Thursday, July 7, 2011

How To Use Stencils For Quilting

By Danielle Russell


When one thinks of stencils, the images that come to mind are often stenciled walls and early American style-painted floor cloths. The 1980's saw a huge revival of stencils, as the country look was really in. However, stencils are used differently for quilting. 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 made from hard plastic, and they have holes 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. Quilting stencils are sought after with the goal of creating unusual patterns on the quilt. Quilting stencils allow the crafter the chance to transfer a pattern on the quilt they can stitch later. And don't be too concerned with your artistic abilities. If you use stencils, the design has already been created and all you have to do is follow it.

A lot of different companies offer stencils and other supplies you will need. You can choose from a large variety of patterns, from florals to contemporary designs. You can find many of the designs online and in retail stores.

Quilting stencils are easy to use. To transfer the design you can use chalk or stitching or water-soluble pens. If you use a water soluble pen, test it on the fabric before using it, just to be sure that it won't ruin the top of the quilt. All you have to do is to trace the pattern. And here it is at last - a pattern you can follow with your stitching. Quilters have a lot of things they need to worry about when quilting - transferring a pattern should not be one of them. The trick is to find a pattern which is a half an inch to an inch smaller than your block, so the pattern won't look overwhelmed. If you prefer, you can even create a pattern with a smaller stencil.

Quilting stencils are the latest sensation in quilting. If some of our quilting grandmothers could come back and see some of the things that can be accomplished in quilting today, they would be amazed. So are you ready to enjoy them? If you want to create wonderful design in little time, quilting stencils are the answer to your prayers.




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