I’ve never found a satisfactory tool to mark dark fabric. Not agile enough. Too messy. Not reliable enough. Whatever. I’ve been tempted to take silver or gold sharpie type markers to the fabric, but worried how to get it out.
But then when I was in line to get a hot chocolate at Tim Horton’s today, I connected with the white markings they had on their drinks to identify what each were. You could write with it. You could wipe it off easily enough. It’s probably not toxic if it’s that near digested fluids… though you could never be sure these days. I thought this could be the perfect dark fabric marker I have been seeking my entire (sewing) life!
And so I asked what they used to mark the drink.
Well, I’m not sure whether or not I should be surprised, but none of them knew! They showed me the thing and said it was a fillable filament they stuck in some pen casing. But that was all they knew about it!
I had a meeting on my mind so I walked off disappointed. Maybe I’ll ask again to see if they’d loan me one, sell me one, give me one, or whatever. But I’d still have to test it.
Then I thought of you all and thought maybe I’d ask you first in case any of you knew. Do you?
Any of you have kids or know of people at Tim’s who might know?
Minh, Fons and Porter sell a ceramic lead that is put in a mechanical pencil. A lot of quilters use this on dark fabric.
LikeLike
Thanks, I found it.
http://www.shopfonsandporter.com/product/Mechanical-Pencil-W-Refill-White/fabric-and-notions
However, I don’t see any refills to buy on its own. Would I need to buy the pencil every time? And would any place here sell it to avoid the whole Internet purchase, shipping ordeal?
LikeLike
Sew With Vision will order almost anything in for you – and I know they deal with Fons and Porter.
LikeLike
I have for many years used slivers of ivory soap with great success to mark dark fabrics.
LikeLike
Tim’s uses a grease pencil for marking. They are available at Staples. I don’t think it would be great for marking fabric. Staples also has a china pencil but I’m not sure if that is the same as china lead,
LikeLike
Thanks. I’ll have to look into both and see what they’re like. It might just be personal preference that I might like it. 🙂
LikeLike