I love templets! To me using the thick one with a rotary cutter makes the process easier and faster.

I learned to quilt using cardboard templates but hadn't used them in years. I'm doing the Farmers Wife Sampler quilt and I'm using templates for this. I print them out then glue them to old manilla folders (old patient charts actually) and trace around them and cut them out. I'd forgotten how accurate you can be with templates. I trace them on the fabric and cut them out with scissors -- tried using rotary cutter and cut the edges off and almost sliced my finger.

There is an artfire shop, called Remember Wynn. She makes templates as well as labels and such.

My labels for my purses were bought from her, and I had her make a template of my everyday purse pattern, so I could cut out fast. Thick, like ruler, and she will etch your info into it or whatever. I thought her price was very reasonable, and well worth the time it saved me. Laser cut and very sturdy, with a hole for hanging!

I like a thick template. Don't like the thin ones and definitely don't like cutting with scissors.

"Does anyone really like templates?"

NO!! :lol:

Jan in VA

I was in a block of the month group last year and the quilt design was based on Marti Mitchell pattern and templates. There were so many people who complained about it that the quilt shop owner wound up giving everyone a few yards of free fabric.

But, some of you really like the Marti Mitchell ones, so maybe we were not using them correctly. We were told to draw around them, then place our ruler against the drawn lines to cut. We tried cutting against the templates and just could not do it. It was Marti Mitchell's L set. So perhaps it was that particular set that was difficult.

Sometimes I like them & use them a lot. Then at other times, I just don't want to fool with them.
Guess it's what mood I'm in at the time.

I like to use the thinner ones, but then I like cutting with scissors, too!

The only set of Marti's templates that I have used, I didn't like them because they were for small pieces. I hate dealing with small pieces. I think the reason some people like her templates is because the little ears are cut off making the pieces fit together better.

the thick templates like Marti's are great - you can rotary cut around them with the small rotary cutter or the regular size. Stick a piece of double sided tape on the back and they stay in place pretty good while you cut holding the template with one hand. I do not use them a lot but they work great when I do use them. If a person wants to just trace around them instead and then either rotary cut or use scissors. You can make pretty great quilts using templates - just slow down and take you time - no need to rush is there!