i have used my hubby's chalk line and it worked well...always test to make sure the chalk will come out of your fabric though...just because it came out of my quilt top does not mean it will come out of yours...different fabrics seem to (hold on to ) chalk differently. I use chalk alot but i have at times had some that didn't want to go away.--but for a long straight line it worked GREAT! mine is the blue chalk.
i have used safety pins for basting (once) i hated that way...seemed like such a pain in so many ways...yes remove the pins...you sure don't want to chance hitting one...when i did the class with the pins we closed ours...i think if i tried to quilt one with them open i would be stabbing my self constantly...i don't get that part...other than it is a pain to close them all and then to open them all again...but seems like the price to pay for using that technique. i really hated taking classes where they were set on you doing it Their way...only...i've found i usually have a way that's easier (for me) or makes more sense (to me) and find it to be quite frustrating when they insist you do it their way...even when you can show them a different way. probably why i really quit even checking out what classes are around.