The Best Quilting Templates to Guide Your Hand Quilting Stitching

The Complete Guide to Using Quilting Templates for Beautiful Hand Quilting

If you’re planning to hand quilt your quilt, templates are your new best friends. As a long-time quilter, I’ve used templates for many projects over the years and found them incredibly helpful for consistent, accurate stitching. In this guide, I’ll cover everything you need to know about quilting templates, from different types to tips for using them effectively.

What Are Quilting Templates?

Quilting templates, also called stencils or stencils, are thin plastic or fabric shapes that you place underneath the quilt layers to mark stitching lines. The most common templates are for common quilting patterns like echo quilting, broken dishes, meander doodling, and loop designs. Templates come pre-printed with the desired pattern so all you have to do is trace along the lines. This helps ensure uniform and professional-looking stitching across the entire quilt surface.

Types of Quilting Templates

There are a few different types of templates to choose from:

1. Plastic templates – These are durable and see-through so you can easily see the stitching lines underneath. They are reusable but can be tricky to maneuver around curves. Plastic templates are also more expensive.
2. Fabric templates – Made of lightweight cotton or muslin, fabric templates are softer and more flexible than plastic. They are easier to maneuver but harder to see the lines and less durable for frequent use. Fabric templates are more affordable.
3. Paper templates – The most budget-friendly option, paper templates work well for a single project but will deteriorate with repeated use. They are flimsier than plastic or fabric templates.
4. Drawn-on templates – If you’re talented at freehand drawing, you can directly draw the quilting pattern onto your quilt using a washable fabric marker. This is free but lacks the precision of pre-printed templates.

How to Use Quilting Templates

Here are the basic steps to use templates for hand quilting:

1. Place the template on your quilt sandwich (quilted layers) and smooth it out so there are no wrinkles or air bubbles beneath. Use quilt safety pins to secure the template in place.
2. Trace the quilting pattern onto your quilt layers by following the printed lines on the template with a fabric marking pen or pencil. Make sure to press hard enough that the lines will be visible from the back.
3. Remove the template and begin hand quilting, stitching directly onto the marked lines. Use the lines as a guiding ruler to keep your stitches even and consistent.
4. When complete with one section, reposition the template to the next area and repeat tracing and quilting until the whole quilt surface is complete.

Tips for Using Templates Effectively

From my experience quilting dozens of projects, here are some tips for getting the most out of templates:

1. Practice on scrap fabric first to get comfortable with template placement and line tracing. It takes some getting used to!
2. Add small notches or slits to templates where lines change direction to make corners and curves easier to follow.
3. Tape or clip together multiple single-shape templates to create a larger repeatable pattern for expediting large quilt sections.
4. Trace lines in both directions for bidirectional patterns like pebbles or loops so stitches don’t wander off course.
5. To avoid ink bleed-through, use a light touch when tracing fabric-side and press firmly on the batting-side for stronger lines.
6. Tape templates to a self-healing cutting mat for increased stability when tracing or flip the entire quilt over for tracing from the backside.
7. Label templates clearly and store rolled not folded to maximize their useful lifetime.

Real-life Example: My Lone Star Quilt

I kind of put off hand quilting for a long time because freehand stitching intimidated me. But when I made my Lone Star quilt top, I knew I needed a way to get those detailed points perfect. After scoping out lots of tempting templates online, I settled on some that looked basically like giant stars. Place one in the center and four around it, trace the lines, and voila – a flawless lone star pattern every time!

It took me the better part of a weekend to trace and quilt the whole thing, working section by section. But it was totally worth it because now whenever I look at that quilt, I’m stunned by how professionally the patterns turned out. If I had tried freehanding, it probably would have taken twice as long with way messier results. Moral of the story – quilting templates FTW!

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to some common questions about using quilting templates:

How do I know which templates to buy?

Choose templates that match the quilt patterns you envision or styles you enjoy quilting. Browsing tutorial blogs is a great way to find inspiration. Start with basics like echo quilting before moving to more intricate designs.

Will the lines wash out after quilting?

Most quality fabric marking pens and pencils will fade gradually after a few washes. Some may require light rubbing or a bleach bath to fully dissolve the lines. Test scraps first to check washability.

How do I quilt without templates?

Freehand quilting takes practice but has greater flexibility. Draw practice patterns on scrap fabric first. Use a light box or bright window to trace through thin templates as reference points. Go slowly, take breaks, and focus on straight even lines for pleasing results.

Any tips for left-handed quilters?

Try tracing patterns in mirror image so the pencil lines mirror your stitching direction. Look for left-handed friendly quilting gloves, scissors, and rotary cutters too. And don’t forget – you can flip templates over to trace from the opposite side as needed.

In conclusion, quilting templates are an extremely helpful tool for achieving beautiful professional-looking hand quilting. With some practice and the right techniques, templates make consistent complex patterns achievable for any skill level. I hope these insights help you feel more confident to bring your unique vision to life through hand quilting. Let me know if you have any other questions!

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing Quilting Templates

FAQ

1. What are quilting templates and what are they used for?

   Templates are stencils or patterns that are placed under fabrics to help guide quilting stitches. They feature printed or drawn outlines of shapes and designs to follow. Templates basically make hand quilting easier and neater by acting like a little map for quilting lines and patterns.

2. What materials are commonly used to make quilting templates?

   The most popular materials for templates are plastic sheets, lightweight cardboard, and paper. Plastic is nice because it’s durable and see-through. However, at the same time cardboard and paper templates work well for basic designs and don’t cost as much. I’ve even seen folks use the clear plastic pockets pages from a 3-ring binder in a pinch!

   

3. How can I transfer a design onto a template?

   There are a variety of methods to transfer designs onto templates. You can trace designs with a pencil or water-soluble marker. For iron-on designs, place the template paper-side down on the printed pattern and fuse it for a permanent copy. However, perhaps the easiest technique is using a light box – just place the template over the design and trace the lines you see glow through.

4. Is it difficult to follow the lines on templates while quilting?

   Following template lines can certainly take some practice at first, but most folks get the hang of it pretty quickly. The clear plastic ones tend to be the easiest to see through as you sew. It also helps to use bright thread colors that really pop against the fabric. But at the end of the day, chasing little template lines is all part of the fun, right? Isn’t that what quilting is all about?!

5. Are templates necessary for hand quilting or can you just freehand it?

   While templates offer guidance, you definitely don’t need them to hand quilt. Many quilters skillfully freehand all their designs without templates. On the other hand, templates offer consistency and precision if you want repetitive or intricate patterns. At the end of the day, it’s personal preference! You could also start with templates as training wheels and then graduate to freehand work.

6. How long will templates last through multiple quilting projects?

   The durability of templates depends a lot on the material used and how carefully they’re stored between uses. Templates made of heavier cardboard or thick plastic can hold up for dozens of projects. But flimsy paper ones usually start deteriorating after just a few quilts. Nevertheless, its possible to prolong the lifespan of any template by handling it delicately and keeping it flat in a file or bin when not in use.

7. What’s the best way to store and organize templates?

   I find keeping templates organized in binders, file folders or storage boxes works well. Plastic page protectors or sheet protectors do an amazing job of keeping individual templates secure without damage. You can write names on the templates or protectors for easy identification. My mom actually cuts template patterns into ring binder pages like a 3-hole punch – talk about crafty! However you store them, keeping templates tidy helps when inspiration strikes for your next quilting project.