Hello. I am in the process of making my third quilt. I am trying to trace the stencil of the pattern I want to machine quilt onto the quilt top. I am trying to use the same silver/gray quilting pencil I have used previously, but I am finally fed up with it's lack of ability to leave a line dark enough to see. I also find the "lead" to be too hard and it requires several strokes over the same line before it can be seen at all. I am hoping somebody is familiar with a marker or at least a softer pencil that will be easier to work with, but will still completely wash off the fabric. I am wondering about Crayola's washable markers, but am afraid it may ruin the quilt. Advice from more experienced quilters would be greatly appreciated.

My mother uses a blue marking pencil similar to this one.

Also, Harriet Hargrave has a wide variety of pencils you can chose from as well as quiltknit.com

maybe you can try welders chaulk its kinda soft and leaves a white mark and is washable.
soap stone is what its called only draw back is its white maybe they have a different color.
also there is a pencle that makes a gray line .
its for marking steel that might work as well.
washable markers might be another choice, like kids markers. ive never made a quilt but i am trying to get my mother to make me one(im not having much luck with this task)
maybe this will help