quilting stencil
 

Hi Everyone........I jumped out of my comfort zone which is straight line quilting and ordered a stencil from Connecting Threads. I have always been happy with their stuff but I'm disappointed this time. Could be my fault but I didn't know that this was a stencil for use ONLY with a pounce. It is hard to hit and have the chalk come out. What do you do when you come to a light spot on the quilt top. I can't find a way to align to the second use of the stencil. I thought that they all linked. I'm going to trace it on a light board and use the sew through the paper approach.....if I can find a way to get it to match up. The pattern is a soft swirl and looks to have a start and stop. I don't do free motion and use my walking foot and go slow...............thanks

I don't understand. Why does the stencil have to only be used with a pounce? Can't you use a marking pencil & use that for marking the stencil on your quilt? Can you just create an area to align to the second use of the stencil?

I don't get it either......I pushed as hard as I could and my clover air erasable pen would not go through....even using chalk I had to push very hard with a stiff brush. I don't have a pounce. I hate the thought of having to pay $10.00 (on sale) for this stencil and have to redesign the outside edge to get it to align.

Sounds like you got a mesh stencil. You need to read the product descriptions carefully. It normally states if the stencil is the kind that you use with a pounce. I have used them, but there is a learning curve using a pounce pad. After you fill the pad the first time, you are supposed to pounce it up and down at least 100 times to get the chalk to start coming thru. You do this into the case or a paper plate, not on a stencil. Then when you use it on the stencil, you don't do an up and down pounce (like you would think) you rub it across the stencil. There are lots of you tube videos on this. As far as any stencil making a continuous line, you need to read the info on the stencil. Some are designed to do this, some aren't. You purchased the stencil from CT, but they probably didn't manufacture it, they are just the vendor. The stencil should have the manufacturer's info on it or the packaging. I would check their website, might show placement.

I had no idea that mesh meant only chalk.....I wish the package would have said that. It did say something about putting them in a row, which I took to mean that they attached to each other.....There was no other information to read on it through the vendor. Lesson learned. Research everything before buying....thanks for your input.

Have you tried linking them with a little overlap? Sometimes that's the way they link up.

it was not made to be linked......I think I will alter it, use my exacto and make it work for me.....thanks

You can probably use a powder like cornstarch in a shallow bowl and apply it with a small sponge paintbrush. Or you could buy the pounce powder and use it the same way. Sometimes I prefer a paintbrush or other item over the pounce pad anyway---less dust in the air, less waste of powder. I'd caution against using the blue pounce powder, though, I once couldn't get it all out.

If it has a specific stop and start, it should be continuous. Which one did you get? maybe we can figure it out.