Replacements for tailor's chalk:
If you do not have tailor's chalk, what are some eco-friendly replacements that you can use for marking on your fabric?
Sidewalk/chalkboard chalk:
This is a low-impact and inexpensive way of marking on fabric. while it may not be as thin as tailor's chalk, it can be sharpened easily to make a more fine tip. Using different colors might make it harder to remove from fabric, but since this chalk is supposed to be used by kids, it is most likely going to be easy enough to remove the markings from clothes.
Pencils
I use regular pencils a lot when I am cutting up fabric. When used on lighter colors of fabric, a standard #2 pencil will create a thin dark line that can be easily traced with a pair of scissors to give a fantastic cut! The main issue is, not only would this be hard to do with knit fabrics, but it might not be easy to come off the fabric if you have any residue left from the pencil after cutting. Also, the pencil cannot be too sharp or it will catch on the fabric instead of "writing" on it.
Chalk pencils
Personally, I LOVE using these! I have bought a couple of them on eBay from someone who was destashing them, and they work wonders for writing on fabric! You can even get them in different colors, such as different skin tones, white, and gray, so you can switch them up to use on any fabric you need to ujse them on.
The ones I use are General's Pastel Chalk. Idk if any others work well.
What not to use to mark fabric:
Crayons/Color Pencils
I learned the hard way that it is very hard to get wax out of fabric Eyeliner
I learned this the hard way as well. Not only is eyeliner fairly oily, but it also doesn't dry. This means that it is super easy to smudge, leaving marks all over the fabric, which are very hard to remove.
Markers
While there are fabric markers you can use for this specific purpose, most markers will bleed and run on fabric, and can be hard, if not impossible to remove.
You do not have to be conventional when it comes to sewing, and finding some alternatives can also help to get them secondhand for cheap. So try these out if you like! *** If you like what you have read and want to support me, you can by using the shop links below! But only buy if you need new supplies, clothes, etc. Don't buy just for the sake of buying.
Upcycleability- My Etsy shop where I sell my upcycled crafts and craft supplies:
UpcycledLucy– My Poshmark to buy used clothing that I salvage from being thrown out
UpcycledLucy– My Mercari where I also sell used clothing, but cheaper
Lucienes– My eBay shop where I sell everything else that I salvage, such as books, games, boxes, and more
5-10% of all sales from the above links go towards 350 dot org, an intersectional activist organization working to fight climate change and get climate justice.