What should a beginner use to mark fabric?

Either tailor's chalk or a washable fabric marking pen. Chalk is quick for straight cutting lines and hem lines on garment fabric; a fine-tip pen is better for tracing an embroidery design or drawing curves. Whichever you buy, test it on a scrap of the same fabric first and check that the mark really comes out.

Do water-soluble fabric markers wash out?

They are made to, but fabrics differ, so test first. Dritz says the blue tip on its dual-purpose pen wipes away with a damp cloth and the purple tip fades in air or with water, and that the pen is not recommended for dry-clean-only fabric.

What kind of tape measure do you need for sewing?

A soft, flexible 60-inch tape, not a metal tool-box tape. A soft tape wraps around a body to take bust, waist and hip measurements and lies flat along a hem or a length of fabric.

Cutting & measuring · Levels 0–2

Marking & Measuring

A soft tape measure, and something that marks fabric and then comes out again. Test every marker on a scrap first.

3 picks · $5–$5 · prices checked October 8, 2026 · researched from listings, specs and owner feedback, not hands-on testing

Our top pick

Dritz 748 Tailor's Chalk and Holder — $4.69. Marking cutting lines, hem lines and button positions on garment fabric. See why

Buy on Amazon· $4.69 4.4 · 325 ratings

We may earn a commission from Amazon — it never changes a score.

At a glance

Marking & Measuring compared

Top pick
Dritz 748 Tailor's Chalk and Holder
$4.69StitchScore 74 4.4 out of 5 stars · 325 ratings
Marking cutting lines, hem lines and button positions on garment fabric
Buy on Amazon· $4.69
#2
Dritz 673-60 marking pen
$4.97StitchScore 74 4.6 out of 5 stars · 1,757 ratings
Tracing an embroidery design or marking quilting and hem lines that must come out
Buy on Amazon· $4.97
#3
Dritz 836
$4.69StitchScore 73 4.4 out of 5 stars · 30 ratings
Measuring bodies, hems and fabric lengths
Buy on Amazon· $4.69

Scroll sideways for scores, prices and buy links

Marking & Measuring compared
Rank	Pick	Best for	StitchScore	Price	Buy
Editorial #1	TopDritz 748 Tailor's Chalk and Holder 4.4 out of 5 stars · 325 ratings	Marking cutting lines, hem lines and button positions on garment fabric	74	$4.69	Buy on Amazon
Editorial #2	Dritz 673-60 marking pen 4.6 out of 5 stars · 1,757 ratings	Tracing an embroidery design or marking quilting and hem lines that must come out	74	$4.97	Buy on Amazon
Editorial #3	Dritz 836 4.4 out of 5 stars · 30 ratings	Measuring bodies, hems and fabric lengths	73	$4.69	Buy on Amazon

Compare two picks

Tap an unselected chip to compare it with your current right-hand pick — all 3 picks available.

Top pickDritz 748 Tailor's Chalk and Holder

$4.69

Dritz 673-60 marking pen

$4.97

StitchScore

74/100

Price

$4.69

$4.97

Colour

White

Blue and Purple

Size

1 Count (Pack of 1)

Dimensions (H × W × D)

0.56 in × 3.0 in × 5.0 in

3.0 in × 0.5 in × 8.5 in

Weight

0.02 lb

Buy on Amazon· $4.69 Buy on Amazon· $4.97

Marking & Measuring side by side

Expand for the full specs, score breakdown and skip-it-if notes on all 3 picks — 4 specs side by side

Prices checked October 8, 2026

Scroll sideways to reach the later picks

	#1 Top pick Dritz 748 Tailor's Chalk and Holder	#2 Dritz 673-60 marking pen	#3 Dritz 836
Buy	Buy on Amazon $4.69	Buy on Amazon $4.97	Buy on Amazon $4.69
StitchScoremethodology →	74/100 Owner satisfaction65 Maker value95	74/100 Owner satisfaction79 Maker value60	73/100 Owner satisfaction64 Maker value95
Best for	Best for: marking cutting lines, hem lines and button positions on garment fabric. The chalk sits in a plastic holder with a built-in sharpener, so the line stays fine and your hands stay clean.	Best for: tracing an embroidery design or marking quilting and hem lines that must come out. Dritz says the blue tip wipes away with a damp cloth and the purple tip fades in air or with water.	Best for: measuring bodies, hems and fabric lengths. It is a soft 60-inch tape, the kind that wraps around a waist, with inches on one side and centimetres on the other.
Skip if	Skip it if you are tracing a detailed embroidery design. A fine-tip marking pen draws small curves more precisely than a chalk edge.	Skip it if your fabric is dry-clean only, which Dritz says the pen is not recommended for, or if the work will sit for days, since the purple ink fades on its own. Test any marker on a scrap first.	Skip it if you want a retractable tape that winds itself back up. This is a plain flat tape; Dritz also sells retractable ones.
Colour	White	Blue and Purple	Pink, green
Size	1 Count (Pack of 1)	1 Count (Pack of 1)	1.6 m
Dimensions (H × W × D)	0.56 in × 3.0 in × 5.0 in	3.0 in × 0.5 in × 8.5 in	0.67 in × 1.88 in × 6.75 in
Weight	0.02 lb	0.02 lb	0.0 lb

Specs come from the manufacturer listing and Amazon's public product data — confirm the current listing before you buy. We research and analyse; we don't lab-test.

Also worth having

What goes with Marking & Measuring

The things this shelf usually needs alongside it — one current pick per category, and nothing here is required to start.

Fabric Scissors
Proshear$8.99 4.8 out of 5 stars · 4,040 ratings
Mark the line first, then cut on it.
Why this one Buy on Amazon
Pins & Fabric Clips
MumCraft 100$5.69 4.8 out of 5 stars · 45,086 ratings
Pin the pattern down before you trace around it.
Why this one Buy on Amazon

Researched from listings, specs and owner feedback — never hands-on testing. We may earn a commission; it never changes a pick.

Guides that go with Marking & Measuring

How to Hem or Shorten Jeans and Keep the Original Hem10 min read Learn to Sew Clothes: Free Online Course for Beginners7 min read What Do I Need to Start Sewing? The Beginner Supplies List8 min read Free Online Quilting Course for Beginners9 min read Free Hand Embroidery Course for Beginners9 min read

Frequently asked

What should a beginner use to mark fabric?: Either tailor's chalk or a washable fabric marking pen. Chalk is quick for straight cutting lines and hem lines on garment fabric; a fine-tip pen is better for tracing an embroidery design or drawing curves. Whichever you buy, test it on a scrap of the same fabric first and check that the mark really comes out.
Do water-soluble fabric markers wash out?: They are made to, but fabrics differ, so test first. Dritz says the blue tip on its dual-purpose pen wipes away with a damp cloth and the purple tip fades in air or with water, and that the pen is not recommended for dry-clean-only fabric.
What kind of tape measure do you need for sewing?: A soft, flexible 60-inch tape, not a metal tool-box tape. A soft tape wraps around a body to take bust, waist and hip measurements and lies flat along a hem or a length of fabric.

Prices and availability are the most recent values we pulled from Amazon and refresh on a cycle; confirm the live price before buying. We may earn a commission on a purchase, and it never changes a score. See how we score gear.