I bought some stencils and I started with one that is real easy. It just has lines and makes sort of squares that stand on their ends. I cannot seem to figure out how to move the stencil and make the pattern throughout my quilt. Does anyone have a recommendation? I may just have to stick with stitch in the ditch.

If they're real stencils, meaning the lines are cut out, you can mark them with any kind of termporary marker or with pounce powder. If they're just paper, you can put the quilt over them on a light box and trace them.

They are the stencils with holes cut into them and I have been using a temporary pen. My problem is when I move the stencil to go to another place on the material, I keep gettting my pattern off. Is there a trick to matching up the stencil. This should be easy but I am struggling.

You may want to overlay a section of the stencil over the previously marked lines - kind of like a continuing pattern not just bumping up to the previous line... clear as mud?

Judy in Phx

Some stencils will have registration marks at the margins so when the stencil is moved, the marks line up in the slots. For stencils without, I overlap the pattern, and stick a pin into the slots vertically like a stake to hold it in position. Hope that is clear and helps.

I will try these suggestions. Thnaks!

Stencils are just way too imtimadating for me. I admire anyone who can use them.

I use them all the time. I found a stencil cutter on ebay last night and purchased it and I will be making my own stencils, my own designs and all. Looking forward to that. As far as moving my stencil to match up the design and such or make it a continuous one, I just move it to match up some of the liones on it, if it is a feather designm then I just move the stencil and if there is a space I can draw on an extra feather and such. Works out really wqell. Have a great day, Huggeis, Fay