same deal with your top thread too, jess!  when changing my top thread, i cut somewhere near the spool, then pull the "tail" thru the eye of the needle - pulling that thread "backwards" can mess up the top tension just as much

awesome tip from Log Home Quilting on Facebook!  a wonderful "re-purposing" for those embroidery hoops i never use anymore:

QUILTER’S TIP OF THE DAY: Make your own reusable quilting stencils with nylon tulle. Trace the design onto the tulle with a permanent marker. Secure the tulle in place for your design with pins, then retrace the design through the tulle with your marking tool of choice. And if you put the tulle in an embroidery hoop, turn it over so the tulle is flat to the quilt, you can mark the design easily and move it as needed without pinning. Happy quilting!

I bet several of our forum members do this, but just in case, here's an excellent tip: 

If you have a favorite quilting book that gets a lot of use, take it to your office supply store and have them put a spiral binding on it. Reinforce the covers by laminating them first. It will lie flat when you're using it and increase the lifetime of the book.

Cherie....  I thought I tried to answer you the other night, but I must have not hit the submit button...

Has the chalk been sitting a long time?  or did you mark it recently  ?

try one of those mr. clean white erasers... use a new one... use it dry....   try a sample on a scrap of your fabric...  It's simply amazing what those little guys will do....

Here's a fun tip!  

If you have lots of little pieces to cut for a project, and have a hard time keeping track....

Run a clear page protector through a laminator with a laminator sheet.  using a scissors,  cut along the top of the sheet, removing the protective top edge, so you can still get a paper inside.

you can now mark on the laminated sheet with a sharpie marker  

When done, you can wipe the permanent marker off with a Mr. Clean white eraser....

the sharpie won't rub off onto your project or your fabric if you are carrying it to a class or retreat until you use the eraser. (wipe erase markers rub off too easily). 

You can use and re-use the sheet protector many times.   

try using it when shopping for a special project... as well.  you can mark off the colors you already have.

assignments on a chore chart for the kids at home?  try it!   

Some of the premium grade, heavy duty page protectors will work the same way without laminating them.

We use this process at school for attendance, breakfast and lunch check off, daily bus check off,  chores, etc.  and it is a huge time saver and paper/copier resource reducer.

interested in re-using your file folders w/o using those stick on labels that won't stay put?  ask me...