It's not a good idea to quilt from the back. I use a white Clover marker, and I can see the lines perfectly. Note that if you use that marker, it takes a couple of seconds for the lines to appear after you draw them. Chalk is good also, but it rubs off, so it's best used in small areas with marking as you quilt. You can also ask the group Celebrate Hand Quilting on Facebook or get information off our blog
http://celebratehandquilting.blogspot.com/ . This is a community of quilters who mostly are hand quilters... over 500 of them, from all over the world.