What writing tool do you use, pencil, chalk...?

On the freezer paper? Anything I have handy - marker, pencil, pen, etc. I'll then cut up the freezer paper as required before ironing it to the quilt.

On the quilt, I dont use anything. I simply quilt around/over the freezer paper template.

Then just tear it off when you're done?

Freezer paper is pretty thick. I would worry that the thickness would affect my stitches and when tearing it out it would loosen the stitches even further. Have you experienced this when using it?

I did scratch myself once with a pin but I quilt at a fairly even and slow pace, so it wasn't an issue for me. Just watch, next time I'll end up scratching myself a dozen time! :lol:

Maybe I should explain. I dont stitch through the freezer paper. I only use it as a guide for my stitching.

For instance, this weekend i cut out butterflies and pinned them to my quilt. (I could have just as easily cut the butterflies out of freezzer paper and ironed them on.) I quilted around each indivdual butterfly (not through the paper if I could help it) then meandered my way over to the next butterfly and repeat.

I'm not using the freezer paper for an overall design. For that, I agree that a lighter paper would be better.

Well that makes more sense! I do the same thing when I can use a template and none of my marking pens or pencils or soap will work to mark the design. I find that many designs, such as feathers or things that require a lot of circular motion, won't work with that. I just did a leaf pattern that was very whimsical and there was no way I could do a template for it. I simply drew the design out on the tissue paper, pinned it to my quilt, and quilted onto the tissue paper. Because it is thin it doesn't affect my stitches and it pulled out very easily. It's a trick I use when nothing else works.

practice you will do fine.