I don't hand quilt, but on the long arm I either use a Bohan chalk pencil or a F & P ceramic chalk pencil or a disappearing blue (with water) pen--several brands for this. I also just recently used a green Crayola Ultra Clean marker--it came right out of the fabric ,but discolored the poly thread I used to quilt with, so won't use it again with that.---but it did wash right out of the cotton fabric.