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Patsy Lake BearsCan someone who lives in the US post a pic of the Sharpie pens please, they have been mentioned on another posting. I have tried here in Australia and they have never heard of them, I thought if I get a picture of one I could find them or something similar over here. I am not game to use felt tips on the mohair as I have had one bleed on me .....
Cleathero CreationsA sharpie is a felt tip pen. The ones I have seen in Australia are not even a fine tip pen.
You can ge them in Woolworths or big W. They are a grey pen with Sharpie written down the side and the colour of the ink is the colour of the lid.
Patsy Lake BearsBronwen thank you I have been into the newsagent and they checked out their suppliers ..... and had nothing
Sassy Bears & FabricsSharpie is a permanent marker and comes in all colors and tip styles. I have dozens of them, all different colors!
Take a look here: http://www.allartsupplies.com/article.php?sectionId=41
Hi Patsy
If you want a great non-bleeding pen that's readily available get gel pens...you can definitely buy them in Aus as I've bought several there while on trips. It pays to spend a little more and get a good brand (like Pentel or Francheville) Actually the Franceville ones are cheap at Spotlight if you have one near you...I got them for $2 a pen and you can get ones with glitter sparkles in which are great on dark backed fabrics as you can see the sparkles no matter what colour you use
I'm not a big fan of sharpies - the smell gives me a headache but this is a (bad) picture of one. They are made by Sanford
Patsy Lake BearsStephenie and Melissa thankyou I will be going to spotlight tomorrow .......
Actually, my personal experience with Sharpies is that when they get wet they tend to bleed, and a lot at that. I occasionally use them to trace patterns, but not for anything else, for that reason.
When I need to use a permanent marker ON my fabric pattern pieces I use a brand called Pigma MICRON. The 05 size, which is a very fine point, but firm, is also great for use on faces, to fill in bare spots on noses, or outline where features will go, or mark eye placement, etc.
Check here:
http://www.dickblick.com/zz207/02/
http://www.gellyroll.com/products/pens/ … icron.html
Upstate New YorkActually, my personal experience with Sharpies is that when they get wet they tend to bleed, and a lot at that. I occasionally use them to trace patterns, but not for anything else, for that reason.
When I need to use a permanent marker ON my fabric pattern pieces I use a brand called Pigma MICRON. The 05 size, which is a very fine point, but firm, is also great for use on faces, to fill in bare spots on noses, or outline where features will go, or mark eye placement, etc.
Do you use that same pen to sign tushtags, or feet, or wherever you sign <if you do>? I used a Sharpie on a tushtag, and was less than happy with it.
Pigmas will work fine on tags Deb, my mother uses them for features on her cloth dolls...and they are so nice and fine too - you will never look at a Sharpie again! The only time I've had a Pigma bleed and it was only slightly was on a "satin" ribbon and ANYTHING will bleed on them.
Back Road BearsI love my Micron pens. But for tracing they are too fine. Or maybe they come with a fatter tip and I just haven't seen them? I do use the Ultra or Extra Fine point Sharpies for tracing. They aren't so pointy they that they catch on the backing. And, as I don't tend to work on my bears near the sink or give them a bath I haven't encountered a problem with them getting wet and any ink bleeding! But then, once I've traced and cut there usually isn't any ink on the fabric anyway as I cut inside my line. If you were to use a Sharpie on the mohair itself there would be a world of problems..... bleeding as Shelli pointed out and the color changes. Black becomes deep purple for example. (Don't ask how I know! :doh: )
Patsy, Sharpies are really cheap here and wouldn't cost much to send you a box (12 in a box I think). I'd be happy to send you some if you can't find anything you are happy with.
Like Daphne, I find the Pigma Microns too fine for pattern tracing too. I have a supply of 05 size; there is an 08 which is thicker, but not by much. I haven't tried that one. The MICRON pens can be used to trace, however; in a pinch I've used them, but they are SO rigid and sharp they tend to get a bit "grabby" on the rough mohair backing, so it takes a lot of little strokes to get things traced. Whereas with a SHARPIE, it's one smooth job.
Daphne, I know black SHARPIES turn purple when wet, too. AARGH!
Deb, I do indeed use my Pigma Micron pens to sign my tushtags. Don't sign feet here. They work beautifully, leaving a crisp, thin line, that looks like actual handwriting, and not some fat kindergartner's scribbles!
Upstate New YorkDaphne, I know black SHARPIES turn purple when wet, too. AARGH!
I learned that at work thankfully, and not on a teddy. Thanks all for the info on the Pigma markers. I'll try Michaels I guess for those.
Kim-Bee BearsI use prisma markers 
They are permanent although they are a little expensive...
Gatehouse GalleryPatsy, I have used micron .05 on body tags, and find them a bit grabby, as Shelli said. You can get ZIG double ended (.5 and 1.2) at spotlight and they are Pigment ink also, acid free,archival quality, waterproof etc. available in a few colours and seem to work for me on body tags, tracing my painted dresses etc.
Patsy Lake BearsShelli Deb Daphne Kim and Glenys thank you for all the information ....... I will be going shopping
I also have had bad experiences with sharpies. I haven't had them bleed when wet, but they do run and turn purple when you use fray check over them... I learned that when I made a white bear and traced out the pattern with a sharpie, when I went back to fray check a few seams on the face, the purple ran and ruined the little bear...
Kim-Bee BearsKirsten... I had the same experience as you and havent used them in any way related to my bears since (except to write on their tags and on the boxes I ship them)
Posts: 8,574I love the sharpie silver though, for use on black fabric- it shows up really really really well.
Sometimes to well so I trim it off after the seams are done
dilu
Flying Fur StudiosI also have had bad experiences with sharpies. I haven't had them bleed when wet, but they do run and turn purple when you use fray check over them... I learned that when I made a white bear and traced out the pattern with a sharpie, when I went back to fray check a few seams on the face, the purple ran and ruined the little bear...
I soo hear ya! I've done that on several bears and just had to go with it. I wasn't using sharpies, but some other pen that is HORRIBLE!! I've done it on a light brown bear and a peach bear, but a white bear! OUCH!
Ruby Mountain BearsSharpies do bleed terribly. If the fabric is wetted at all you get bleeding. Also with black sharpies I have noticed a color change in the light they don't show up black. I use regular fabric markers. Much better for shading and blendable too.
