I've never had problems with pegs but I've been playing a different violin for a couple of months and when I took 'Martha' out to play again tonight the 'A' string peg was stuck!

Stuck tight! I couldn't move it. Eventually it jerked about and eighth of an inch but I don't want to move it any more in case it breaks and I need to tune the A.

Is this what peg-paste is for? Do I take the peg out and rub some paste on it and won't that make it too slippery to grip??? (I phoned my teacher to ask but she was out and I don't see her until later in the week.)

Also there was black tarnish on the strings (they must be silver).. I thought being shut in a case would prevent tarnish occurring. Poor Martha - I feel so bad for neglecting her!

Chalk will stop it sticking, you can also get a pencil and scribble in the peghole, that will lubricate it.

Chalk to make it stick, soap or pencil to stop it sticking.

Pointless buying peg dope - my luthier sells it, but doesn't actually use it himself !

The only time I used peg paste was when the G peg kept slipping and causing the string to need constant re-tuning.

Peg dope is graphite, which helps pegs to move when you want and not slip when you don't. A little graphite on the nut under the strings helps too.

Don't use chalk it will eventually wear the holes and your pegs won't fit.

Don't use a pencil UNLESS it is a graphite one. Many pencils these days are not, so check first. If you have a graphite pencil then this will work as well as peg dope.

Jane is right, you don't want to use chalk.
A combination of hill peg paste and dry soap will get your pegs working nicely (assuming they have been properly fitted and the pegs and/or holes aren't excessively worn).
By the way, don't go wrenching around too much on the A peg: the pegbox is at its weakest in this area and cracks can easily develop if you aren't careful....

I find ordinary children's plasticine works even better than peg paste for tight, sticky pegs. There is usually a brown stick in an assortment pack, though I am sure shocking pink would do just as well!

Remember pegs get tighter in summer as the increased humidity makes wood swell. Come the first frosts of winter you may open your case to find all the pegs have unwound.....

Well, my pegs were pasted a short while after I rented my current baby, so we're talking about over a year ago now, and have not needed doing since. They don't mive at all and all I ever have to do it tune with the fine tuners a tiny bit. Oh, by 'not moving', I mean that they don't slip or come out of tune at all.

Peg paste is basically meant to stop slippy pegs slipping and lubricate stubborn ones. I've got some, but have never needed to use it yet.

Sorry, ignore what i said about the chalk... dim moment then.