"...is it worth the time to rotary cut all the little corners around each template?" YES!!! the little corners will make piecing so much easier because the odd shapes all line up. If you are worried about cutting using the small templates, put sandpaper dots or similar on the bottom to prevent slipping and/or invest in a klutz glove. Many of her templates came with info on pre cutting strips which makes using the templates a lot easier and usually minimizes fabric waste. If these instructions were not passed on, you might want to try a google search to see if there is info on you particular template.