JenniKY...you can use different colored threads on the top and the one you want to show on the underside for all of the quilt if the tension is set for it. Clover pen is the best one for truly washing out if your still wish to use pen. Some of the others do wash out and reappear. The weights of the threads and how well they do partnered up will depend a lot on how well your machine can be adjusted. My Janome 6500 seems to take different weights on the top and bobbin well. It takes some experimenting. BTW...if you are doing more than stippling, the finer the thread, the easier it is to backtrack on a design without it being noticed. My instructor uses 100w silk thread. Whatever the design, she would recommend some STD or outlining to stabilize before doing the final quilting. That way, you can start your quilting wherever it works best for you and most of the pens can be removed and out of the way. Have fun!