Another fabric marking tool

[sydnie7]

I've tried a variety of fabric markers including AlanH's recommended plain-old-chalkboard-chalk. I can't keep a piece of chalk sharp, can't get close enough to the straightedge, and the sound! Well, you know where "fingernails on a chalkboard" came from. Makes my whole body break out in goosebumps.

Ran across the following gizzie in the quilting section of a fabric/craft store. It holds a quantity of powdered white chalk (refills available) and doles it out through a tiny toothed wheel -- like a very thin bicycle sprocket -- that revolves as you run the marker down the length of a straightedge. The picture shows it upside-down, the wheel is on the rounded end and the chalk powder loads in along the straight edge (with a plastic cover to keep it inside).

The chalk is a bit loose, and will shed excess, but the "bottom layer" goes well into the fabric weave and stays until washed out. You don't need to go back-and-forth, that just piles up excess powder that will migrate around -- one stroke does the trick.

Cost about $3.50 IIRC and refills were equally reasonable. If you can use AlanH's standard chalk, more power to you, but this is my newest favorite tool.

[Smayniac]

I got one of those last trip to Hancock"s, I like it too.

Bob

[Canuck]

Use talcum powder to refill. Much cheaper. However my experience is that you have to replace the unit frequently as the wheel gets stuck.
Far better value is "Jinbutsu Chalk" It's shaped like a triangle. Box of 10 sells for $5 Canadian and I can do a number of kilts with one.
Also on the market is a mechanical chalk pencil. Works like a "Stadler Mars" drafting pencil. Initial cost is expensive but one can get refills at a reasonable cost.

[Kilt TN]

I just use the edge of a old bar of soap

[sydnie7]

I just use the edge of a old bar of soap

Isn't that problematic when you iron over it? I'd be afraid of it a) disappearing (if it's a mark that I still need to see) and/or b) leaving a greasy line on the fabric.

Thanks for the talcum hint, although I bought a pack of two refills along with the unit I'll keep that in mind if it lasts that long!

[ChattanCat]

I use an old pencile sharpening pad from the 80's. It is just 12 sheets of sandpaper mounted on a stick.

I use it to sharpen Jems Tailor's chalk. The chalk does dull pretty quick so I save the newly sharpened chalk for the apron edges. I sharpen the chalk as the last step in making the kilts. I use the dust to put a pattern of the celtic shield knot on the lining. It serves as my tracing for the embroidery that I put on the lining, prior to attaching it to the kilt.

[vmac3205]

Hi Sydnie,
I bought one of those, different manufacturer, same idea. It works okay but my favorite is still a hunk of "tailor's chalk" which came in a little plastic holder with a sharpener on the lid. I like being able to change the color of the powdered chalk in the other unit. The chalk that is used for construction work (chalk lines) also works well to refill the replacement cartridges.

[Dixiecat]

I've tried:
-chalk wheel
-soap stone pencil
-dressmakers chalk pencil
-sharpened chalk

None were satisfactory. Some left a too wide of a line, some took a lot of pressure to leave a mark and the chalk wheel was too messy. I also should mention that the kilts I've made are from dress tartans which will have sections of white. My first kilt was a black Dress Erskine, the only colours in the tartan are white and black so chalk really wasn't the answer for me.

I finally went with little brass safety pins. I was able to get the pins practically on the thread i needed. I was then able to travel with my kilt and sew away while on business trips and not worry about chalk marks being rubbed out.
http://www.safetypins.com/traditional_pins.htm

[ChattanCat]

I've tried:
-chalk wheel
-soap stone pencil
-dressmakers chalk pencil
-sharpened chalk

None were satisfactory. Some left a too wide of a line, some took a lot of pressure to leave a mark and the chalk wheel was too messy. I also should mention that the kilts I've made are from dress tartans which will have sections of white. My first kilt was a black Dress Erskine, the only colours in the tartan are white and black so chalk really wasn't the answer for me.

I finally went with little brass safety pins. I was able to get the pins practically on the thread i needed. I was then able to travel with my kilt and sew away while on business trips and not worry about chalk marks being rubbed out.
http://www.safetypins.com/traditional_pins.htm

Basting is a great way to set a line and be able to travel without losing the lines.

[Tartan Hiker]

I use chalkboard chalk like Alan H, but I don't even try to "sharpen" it. I keep an old pasteboard box handy...I hold the chalk perpendicular to the bottom surface of the box and wipe it back and forth until I get a perfectly flat face on the end of the chalk stick. That gives me a nice sharp edge all the way around. I do this inside a box so that I'm less likely to lay something down on the chalk marks.