The Babe

Does anyone here use either the Marti Michell Perfect Patchwork templates or the Ardco templates? I would be using probably one or the other to start handpiecing. I would like some comments from you experienced quilters before I take the plunge and spend some money. Thanks for any advice you would be willing to share. Dixie in Alabama

Prism99

I haven't used the Marti Michell, but I have used Ardco templates. IMO, the Ardco are the best you can possibly get. Loved the metal that doesn't move or warp, plus the non-skid backing works perfectly. It was very easy to trace both inside and outside lines against the thin metal. I never found anything that could improve on the Ardco templates. They were one of those pricey items that was worth the cost.

Prism99

I should explain how I used the Ardco templates. I used the outside edges to cut multiple layers with my rotary cutter, then individually traced the inside edges to give me my hand-piecing lines. The most important for me were the corners.

If you are not planning to trace the sewing lines, then the acrylic templates might be better for rotary cutting. I had to be a little careful when rotary cutting with the Ardco metal templates to keep the blade angled just slightly away from the template. At first I wasn't careful and ran my rotary blade into the metal template once or twice. Acrylic templates would be thicker and would make rotary cutting easier; you wouldn't have to be careful not to run the blade over the template. However, with the acrylic templates you are not able to trace your sewing lines (unless you make another template yourself for that).

I suppose the ideal would be to get the Marti Michell template in your cutting size, and the Ardco cut-out template to trace your sewing lines.

Incidentally, the Ardco templates I love are the ones with the inner part cut out. I would not recommend their solid templates for the reasons cited above about rotary cutting with them.

katier825

I bought a set of Marti Mitchell templates for the Storm at Sea pattern. I haven't used them yet. I was planning on it, using some beautiful teal and aqua batiks, but when I looked at the directions, there is no yardage requirements for the different sizes. :cry: I wasn't in the mood to do the math, so I put them away for another time.

pittsburgpam

I have several sets of Marti Michell templates, from the basic A, B, and C, to the P set for the feathered star and the Giant Dahlia. They are great for rotary cutting. They wouldn't be so great for hand sewing. When I hand sew I mark the sewing line and then just eye cutting out 1/4" past the lines.

I don't know what the other templates are but if there is a hand sewing line then that's probably best for your needs.

When I first started I used things like the plastic lids of margarine tubs for my templates. Draw the shape on the lid and cut it out. I saw the one for dresden plate the other day in my sewing room. :-)