I have a drawer full of marking stuff that didn't work. Guess I've tried just about all of them, and have lots of projects where stuff just would not come out = ruined projects.

The only thing(s)I use now never, ever let me down. They never fade, etc. --- For dark fabrics, I use a white chalk marking pencil. It rubs off with a soft toothbrush if any residue remains after the stitches run through it. --- For light fabrics, I use the water-disappearing blue pens ... but be sure NOT to iron over that blue or it will be there forever. After stitching through the blue, simply mist with a little cold water and the marks disappear before your eyes.

Okay, I didn't realize you were hand quilting. Back in the day when I did do some handquilting I tried to avoid anything other than gentle curves so I didn't have to turn the hoop every which way. I would never have attempted meandering, especially on a stationary frame or standing hoop as I could only quilt R to L or north to south. Carry on bravely!

I am trying different chalks all the time the best one I have found is a General's Charcoal White #558 I bought them at Hobby Lobby in the art section.

See if you can trace your meandering on cheap tissue paper from the $ store. Pin to the dark areas & try to make sure lines up with the parts that the markings are still there. I am like you, I like to follow something. So almost all my meandering is done on the tissue paper & pinned to top, using small pieces of tape to make the paper the size I need. Just takes a little bit of time to tear it off, but it washes out with first wash & no fear of markings not coming out & if you don't follow the lines exactly, doesn't matter. Hope this helps.

I haven't read all the replies yet, so this may already be listed. You said you made your own stencil...did it have a slot from your pencil in order to draw the markings onto the quilt? If so, can you lay your stencil on top and either use a pounce or powder puff with talc? If you use the power puff with talc, gently wipe it on so you won't have so much "dust" getting on everything else. Good luck!

I use a sliver of soap, and it stays long enough and bushes (or washes!) right off.