My friend has done it both ways and she sent off and got some of those mylar pieces and she swears by them. Said it is so much easier than making your own. they have a hole in the middle so you hold the fabric to the template with a small pin, and then you fold two corners and do a back stitch and fold the next one and do another roving back stitch, till you get to the end. When finished she removes the small pin (appliqué) and presses it. Keeps the template in till she needs to remove it. Jan