I know, you may think a fabric pencil is just a fabric pencil, but there is a difference. Granted, I learned the hard way, through trial and error….and lines that would not come off fabrics! I also learned the hard way before meeting Carol, who loves to share her knowledge.
My latest “find” in fabric pencils is from Sewline. I’m stuck on the Sewline Trio right now. You can switch from black to white to just a tracer. And, with just a turn in between, the tip retracts! I like that benefit as I am horrible about breaking the tips off my fabric pencils.
The Sewline fabric pencils make a distinct fine line on fabrics, which is something I really like. As I am doing more garment sewing, I need a distinct line to mark darts, fold lines, etc. If I am off on these markings, the garment can turn out horribly wrong. I also like it because it’s just like using a regular pencil or pen…you don’t need to add pressure to make a clear, crisp line.
It’s also easy to remove with either the built-in eraser, or warm water. However, it is best to test on a small swatch, just to be sure. Another cool feature is that when you run out of the black and white that comes in the Trio, you can refill it with a variety of colors that best suit your needs – black graphite, white ceramic, pink ceramic, and green ceramic. But I do love the combination of a black and white in the same utensil. It makes it easier to switch when your fabric has both dark and light sections and you need to mark across both.
In more detail, the black is your regular graphite – like a pencil. The other colors – white, pink and green – are ceramic based. Sewline has an innovative ceramic technology which creates leads that are strong, non-gritty, and more easily removed with the eraser or sponged off with a damp cloth.
I’m find that I use it for EVERYTHING!
~Nancy
