DO NOT use a standard pinkish color pencil eraser on your cabs. They leave marks and sometimes streaks. If you're going to try it, at least try it in an inconspicuous location, like the inside of a door. Try the kneaded grey artists erasers if you're going to use a regular eraser. They are designed for delicate jobs and are the least likely to leave marks. That said, if I didn't live with an artist and have lots of those erasers floating around, I would turn to Goof Off. That stuff is fan-freakin'-tastic. And never causes damage. BTW -- in the same vein, if you ever have paint that has gotten onto things that shouldn't be painted (for instance, drips on your hardware, faucets, etc., I highly recommend a product called Painter's Pal. They used to carry it at Home Depot, but I haven't seen it there in a while. I'm a sloppy painter (because I hate taking the time to prep first, bad, I know) and this stuff really saved my behind in several rooms.

You finished your Ipe before you started, and then you wrote all over the boards with a dark pencil. Then you used some hidden fastening system. You should have come here for INTELLIGENT advice BEFORE you got into deck building. Now you're gonna have to sand the pencil marks away. I use a ROS with 40 or 50 grit discs. Oh yeah, you can't just spot sand, as that'll look REAL BAD. So SAND the ENTIRE deck, and THEN FINISH. I never claimed to be INTELLIGENT, but I know how to build Ipe decks. BTW...a HARD rain didn't affect the pencil marks that YOU made. steve

First, let your quilter know so maybe it won't happen again to someone else! (Been there, done that.) No matter how much discussion you have with hired quilters, these things are often not anticipated. A friend of mine got her handquilted Baltimore Album Quilt returned from a professional with a whole set of incorrect pencil lines still showing. I will ask her what she used to remove them. Meanwhile, find out exactly what your quilter has used, so you can get that, and test any removal products before using them on your quilt. You can get an eraser pen that is refillable with white eraser sticks. It's a clickable pen that is easy to hold while you stabilize the fabric with your other hand. There are other products I have not tried yet. There is a product by Quilters Rule; I found a review of it here: Marking-Pencil Removal And I found this tip online, but have not tried it yet: To remove PENCIL lines from fabric, apply the following mixture with a soft toothbrush: 3 ounces of water, 1 ounce of rubbing alcohol, 2-3 drops dishwashing detergent. Another solution to remove PENCIL marks is to use diluted Windex applied with a soft toothbrush. Always test first... BlueBars

I know I saw something once and can't find *that*, but this tip was first on the Tips and Tricks list at the Prairie Net site: Pencil Marks Removal 3 oz. rubbing alcohol 3 Tbsp. water 2-3 drops white Ivory dish soap Mix the above together in a bottle. Put quilt on absorbent surface (folded beach towel). Apply solution with an old soft toothbrush, and do not scrub with the bristles, unless it is really bad. It will dry in a few minutes and will not require rinsing. The solution will not go bad and can be stored in an upright bottle. NOTE: As always, try this in an inconspicuous part of the quilt first. There were some other interesting hints, too. Here is a link that might be useful: Tips and Tricks