i have been using good ole' pencils for years. i always test a small spot and make sure it is going to wash out but i've never had one not wash out and i have had really unpleasant results from some of the items made (and priced) specifically for quilters. i will use a pencil over expensive markers that may work once or twice then don't work any more. my pencil shows up on most fabrics, light and dark. if it is not showing enough on a dark i use a silver or white pencil.
and i test a spot on every quilt...every one is different and even though it washed out last time no problem does not mean it will next time...just like (just because it worked for you does not mean it's going to work for me)always test no matter what you choose to use. herra markers are ok for small areas you will quilt right away but the marks disappear so you can not mark a whole large quilt and have the marks still visible -- it only makes a (crease) line, not a marked line