Okay, all of you are so helpful, so I thought I'd ask for help. I am doing some hand quilting on a top I just finished. I would like to mark the squares for quilting & don't exactly know how to do it. I usually do meandering quilting by machine. I have some thin template plastic & some quilting patterns from the 30's that I would like to use. How do you transfer the patterns onto the plastic? I have a pounce chalk marker (looks like an eraser for chalk board). I tried copying the pattern with pen & using an exacto knife, but powder doest't show up very well. I know that someone has the answer. I am afraid of damaging the patterns, not replaceable. Thanks for all your help.

I can't help you much because i have never quilted any free motion just stid or decorative but i have the pouncer and the chalk comes in two colors white and blue. I tried the white myself and it doesn't show much like you said but maybe give the blue chalk a try (it depends on the color of the fabric).
Sorry couldn't help much. Good luck

Can you lay the plastic template over the pattern, then trace and then cut the new template? I hand traced the a quilting pattern on paper, then laid the new template plastic over the pattern, traced with a scripto on the new template, and cut with a double edged cutter from the Stencil company. I have tried just an exacto knife but couldn't get enough space to cut the lines needed for stenciling with a pen or pounce.

I've traced patterns onto template plastic, then cut "dashes" with an exacto knife. For templates where I just need the outline, I use dressmaker tracing paper to trace the pattern onto cardboard, then cut out with scissors. BTW you don't really need chalk. If you are going to wash the finished quilt you can pounce cinnamon to mark the lines.

Oh cinnamon, how interesting, never thought of that, and the wonderful smell all the while, how wonderful is that. Does it stain the lighter fabrics? Do you mix it with anything else? I would be interested in knowing more about this (cinnamon is my all time favorite spice).

Thanks for all your suggestions. I ordered a duel blade stencil knife from the Stencil Co. I've recieved the knife & I think that that was what I needed. Haven't gotten up the nerve to cut yet.

I've not tried it myself, but I've heard that using a 'hot knife' to cut the template plastic works a charm! Especially if you can get one with a ball tip. Kind of like a clover iron with a different tip. Place plastic on a wood board so as not to damage underlying surfaces. I've used the xacto knife and was not pleased. I'm still in search of the perfect marking tool. I've got 'em all. Most consistently I use a #2 mechanical pencil. I've had no issues with not getting the pencil marks out of any fabric. I also have - can't remember the brand name - a chalk 'mechanical pencil' type that I picked up at Joanns years ago. Different color chalk 'leads' with a holder. Cheap. With all the colors in the standard set there's almost no color fabric you can't mark and see. And it stays on the fabric for a (relatively) long time during the hand quilting process. The exception, of course, is the border fabric on the quilt I'm currently working on. There's not a color in the rainbow that's not in it and I've yet to find a color marker that will show up!

Thanks for the information. I'll have to see if I can find the multi colored set if the exacto doesn't work.

Thanks for the information. I'll have to see if I can find the multi colored set if the exacto doesn't work.

sorry, didn't mean to post twice

I'm still searching for the perfect marking tools, too. :)

Don't get "The Ultimate" Quilt Marking pencil. It barely marks on paper, much less a soft quilt - the lead breaks with the faintest of pressure.

I LOVE the Sewline mechanical pencils, all of them show up nicely and all of them have easily brushed off or washed out of my projects.

I also love the Frixion ball point pens and highlighters by Pilot if I'm marking on light-to-medium colored fabrics. The marks disappear with ironing and the ink washes out with a little regular detergent.