i ran wild and bought two of those heavy plastic templates. not the stencils, but the laser shaped ones that you can use right up against the foot of the machine. which i can't do, btw. i always used pounce with the stencils and liked it. soooo, i tried using a marking chalk pen , like an old-fashioned lead pencil but with chalk inserts (sorry - it's downstairs)...but...it makes heavy lines and i really have to wet the quilt a lot to get the color off under the stitching. i don't like the fine pencils because i can hardly see the lines and i'm already getting squinty lines around my eyes.

so what are you all using that goes on kind of fine, stays on "til i get back to it, and comes off easily? btw, i could be gone for a few days at a time.

the washable pens run out (maybe they're drying out?) long before the quilt ends, and i end up having to buy several. is that a problem with anyone else?

I have the same problem with the washable pens - everytime I need one its always dried out. They just don't seem to last. I would love to know what everyone used to mark quilts with also. The chalk comes off to easy - esp if you mark your quilt first - then roll it up to quilt - then the marks are gone.

I've never tried them because I'm not nearly ready for fancy quilting patterns, but I keep looking at those stick on patterns. They may be pricey but it sure looks easier than marking, and in my case making a mess. I wonder if it is hard to pull the paper off after you sew it?

i didn't really want to start with those peely-sticky paper things because i heard that it's messy to get out of the stitches. also, i'm afraid that if i leave it on too long, it will leave residue on the fabric.

i now own the thick plastic templates and would like to use the shapes i bought. i just don't know the best marking tool to trace around the outside of the plastic template.

I have a set of the Fons and Porter Marking roller thingy :roll: I don't like it because the wheel seems to stick and I really have to push down and kinda tug to get it to mark and I worry about damaging the fabric :twisted:

I have used the blue pens and have had no problems with drying out or running out, but I do smaller quilts

So I am interested in what others use also

sharon, i do queen quilts on a long-arm frame. i TRY to mark one row across at one time, while it's on the frame. then i stitch that row, roll it, and mark the next row and so on. sometimes, i mark a row and get distracted before i complete that row or series of blocks. so the marking has to last until i can come back, sometimes 2-3 days later. so the kind that disappears won't work. we're talking about wash-off.

but i haven't been able to find a fine-line wash off. i tried the chalk markers, that work like the old scripto lead pencils but they get very blunt in no time and then they lose the real line, especially around curves. i tried one of those white chalk pencils and a silver pencil but i can hardly see them unless i press down. on the frame there's nothing behind the quilt to support pressing with a pencil, so the pencil kind of digs in.

i may be looking for something that doesn't exist. who knows?

I am wondering if you could trace the template onto a few pieces of freezer paper, then use one of thoselittle clover mini irons to tack it down in a few places, quilt, peel and reuse. If you need the exact size of the template you could cut down the freezer paper just enough that you could run your quilting foot right up next to it.

good idea amma. that would certainly work on the borders. i don't know about the block designs, but the borders, yes. :!: thank you so much.
now i have to buy a clover iron. next 50% coupon, here i come!

You are welcome...in the meantime the tip/edge of a regular iron emptied of water might work. I would think a lot of block designs would work, templates can be cut in any size or shape... This is what I was thinking of trying for FMQ...whenever I get the time to practice LOL

You could also use basting spray on them :wink: