Pressing before stitching pleats

[Michael A]

Thank you Steve for such a generously well-written answer.

I will be off to Spotlight (Australian sewing chain store) for chalk pencils in the next few days then. I have had trouble finding chalk that is not waxy, as per guidelines in TAoK, so hitherto I have been using blackboard chalk, which not only is too easy to remove just from folding the fabric, but also must be honed prior to marking.

[Steve Ashton]

I actually use blackboard chalk too. I have a piece of sticky back sandpaper on the side of my table. Right over the trash can. I sharpen the chalk by rubbing it on the sandpaper after each line.
I don't try to make a two sided chisel edge just sharpen it on one side sort of like the point of a hypodermic needle.