One of the hottest new fabrics out there is chalkboard cloth – it’s sewable (it’s very ‘user friendly’) and it’s easy to write on. The problem is, finding unique ways to use this material. My latest tutorial for The Sewing Republic should help you with that problem: Placemats! It’s a fun way to serve breakfast in the morning (think writing little messages to the kids before they go to school), a great way to keep little kids entertained at the table, or dress it up with some elegant fabrics and use them at a dinner party (you can write the night’s menu on the chalkboard section of the placemat). I used a combination of chalkboard cloth and novelty fabrics for this tutorial, but you can make your versions entirely ‘wipeable’ by using laminated cottons around the boarder and backside.

While chalkboard cloth is very easy to work with, here’s a few tips on making working with this material go more smoothly:

Prime it! It’s important to rub a piece of chalk across the material (back and forth, up and down) then wipe with a damp cloth. Priming will allow the chalk to ‘stick’ to the material. You may find after repeated use that your fabric will need to be primed again.

Roll it! Never crease your chalk cloth. This will crack the surface of the material, making it unusable.

Press it! When you’re ready to press your chalkcloth fabric, be sure to use a press cloth and the synthetic setting on your iron. Using direct heat will melt the the material, making it unusable (not to mention make a mess of your iron!).