Product Review: Bohin Two-Sided Chalk Pencil

Another week, another marking utensil review.  So this one happened in the spur of the moment.  Dad left the other day from work having shortness of breath and discomfort (he is fine now, don't worry), bt it just so happened that I found out on my way to the shop for one of our group meetings.  Cancelling wasn't an option at that point, and Mom and John were already on their way to the ER to meet him, so I hung out for updates.  My plan was to go to the ER after the group left, and of course this was the ONE TIME I didn't have a phone charger with me or my sewing kit.  So I made an embroidery pattern on the fly, and we had one of the Bohin Two-Sided Chalk Pencils out as a tester.  So I used it. 

Specs

• Wooden, two-sided pencil
• White and red chalks
• Cost: $1.25

Pros

• Awesome visibility for both colors

• Thick chalk is difficult to break even with significant pressure
• This stuff stays where you want it. You can rub on it with your finger, and it stays pretty well, little to no smudging. 

Cons

• It is thicker than a regular pencil, so a standard sharpener doesn't work very well. 
• Chalk is thick, not ideal for detail work
• It's a little more work to remove than your standard chalk.  On my test piece, the white came of with cold water and a little dabbing, but the red was more challenging - I had to use a little white vinegar mixed with the water.  

Conclusion
★★★★☆
This might be my new go-to.  I have been working on that embroidery regularly since I made it last Monday, and the lines are still clear and bright.  I wish the red was easier to remove, but for how well it stays I think I can tolerate the minor inconvenience. 

Product Review: Hemline Water Erasable Marking Pencil

I like to embroider, so I am always on the lookout for good marking pens.  When I am marking sewing lines when I am piecing, air soluble is just fine, but for the time it takes for me to get embroideries done, water soluble is the way to go. 

So I gave these babies a try: The Water Soluble Marking Pencil by Hemline

Specs

• Twist style marking pencils
• 3mm
• Blue and White options
• Cost: $1.25 apiece, when sold in the bin and not individually packaged

Pros

• They twist up so the "lead" is always protected
• Blue: Highly visible
• White: See cons
• Inexpensive
• Wash away cleanly

Cons

• They are wide enough that they are not good for detail, and they are blunt
• They deplete quickly, and the "lead" is fragile
• White: It doesn't show up very well, and wipes off very easily.  I used it on a very deep gray background and it was only barely visible _ even pressed hard enough to snap the "lead"
• Blue: Rubs off on your hands very easily, and takes a little persuasion to wash away (though it does ultimately wash away cleanly)

Conclusion
Blue: ★★★☆☆
White: ★☆☆☆☆
Overall: ★★☆☆☆

The white is terrible, to be honest.  I got rid of mine.  But the blue is pretty decent, though, I wish it didn't smudge so easily!  For $1.25 though, it is still a good buy.  Save this marking pencil for your less detailed embroideries, lettering, and sewing lines.