ILoveToQuilt

Morning All on this lovely snowy morning!

I have a few questions regarding making plastic templates:

1) What is the best ink to transfer the pattern onto the plastic?

2) For fusible applique, do you add 1/4" around the drawn line?

3) Do you need to reverse the image on the template (i.e. draw it backwards)?

4) Cut on, outside or through the drawn line? (See #2 - this probably answers this question, too)

I am planning on making a Sunbonnet Sue quilt, but have never worked with plastic templates.

Thank you in advance for the help. It is greatly appreciated as I am a novice appliquer.

Geri B

Some of the answers to your questions would depend on whether you are needle-turn, machine, or fusible.....so which way are you going to do SS?

Tartan

1.I usually use a fine sharpie to draw on plastic but it will smear and wear off. I cut on the sharpie line and then wipe it with a tissue to get any ink off.
2.On fusible applique you cut on the line but you have to add a little extra on the edges that go under other shapes.
3.You do need to reverse some shapes if you are using a fusible but do a little sample shape to figure it out.
Draw a master sheet on paper of your completed block. This can go under a light background so you can place you appliques in the right spots before fusing.

ILoveToQuilt

Geri B: I am planning on fusible applique.

Tartan: Thank you for the tips. I have an LED light box that I will use for piece placement. I think that will work.

AliKat

There are 2 sources here in Phoenix. The one I go to will cut out whatever you give them but do no put marks on the template. The other will put marks on the template. I never give a commercial template to them to copy. That w
ould be unlawful.

ragamuffin

Use a permnament (?) fine point marker on acrylic and it will not smudge. It's getting too late more me to type.

Gay

If using fusible you could trace the designs onto that first, in reverse, roughly cut around each piece, then iron to the back of the fabric and cut out on the lines. You may not even need a light box if the fusible is not too thick.

Geri B

When using fusible, I like to window the web-trace design, rough cut outside if it, but then on the actual design, cut out the center, leaving just a frame about 1" from drawn line, then fuse onto back of fabric......makes for softer fusible applique....idea from f&p.....