cleanly – it’s like magic. I wish it wd go on fabric more easily but it doesn’t. Do you hv a fave marking tool for wool? I need something that works better than chalk and is more accurate.

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Day 8 of Me Made May - what I wore to work today. Day 8 of Me Made May - what I wore to work today.

I’m not documenting everyday, which is not a requirement of participating in Me Made May anyway - in case you were wondering. Some days I just don’t have time or don’t feel like taking a photo.

Here are the deets:
#PatinaBlouse @fridaypatterncompany in a linen I got from @moodfabrics during a work trip to NYC. I used snaps instead of buttons.

#LaraSkirt @just_patterns - left off the back pleats and added a tie to make an adjustable waist. See 3rd pic for back detail. Fabric from @britexfabrics 

I also wore my #JPChristyCardigan again. It goes well with this ensemble.
 

#MeMadeMay #MeMadeMay2025 #MeMadeMayEveryday #HandmadeWardrobe #BayAreaSewists #BayAreaSewistsMay #SewOver50 #SewOver50May #MadeWithMood #MadeWithBritex
#MeMadeMay25 - Today’s ensemble - Dew Dress by @ #MeMadeMay25 - Today’s ensemble - Dew Dress by @fridaypatterncompany and one of my favorite Pilvi Coats.
✨
The fabric for the #DewDress is from upstairs at @stonemountainfabric 
💛
The #PilviCoat fabric was from @britexfabrics before they moved to their current SF location.

#BayAreaSewistsMay #SewOver50 #SewOver50May #MeMadeWardrobe #MeMadeMay  #YellowDress #FPCMeMadeMay
I made the Christy Cardigan and another Cuff Top i I made the Christy Cardigan and another Cuff Top in April.

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I got the pattern printed at @studiosessions.sewing so I could get going on it right away. 

Then I made the @theassemblylineshop #TALCuffTop last Sunday for #SewAprilBlouse25 and to wear to a work event in DC last Tuesday. 

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I finally took photos yesterday. 

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This is my first post for #MeMadeMay2025

#MeMade #MeMadeMay #SewOver50 #SewOver50May #SewnShownSeated
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✨ I organized this @bayareasewists Fabric Swap + Sewcial - which took place earlier today. You can see more in the #BayAreaSewists Reel. 

✨There was so much fabric but remarkably, only one table of leftover fabric, which w donated to the Berkeley Public Library for their sewing circle. 

Plenty of fabric went to new homes. Yay! 

I’m wearing the #AntheaBlouse (sleeve fabric is from a previous Bay Area Sewists event, the solid fabric is a Japanese cotton lawn from @stonemountainfabric purchased last year (I think). Palazzo pants (linen-rayon blend from @metrofabrics) are a @naughtybobbinpatterns pattern. I used the Anthea sleeves on my @carolyncassiepatternco Perth Blouse (see previous post) - and the same fabric combo.

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Went to my first quilt show today and met @entropy Went to my first quilt show today and met @entropyalwayswins!

💙 Hillary is giving talks about her quilts twice a day (11:30 am and 2:30 pm). So great to hear the background of her quilts. 

💙 The #SFQuiltShow organized by @sfquiltersguild is on display through Saturday.

🪡 All of the quilts are Hillary’s except the last one. So great to meet you Hillary!

#SFQuiltersGuild #SewOver50 #SewOver50Mar
I made bracelets to match my Dew Dress with leftov I made bracelets to match my Dew Dress with leftover scraps!🤗

This idea is from the book Alabama Sewing + Design. Just take strips of jersey and make knots - and that’s it!

💛The Dew Dress is the second yellow garment I’ve ever made. It’s usually a color I avoid but not anymore! This dress is a really quick sew once you cut everything out.

Stay tuned for photos of the dress, which I wore to work earlier this week. 

💛Fabric from @stonemountainfabric upstairs.

#BayAreaSewists #BayAreaSewistsMarch #ScrapBuster #MeMade #Cousumain #SewOver50 #SewOver50Mar
Here are photos of my @CarolynAndCassie Perth Blou Here are photos of my @CarolynAndCassie Perth Blouse with sleeves from the @AnnaAllenClothing Anthea Blouse and my @AnneTilley.Patterns  Magic Pants 
🤸🏽🤸🏿🤸🏻
I made the blouse last month (see previous post for a closer look) and finished the pants last weekend. I took these photos on Monday before I left for work.
🩷
The pants are my February No Frills entry for #MagamSewalong hosted by @yogabyrdsews @suestoney and @sewing_in_spain !
I really needed some basic black pants and decided to try this pattern. I didn’t make a muslin - gasp - because they have a hidden expandable panel in front. So I decided to take my chances.
🖤
I shopped my stash and used a medium-weight wool fabric. The pattern is designed for linen so maybe that wasn’t the best choice as these are high-waisted pants and the wool is a little itchy. But I can wear them in the spring, fall, and winter in the Bay Area so I will get a lot of wear from them. I need to tweak the back a little but otherwise, they fit quite well!
🩶
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#MagamNoFrillsFebruary #SewOver50Feb #SewOver50 #SewYourStash #BayAreaSewists #BayAreaSewistsFebruary  #DopamineDressing
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🥳
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