Templates or Rotary Cutting??
 

I know how to rotary cut and I've used (and still have and use) templates. After using both, I'm wondering who here likes using templates over rotary cutting? I know the templates take longer, but I like the connection to our quilting past they give me and it forces me to slow down when I use templates. Where are my template using peeps?

I love my templates and use them most of the time.

I like templates best !

I don't like templates but I love to hand quilt. That makes me feel connected to our past.

I don't like either that much. I like my Go die cut machine for most quilting cuts. I think my great greats would had jumped at the chance to have anything easier to be able to create more. They didn't have a choice so that's why it's our sewing past.

Or combine the two ......... use one of the smaller sized rotary cutters
and zip around the templates!
Though, not so good, if you have paper or box board templates.
Can be done, but you need to be reeeeeeeeeally careful!

A glass cutting shop can cut plexiglass templates for you in most any shape.
I've done it several times. The first I did were apple cores.
Zipped around those curves in no time!! https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images...es/thumbup.png

Templates for me.

I don't think I've ever used a template... just rotary cutter.

I started quilting just before the rotary revolution. I have certainly used cardboard templates and/or paper patterns because that was really most of what we had back then was just the old newspaper patterns like Kansas City Star/Ruby McKim. Her 101 Patchwork Patterns was my first quilt book.
http://mckimstudios.com/

I figured out that I could buy desk size blotter paper with a 1/4' grid on them, they were basically the exact size as the folded in half fabric, so I would draw my lines on that and could cut 4-6 layers with my big heavy shears.

And then came rotary cutters and strip piecing techniques. Love them. Learned them. How to draw grids and sew mass amounts of HST at a time. Ways that you can do things on sewing machines, some patterns are easier done by hand. Some easier redrafted to eliminate unnecessary seams or add seams to make it easier to piece on machine.

I still feel a connection to previous quilters. I know some of them would have been all over the cool stuff we have!

edit/ps: Last year or the year before I bought a template set for a Grandmother's Fan project because I wanted that sturdy consistent fan blade and each piece I was using was unique and fussy cut. I did cut them with a small rotary blade so don't know if that counts as both or not!

Having no choice is also what dictated the 'three layers make a quilt' theory. I know my quilting Grandmother would have jumped onto the 'back with fleece' bandwagon...and Aunt Amy would have danced a happy dance......

Most of what I do is straight cuts with ruler and rotary cutter. About the only templates that I use on a regular basis are Creative Grids scrap 6", 8" and crazier 8"

I am being quickly spoiled by my Go! cutter. For curved pieces I am finding it to be the very best. Rotary cutters are still the best for much of the cutting I do. I don't have dies for everything (yet). The 3 curved quilts I have dies for have been excellent. The notches are in the perfect place which lets the curves flow easily. For now the only straight line die I have is for the 2 1/2" cut and I am loving it. The accuracy in unreal.
I still use templates for a DWR. Those templates have gotten a great deal of use since I have made 5 king size and 1 queen size using the same templates. When I use templates I am more likely to hand quilt the finished quilt. Templates and hand quilting just seem to go together while rotary and machine quilting seem to go together. I have not yet quilted one of the tops I have made using my Accuquilt Go! so the jury is still out on that one. I am so far just enjoying the experience.

I like both. I made a Double Wedding Ring using templates and it seemed very accurate and easy to use. On straight cutting I like to use the rotary cutter.

I do not like templates. I have to really focus to keep a rotary cutter straight. But, after doing several Judy Neimeyer projects, I can use a rotary cutter around a paper pattern piece and be very accurate. So does that count as templates??? Probably not. I forgot.... several years ago I used one of the Dresden plate fan templates and loved the ease of accurately cutting all those cute little fans. So, I guess I like the templates in the right circumstances.

This is so true! I think we like the nostalgia factor way more than they did lol

When I started quilting it was cardboard templates - that's what I had and those were traced from magazines and books. Then it was traced onto freezer paper - and iron that onto fabric and cut those out. Then the plastic/acrylic templates came out - and I bought those. Then the metal ones and I had to have them..... Then one day I went to the Road to CA Quilt Show by myself and I watched the Accuquilt demonstration - must have stood there for 20 minutes talking to the lady as she showed me how well it cut, and the various dies. I always wanted to do a clamshell (even had the template) but here it was and all I had to do is put the fabric on it and roll it thru. And I could cut six at a time! I walked away - but it was stuck in my head. And it came home with me along with 4 dies - the 2 tumblers, clam shell, and the 2.5 inch strip die. I haven't used my templates since. (That's been about 10 years now.) Today I went away my templates to someone that will use them - so that makes me happy.

I use all three. Go cutter, templates, and rotary cutter.

I use my Accuquilt, rotary cutter, and a few choice templates.

I have made templates from xerox supplies. Teachers used to make overhead transparencies with copy machines. I have a box of blank transparencies that make great templates.

Do you mean templates made from thin plastic? If so, then no. I use a 60mm for rotary cutting and wear a cut glove for the inevitable oop-sie!

I like the go cutters best as it limits time with the rotary cutter.

ETA: I do use the standard rulers for cutting. My favorite is the 6.5x 24.5 ruler.