I use the Roxanne water soluble chalk marking pencils -- they stay on pretty well and they wash out beautifully. I use both the gray and the white depending on the color of the fabric -- and although they are not refillable they are not that expensive. The only problem I have is if I make the point too sharp, it breaks -- I borrowed a friend's SewLine in a class and it was like the lead had a skin on it that I had to press hard to get it to start drawing.