Rebecca VLQ

I've been using the plastic from cat litter containers to make curved templates, and I'm using old (used to be for fabric) scissors. Nearly free! :D

bearisgray

I use my rotary cutter to cut around the templates - I usually manage to avoid cutting them. My technique is probably a bit different than when I'm cutting against a "regular" 1/8 thick acrylic ruler.

I don't quite get the "dangerous" part of cutting around a thin plastic template - other than to avoid slicing off part of it.

Okay - I got it! The difference is cutting AROUND as compared to cutting AGAINST!

Works for me, anyway.

I tried cutting the template plastic with x-acto knives. That didn't work out very well for me. Maybe I needed different blade(s) than the one I have.

suebee

REAlly?? I have one of those irons, will be looking for the tip now! THANK YOU!!

meg-2

How expensive is template plastic? I haven't gone looking for it yet.
What is the least exspensive way some of you have made a template?
This first quilt will be a simple applique of my own making on simple square blocks.

neeng

Dollarama has a set of two boot inserts...to hold high boots in shape... that are just the right thickness of plastic for templates. Two pieces about 12" x 16" for $1.25. I just cut them with my rotary cutter or with my old pair of (ex) fabric scissors.

TanyaL

If you are making appliques out of solid fabrics or all over designs and do not need to be able to see through the template inorder to fussy cut your fabric, your cheapest template is cardboard. If you need to see through it, almost anything stronger than paper that is transparent will work.If you're making templates that are not one quilt only, but ones that you want to use over and over, then real template material is probably the best and it is so easily cut, doesn't turn yellow with age and won't curl when stored flat. Unless you are making a lot, a sheet of template plastic is not prohibitive in price. You can also use plastic carpet protectors, the ones that are sold by the yard at Home Depot. However, they have a texture that may be hard for some to compensate for.

Kas

You need to score with the xacto a couple of times and then just break the plastic on the score line. I ususally cut the template out with scissors, though. But that probably doesn't give you a perfectly straight line like using your acrylic ruler with the xacto.

I use one of the burning stencil tools to make the stencils for quilting motifs, but not for making templates for quilt block pieces.

KR

Stencil cutting pen at Connecting Threads: http://www.connectingthreads.com/too...L60050118.html.

I love it!! For me it's much easier than an X-acto knife....perhaps not quite as precise but for quilting designs, usually just the general placement is all you need to keep the design evenly spaced.