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.

I've used quilting stencils on jacket sleeves. Continuous line are nice. However, I marked the stencil with a white dressmaker's pencil. I used the bean or triple stitch on a Pfaff 1475 to quilt. Still have the jacket.

I bought a couple of these kind of stencils and I am disappointed also. I know exactly what you are talking about. Are they blue and flimisy?

Hi PaperPrincess.......the item number at Connecting threads is 82162....put that number in the search bar and it will come right up. 10" wide overall swirl..

Hi Tartan........I have chalk powder from the shavings of my large pieces of chalk. I use a very stiff ceramic brush. What do you do when you have to pounce over a light colour. I don't wash my quilts when they are done.

Hi sewingsuz............yep......that be them..........I'm thinking of putting a fine cut in them to accommodate an air erasable pen.

If you don't have chalk or cornstarch handy, you could try using cinnamon as well. Although, not sure how well that - or the other products - will work if you don't wash your quilts afterwards.

yup, those stencils that have a fine mesh in the design require some kind of powder to mark--I never use my pounce pad, but instead a foam paintbrush allows me to control the chalk powder better. And replacement chalk does not cost too much. But think you will have problems with any kind of powder (chalk, corn starch, etc) cause you said you planned to go slow and use the walking foot--the powder is likely to wear off too fast.

I would space the stencil across the area, then add a short connection:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]562645[/ATTACH]
To make an edge to edge, you would have to offset the rows and do a partial pattern on the ends:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]562646[/ATTACH]

THIS MAY OR NOT BE HELPFUL ALWAYS TEST ON SCRAP

CHALK
For 25 years I have done freehand embroidery work and this has worked best for me.
I ground up different colors of chalk in my mill grinder to see what worked best [what could be seen and removed]. White chalk [baby power, or corn starch] can be vacuumed off on med and dark fabric no problem.
Other colors can be reduced in color intense with white, the more intense the color the harder it is to remove. I just use white and light blue now, the blue is reduced with white. Blue and white chalk is at hardware stores for snap lines [cheap].
You can use cinnamon for light colors or white fabric.

You can use a vanishing power with a black light on any color [in the dark]. It is very good for names.

PAPER
I use canary paper from an art or drafting supply.
I tear off more than I need and trace a design with 5mm mechanical pencil, place on a piece of ¼” foam rubber on a firm surface. Then I use a small needle syringe [for shots] and poke holes into the lines at key points about 1/8[SUP]th[/SUP]” apart following the design, then I flip it over and sand off the tips with a sanding block or sand paper. I have also used a clear plastic film a permanent marker and sanded the tips, or a small stencil burner.
Then I have a reusable pattern I can use over and over.

APPLYING CHALK
I took a short wide mouth ball jar lid and a nail [or drill] punched a lot of holes in it.
Took a ¼”green scrubber cut it to fit inside rim on top of the lid.
Took a scrap of velour about 3/8” larger than the lid and placed it on top of the scrubber then screwed the hole thing together onto the jar with my chalk in it. You will have to pounce a while till the chalk starts coming through good. Wipe off your pattern before replacing it so you don’t get shadows.
I did this, years before any thing else was on the market, and still use the same ones today.

PATTERN MARKING
Holding your pattern down firm with one hand, slide your chalk jar across your pattern in one direction only, you can repeat as long as you do not let up with your first hand. You can see if you need to slide again as long as the first hand stays in place. If it is wrong, vacuum it off and start over.
On the quilt machine I slide a 24”x48” piece of 1/8” plexus glass under my top fabric for a firm marking area, then, remove for quilting.

I am fast at this as I have done it for years. If you think this is to long, I don’t type, I peck.
I am just saying…..I hope this helps someone.
Phyllis

I looked at the stencil on CT. I have not used this stencil. It does not look like a continuous line stencil. No way to connect one repeat to the next. Also, it would be very difficult to use with a walking foot. The thought occurs to me that perhaps you can mark through the lines with a "washable felt marker". Try on a sample and do FM. Takes a while to get the hang of it but once you do you'll love it. I trace my continuous line quilting design on golden thread paper and FM quilt that way.

I use this type of stencil but the chalk does tend to sort of "bounce" off if I sew over it with my walking foot.

My FMQ foot is the type that "floats" rather than "hops", so I can use it for FMQ pretty well. I've learned to only mark a couple blocks at a time, though, or I tend to rub the chalk off as I move the quilt around.

I use the blue chalk, which is a brush-off type. They have a white chalk that vanishes under an iron, I've been thinking of trying that kind to see if it "sticks" better. Anybody try the white iron-off pounce - does it stick better than the blue?

Paper Princess.......your are amazing........thanks for your work. I will run a bunch off the printer to sew on and if that doesn't work I will put small fine lines through the pattern with my exacto and use air erasable pen

WOW Phyllis nm...........I am going to see about trying these methods and appreciate your time in pecking this out

You are welcome. I have found that many stencils that are meant to be continuous need a very small join to connect. This is probably an inch or less. As you work with more stencils, you will get the hang of it. Good luck! Unless you are doing a very small quilt, it's going to be a challenge to use a walking foot with this pattern.

When you can't FMQ you don't have many choices. I don't have the money for longarming each quilt. My first choice is to trace a stencil with an air pen but I found I was able to sew over the paper patterns and have it come out ok. I have a lot of time and much patience. I'm not in a race and want to be able to say I did it myself. I'm very good at doing grid work but I guess I want a challenge.

Anxious to see when you're finished.

Try making your own 'pounce? Cut a 6-7" circle of fabric, sew a running stitch around the circle about an inch from the edge. Put a wad of stuffing (or extra batting scraps) and draw up the thread and tie it off. Now you can use cornstarch as the chalk, just do not to to store the top once you have the cornstarch on it because it may draw bugs. You could also run chalk down a garlic or cheese grater to make your powder that will not draw bugs. I am the "McGiver" of the sewing world. Lol!

use a foam "paint" brush for the pounce powder (or use baby powder), secondly before you start spritz the quilt with water and the powder will stay better!

hi tessagin............if I knew how to post at picture I would. I have tried a few times with no luck.

I have both the blue and the white that irons off. The white stays in place until it's ironed off. To keep the blue in place I saw a hint to set it with cheap hairspray and that worked really well.

I have the blue pounce that irons off but have not used it yet. When I use the white pounce, I was told to dampen the area with a damp wash cloth and the chalk would stick better. It did better when I use this method. and I don,t pounce the chalk but glide over the stencil. I hope this helps. I will also try the exato knife on my blue stencils. Thanks for that tip.

I have heard that the blue pounce doesn't come off with iron. Suggest you test first. There are two products...chalk to be pounced and a similar looking product cslled Miracle chalk. Miracle chalk will iron off and not the chalk pounce. Pounce is in black container and miracle chalk is in red eraser type container. I have been told the manufacturers of MC has not found a product that successfully is removed with iron. Suggest you use these products with caution. Reading these posts it appears all are trying to make something work in a way it was not intended. I believe the stencil you have is similar to a silk screen marking is to rub chalk thru the screen onto the fabric. The chalk will not stay on thru folding and rubbing as it is quilted. That is the nature of the product. Miracle Chalk will stay on longer as it has another ingredient along with the chalk.

I use one of those foam paint brush and brush the chalk on. Works good for me. Never had good luck with the pounce.

I use pounce all the time. "Pounce" is a misnomer and I learned that the hard way. Perhaps it should be called "swipe" or "rub" because that is how it works. Don't give up...it works well.

I don't remember where I heard about this, but I use it and it is great (if you plan to wash your finished quilt). After you "pounce/mark with chalk" spray it with hair spray. It is removable but the chalk will not bounce off the quilt while you are working it. Use a gentle spray as too much will make the fabric stiff. The chalk and the hair spray will wash off easily.

Getting away from the pounce, but being able to use the design you like, why don't you trace the design on Press'nSeal and lay it on your fabric (it sticks nicely) and just stitch thru the paper and then tear off the paper.

You must have been reading my mind. I traced it, photo copied it off my printer and stitched right through it. The pattern is large enough that using my walking foot was no problem. I'm sure FM quilters can do it easier but I'm not there yet. One of the other ladies showed me how to link them so I'm good to go. I don't know what Press'nSeal is. Stuff like that is hard to come by in Canada and if you do find it, you can't afford it.