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Using Templates

Templates are invaluable for patchwork, appliqué and quilting and can be made from various materials. Uses for templates are suggested throughout the book but in the main they are used to mark fabric pieces that make up patchwork blocks, to mark shapes for appliqué ready for cutting out, and to mark quilting patterns on a quilt top.

There are many commercial templates available to help make all sorts of blocks, including curved blocks, so it is worth checking quilting shops and online stores for templates that will help make work faster and easier. Check that any templates you plan to use are the correct size and shape and fit together as they should before you cut dozens of fabric pieces. Store templates flat and uncreased. They can be stored according to shape and labelled so you can quickly see what size they are. Marking the centre point and the centre lines of a template shape can also help when positioning it on fabric.

Template Materials

The following materials can be used for making templates.

• Thin card or thick paper – Trace the design on to the card or paper and cut it out on the line. Templates made from card are fairly robust so can be used many times.

• Plastic – Sheets of thin, clear plastic are available. The transparency makes it useful for ‘fussy cutting’ fabrics and its durability means that templates can be used over and over. Some stationery stores have large A1 sheets of plastic, which are slightly thicker than the plastic used for patchwork and quilting but are much cheaper.

A range of templates made from different materials. Clear plastic templates are useful to place over a specific area of a fabric piece or patchwork block.

• Metal and plastic – Pre-cut metal and plastic templates are available for English paper piecing. The materials are hard wearing and can be used as master templates, allowing many paper templates to be made from them.

• Freezer paper – This has a waxy side that can be temporarily stuck to fabric. It is useful for appliqué, allowing you to cut out designs, fold the seam allowance on to the waxy side, and stick in place – see Freezer Paper Appliqué for more details. It can also be cut to a shape and used as a quilting outline.

Using Isometric Paper

Isometric paper is composed of triangles of equal dimensions and is useful for drafting designs and creating templates, especially for English paper piecing. It is available in metric sizes.

To use isometric paper to create a hexagon, use a ruler to draw the shape on the paper following the printed lines (see diagram). Cut the hexagon from the paper, following the marked lines. Use a glue stick to glue the shape to stiff card and cut it out, again making sure you cut on the line. Label the template ready for use. See also Isometric Paper for Unusual Shapes.

Enlarging and Reducing

By far the easiest method of changing the scale of a template or image is to use a photocopier or a computer scanner. When reducing or enlarging a pattern or template shape a percentage is used to describe the amount by which the shape has been changed – a number under 100 means it has been reduced in size; a number over 100 means it has been enlarged. Three easy percentages are 75 per cent, 50 per cent and 25 per cent: a pattern reduced by 75 per cent will be three-quarters of its original size; a shape reduced by 50 per cent will be half the original size and one reduced by 25 per cent will be a quarter of its size. When enlarging an image, enlarging by 200 per cent will double the size of the original. Enlarging by 150 per cent will make the shape half as large as the original.

If you don’t have a photocopier or scanner you can use graph paper or a drawn grid to enlarge or reduce a design. Draw the design on a grid of, say, ¹⁄₄in (6mm) squares. Now use a grid with squares twice the size (¹⁄₂in/1.3cm), and copy the lines of the drawing in the same places on the grid. This doubles the size of the design. To reduce a design reverse the grid sizes. Many types of graph paper can be downloaded free from websites – search for ‘download graph paper’ for sites.

Making a Simple Template

Making your own templates is a useful skill. These instructions use a cat motif but the principles are the same for any shape.

1. Start by creating the shape or motif you require at the size needed. There are several methods you can use to do this, as follows.

• If the shape is already the size you want, simply trace it with a pencil on to tracing paper.

• If the shape is a geometric one, draw it following the instructions in Drawing and Cutting Shapes.

• Some polygon shapes can be drawn using isometric paper (see Using Isometric Paper).

• If the shape is too large or too small, reduce or enlarge it using a photocopier or computer scanner, and print it on to thick paper or thin card. If you don’t have access to a photocopier or scanner, follow the instructions above for enlarging and reducing designs.

2. Once you have your shape or motif, create a master template from it by copying it on to sturdy material such as thick paper, thin card or template plastic. Use a pen with a fine point so the shape stays true to the original. Cut it out with sharp paper-cutting or household scissors. Take care that you don’t inadvertently enlarge the shape as you cut it out – cut exactly on the line or just inside to avoid this. Label the shape ‘master’ and add its finished size, if relevant.

3. Place the template on the right side of the fabric and trace around the shape lightly with a pencil or erasable marker.

4. If the shape is being used for appliqué, remove the template and cut out the fabric piece ¹⁄₈in–¹⁄₄in (3mm–6mm) beyond the marked line if a seam is required or on the line if no seam is required.

Making a Multi-Part Template

In appliqué, many motifs consist of more than one shape and some of the shapes overlap, so templates are needed for each part. A sunflower motif is used as an example here but designs can be much more complex.

1. This motif has eight petals, each overlapped by a central circle. Two templates will be needed – one circle and one petal shape – so prepare these as in step 1 in Making a Simple Template.

2. Choose your fabrics – one for the background, one for the centre circle and one for the petals (or the petals could all be different fabrics). Use the circle template to cut one circle from fabric and use the petal template to cut eight petals. If using an appliqué method that requires a seam allowance (such as needle-turn), cut the fabric pieces ¹⁄₈in–¹⁄₄in (3mm–6mm) beyond the marked line.

3. Position the pieces on the background fabric. Add the central circle last as it covers the ends of the petals. Place the circle template on the background fabric and lightly draw around it to mark its position. Sew or fuse the petals in place, making sure their lower edges overlap the circle. If petals are being sewn in place with a seam allowance only turn under the edges marked in green on the diagram, as the lower end will be covered by the centre circle. Sew the circle in place to finish.

Seam Allowance or No Seam Allowance?

Templates can be drawn with or without a seam allowance depending on their purpose. The basic guidelines are as follows.

Do use a seam allowance if the shape needs to be turned under all round, as in needle-turn appliqué and freezer paper appliqué. Simply draw another outline, normally ¹⁄₄in (6mm) further out from the original all round.

Do use a seam allowance if the shape is being used to cut fabric pieces for patchwork.

Don’t use a seam allowance if the shape is being used for fusible web appliqué; the edges are protected by the web and may also be stitched over in some way.

Don’t use a seam allowance if the shape is being used as a quilting pattern.

This delightful scene, part of a gorgeous quilt by Mandy Shaw, uses multi-part templates to create the appliqué characters.