Quilting templates - what are they and how to use them

If you just started quilting, you might think - what is this? from

Quilting template from

 And how to use them?

One of the most valuable things about creating a quilt is to stitch together all the pieces of cloth to create a larger finished design.

When you use the same shape over and over again, frustration begins. This can cause problems because the shape must be measured manually each time... then cut it off using a normal or rotary cutter.

If the shape is more complicated, this can cause more problems and require more time to produce the finished quilt.

This is where Quilting template come in.

The quilting template is essentially a prefabricated shape that you can use to draw on your fabric without having to measure the shape every time.

When you're just starting to learn the quilt, you can create your own quilting template by first drawing the desired shape onto a piece of paper, or even printing the shape from your computer. Then stick the paper to the thick card and cut it out. You can also buy vinyl plates online or from your local craft store... these are more durable than cards.

It is said that the life of the card and vinyl template is very short, because each stroke of the rotating tool will cause the template to be damaged when sliding. If you cut into the template and corrupt the clean lines, then there will be problems when you use the template again.

The solution is to buy [although you can make your own] acrylic quilting template.

The quilted formwork made of acrylic plastic is thicker, harder and more wear resistant.

Because acrylic is quite thick, it is now possible to cut a few pieces of fabric at a time.

Simply place the template on the back of the fabric. Usually there is an arrow in the store to buy the template... this needs to point to the texture direction of the fabric.

You now have two options... you can draw around the template with a soft pencil. White or yellow colored pencils work best on deeper fabrics. Do not try to use the pen because the ink may flow or penetrate. Then use the cloth scissors to cut out the shape.

Or, if you are more confident, use a rotary cutter to cut the quilting template directly.

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