Heat-Erasable Fabric Marking Pens by Madam Sew

Jun 28, 2025 by Debbie NC Stitches

Every quilter and embroiderer knows how frustrating it can be to use chalk to mark fabric. Chalk lines are easily brushed away, sometimes even before you finish positioning your hoop or ruler. I’ve often drawn chalk lines to help center my embroidery hoop, only to find they’ve vanished thanks to an accidental swipe of my hand.

If only there were a semi-permanent solution that disappears only when you want it to.

The Solution

I discovered heat-erasable fabric marking pens from Madam Sew. At first glance, they look just like regular ballpoint pens. I was intrigued and thought, “Let’s give these a try.”

I tested the 4-pack, which includes red, blue, white, and black pens. I tried them on a variety of fabric scraps: green stretchy knit, dark blue cotton, white cotton, and dark green fabric. After drawing my lines, I grabbed my hot iron.

To my delight, the lines vanished instantly when the heat was applied.

Pros

Clean, visible lines that don’t disappear until you apply heat.
Works on a variety of fabrics and colors (the white pen is great for dark fabrics).
Easy to handle it writes just like a regular pen.
Refills are available

Things to Know

Pressing too hard can leave an indentation in the fabric, even after the ink disappears.
These pens are best used within 5 months, so don’t stockpile too many refills.
Marks may reappear in cold temperatures, so they’re not recommended for show quilts or visible areas. I suggest marking the back or hidden parts of your project.

Final Thoughts

Heat-erasable pens are a major improvement over traditional chalk for many sewing and quilting tasks. These heat-erasable pens earned a permanent spot in my sewing toolkit, ironic, for a pen that provides temporary marks!

History of Madam Sew Founded in March 2017 by brothers Mark and Richard Fiers, who were inspired while looking online for sewing-related presents for their grandmothers. They created an online-only store offering selected sewing tools to make sewing easier and more fun. Richard, a former teacher, developed in-depth instructions for the tools they sold and provided superior customer service. Then they developed their own products, including the heat-erasable fabric marking pens.