First off, correction -- about the paper templates, I said "big stitch" (which is not a bad thing) but I meant "big needle". I usually piece with a 10 and machine quilt with a 14, would use the previous quilt's quilting needle. You want to use up an old needle and not sacrifice a new one. I think the daisies were done with a thin broken needle? Shaft was long enough and it was the eye that broke so it was actually a pretty good little puncher.
That quilt was an UFO from the thrift store, it came pinned together with a double layer of batting and a too-small flannel back, but everything was like $2.99 and ended up with a donated quilt, batting used, and flannel donated to another quilter making donation quilts. The test picture I was seeing if my umbrellas read as umbrellas, wasn't about the correct stitch.
The dog house quilt was the parchment paper. It was easier for me to trace the 10" or whatever the design was onto the 12" paper and overlap than it was to trim the slippery parchment paper. Going through two thicknesses I would slow down but it did just fine.
I do draw all my quilting designs first, keeping or making "registration" marks to line them up. On the domestic machine I just quilt one strip at a time. Good old start in the middle and work to the ends. The parchment paper can hold up through the whole job...
Some people can freehand much better than others. I would think I could do the large dog bone meander free hand on a long arm, but sitting down and closer I don't think I could be consistent in sizing enough as well as fitting into the area. I can freehand meander (including objects like stars or whatever) but consistency is still an issue, even if I don't draw myself into corners any more.
That consistency is a killer -- like I wanted the daisies to all have the same number of petals and couldn't guarantee that on my own... they were 4-6" large I think. Having them prepunched like that, they had just enough oomph to stay on during the sewing.
I don't think so well in quilting designs, I can figure out basic shapes and things. Or, I can copy something from someone more talented than me
I do like the Pounce pads and have made my own templates with them, but I love the prepared ones! I have extra vision issues added, and I just can't always follow the pattern if the fabric is busy and the "wrong" color for the chalk.
I have tried tissue paper before, the nice big sheets were alluring. Couple of things -- it does not hold up and tears before you want it to. Still suitable I think for single blocks. Some paper has a plasticized coating on one side. Doesn't tear out as nicely as you would hope, even if you wet it. Buy the cheapest basic white stuff you can find, look for a plastic shine on one side.
When I wasn't working in an office any more I was going down to my local Office Supply store which had an area with printers and copiers as such to use. I could download my designs and print there in color if I wanted, but they did not stock newsprint in their copier area. The staff was used to me and let me bring in paper from my ream and load it into the copier. I still got charged the corporate rates for using their paper, but that was pre-programmed. I would make "cutting" copies for the stacks, I would do about 6 layers at a time, blank on the bottom and just the cutting copy on the top.
Added another project picture, Here Kitty Kitty had an overall meander in the bed of the quilt, and footprints along the edges.