How to Use Stencils for Quilting

When the average person thinks of stencils, the word probably brings to mind early American style-painted floor cloths, or stenciled walls. Stencils enjoyed a great resurgence in style in the 1980's as everyone went mad for the country look. However, when a quilter thinks of stencils, a very different use comes to mind. The crafter unfamiliar with the use of stencils in quilting may be quite perplexed as to how they are used. After all, when you look at a quilt, there's no evidence that anything to do with stenciling in the traditional sense has occurred!

However, stencils are actually very useful in the art of quilting and advances in technology are quickly making them a must-have tool. Quilting stencils are very similar to stencils for paint, and often look about the same. They are most often made from a sturdy plastic, with holes punched in it for the design. However, while painting stencils are used to create decorative elements, quilting stencils are used to lay down a pattern to follow when stitching. The use of quilting stencils allows quilters to reproduce elaborate patterns on their quilt tops. With quilting stencils, you have an easy way to transfer and then follow a stitching design. You don't need to worry if you feel you can't draw. With quilting stencils, the drawing has all been done and all you have to do is follow someone else's design.

Many companies offer quilting stencils and the supplies you'll need to go with them. You'll find designs ranging from traditional florals and fans to very contemporary styles. Take a look around some of the quilting sites on the internet or visit your local quilting store to get an idea of how many stencils await you.

Among the popular website sources of printable quilting stencils is www.stensource.com, where they have an extensive catalog all available in PDF or Portable Document Format files. Some of the printable quilting stencils include Bobbi Smith stencils, Pepper Cory, Philomena Durcan and Barbara Chainey Printable Quilting Stencils. You will certainly be agog with the great new stencils that will surely put your sewing prowess to the test. Another highly recommended online site is www.needlepointers.com, where they also offer free printable quilting stencils that you can easily use as guides in any quilting project. All of the designs are available in two sizes – 3” &6” or 4” & 8”. However, if you should prefer you change the sizes, you can easily do that by using a copy machine or even a scanner to alter the sizes according to your preferences or as needed in your project. You will definitely have more fun with the new challenges presented to you all for free.

Searching for some free quilting stencils can prove to be much more of a challenge that you would normally anticipate. However, you are lucky enough to have come across this article that will let you on in one of the best websites to access some free quilting stencils that you can just simply print. The online site www.quiltcollections.com offers some really fun and fancy free quilting stencils. All you would need to do is to print it out and pin the free quilting stencils on your quilting top. You can then start stitching along the marked lines and simply tear away the stencil once you done with it. This will definitely cut down your quilting time in half! This means you have more time to do other quilt projects or simply admire your handiwork and use as great decorative pieces in your home. You can even make quilts for some close friends and relatives, a personal touch on some presents would certainly go a long, long way. So make sure you choose quilting stencils carefully and have more fun sewing and appreciating the fine art of quilting.

Quilting stencils are easy to use. To transfer the design you can use chalk or stitching or water-soluble pens. (It is very important that you test the water soluble pen with your fabric before using it with a stencil-you don't want it to ruin your beautiful pieced quilt top!) All you have to do is lay the quilting stencil atop your fabric and trace the pattern. Voila! You now have a stitching pattern to follow without a lot of muss and fuss. After all, most quilters prefer to spend their time designing, piecing a quilt top, or doing the actual quilting, not messing around with pattern transfers. A simple rule of thumb is to choose a design about a half an inch to an inch smaller than your block, so that the resulting pattern doesn't look crowded. You can also take one of the smaller stencils and repeat the design by laying it down in a pattern on your fabric.

Quilting stencils are one of the most useful advances in notions for the home crafter. The average quilter of yesteryear would be amazed to view all the notions and supplies that are now available for the home crafter. Why not take advantage of these advances yourself? Quilting stencils are a great time-saver.

Comments

By tammy
19^th November 2008 - 11:18pm

I still don't understand about how to use the sencils. The ones I've seen just have long "slits" which don't connect, so I don't understand how to actually quilt them in a continous line, even if I would use chalk to mark the placement of the lines. Also, If I have a stencil which is just a pattern drawn on a piece of paper, how do I get it "traced" onto the quilt?

stencils - By Norma
19^th February 2009 - 10:11pm

Any help would be helpful. Please.
Thank you very , Mrs, Michele Woods

By Michele Woods - Homepage
2^nd April 2009 - 10:04pm

Hi, I also have some of the stencils with long "slits" which don't connect - they don't connect 'cause if they did, the whole thing would fall apart. You can use chalk and/or pencils or pencils (ones that wash-out or steam out so that you are not making permanent lines) and mark lines where the slits are. You can also use porous fabric bag with chalk dust in to make the lines onto your fabric. When you sew, you just need to connect the lines (can be done physically or mentally).

Hope this helps,
Jo from NZ

How to use stencils - By Joanne Barry
29^th June 2009 - 4:34pm

I meant to say pencils or pens previously. There are some specific pens (usually blue I think) that are designed to become invisible after washing - but you need to do a test sample with your fabric first - write on some fabric

Oops, pencils or pens - By Joanne Barry
29^th June 2009 - 4:38pm

I checked out all three of the web sites listed in the article How to Use Stencils for Quilting and found no area of free quilting stencils as indicated in the article.All seemed to be online retailers or links to other e-mail sites that also were retailers. Am I missing something? What should I be looking for on these sites.
Thanks

By Lois
9^th September 2009 - 9:47am

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