Best fabric pen for signing a graduation quilt?

[Howard Hamlin]

I'm putting together a quilt as a graduation gift for my niece, and we want friends and family to sign their names and leave short notes on it. I need the ink to be permanent, hold up to washing, and not bleed through the fabric. Does anyone here have a go-to fabric-safe pen or marker for something like this? I'd rather not have signatures fade or turn into blobs after the first wash. Thank you in advance. It sure would mean a lot.

 

[Gab's Gift]

The brand of pen is only half the equation. The real risk comes from how the ink reacts with your specific material and how it is heat set. I'd strongly suggest you test any pen on a scrap piece of your actual quilt fabric first. Write on the scrap, heat set it with an iron as directed and run it through a full wash cycle. What type of fabric are you using for the signature blocks? @Howard Hamlin

 

[Jillian]

I'll tell you what is NOT a good choice - Sharpies.
The ink bleeds in width, even if using a fine point.
And it fades quickly from washing.
Even their "laundry marker" suffers the same effects.
Usually better quilt shops carry permanent ink pens that may last better.
Also remind the recipient to wash the quilt in cold water only.