josieh

What is the difference between templates and rulers? I have templates that are made of plastic and look just like a ruler. So far I have been outlining around the templates but was wondering if I could use them like a ruler with my rotary cutter. Would the templates wear out? Thanks.

Barb in Louisiana

The templates I have don't have all the markings on them that a ruler does. But I do use a 4.5 inch square ruler as a template when the need arises. As to whether you can cut around them with your rotary cutter...how thick are your templates? If they are thin and can be cut by the rotary cutter, then you wouldn't want to cut around them, because you could change the shape. If they are thick, then you should be fine. My templates are made of a similar material to my rulers and are very hard.

PaperPrincess

If the template plastic is at least as thick as your ruler, and you can keep your fingers out of the way, you should be able to use your rotary cutter. I use my cutter with all my templates.

Gay

I would clarify a template as being a shape made of fabric, paper, card stock, acrylic etc, and used to draw/cut/sew around - which can be used for applique, English paper piecing, quilting and arts in general.
Rulers are mainly straight sided with measurements marked, can be narrow, wide, square or oblong - though for longarm quilting machines they come in many shapes, but I would still class anything not straight sided as a template.
This is just the way I see things

nativetexan

I have some great acrylic templates for drunkards path blocks but I still trace around them, then cut with scissors. i tend to hate wasting any fabric and i can place the template next to the last drawn line and have not much waste that way.http://backporchdesign.danemcoweb.co.../rulers-tools/ is where i got mine.

ManiacQuilter2

Use to be in the olden days that templates were made from cardboard and were used trace lines on your fabric. Rulers are normal used to measure increments of inches while templates might be a particular design such as for a wedding ring or a drunkards path.

NJ Quilter

I agree with Gay and ManiacQuilter2. Some templates are made of thick, hard plastic as are most quilting rulers and would, then, be safer to cut around with a rotary cutter. However, using a rotary cutter in a motion other than straight away from your body can be a bit dangerous. If you had a rotating cutting mat, that would be safer when cutting 'around' a template as you could just rotate the mat so the cutting motion would be away from your body. Rulers are also, generally, more versatile than templates.

Dolphyngyrl

Templates can be used with a rotary cutter if they are thick enough. Rulers you can measure different sizes whereas templates are just one size that you can cut. It is kind of the same idea as a die whereas you can only get that size out of that shape whereas a ruler can cut strips, squares, triangles, diamonds, etc, and most of the time rulers cut multiple sizes of a shape or multiple shapes depending on the type of ruler general vs specialty.

thrums

I met a quilter recently who cuts up craft box dividers for templates. I was thinking about using sandwich boxes. Has anyone had any experience with these?

romanojg

I've seen on here where others have went to home depot, etc and bought plexiglass and had it cut to a certain size, like a 12in block, which they charge almost nothing for cutting and then they have a template/ruler. They can add lines if needed but it would be great if you make say a lot of 12 in blocks, (or any other size) to have a template/ruler of the same size to square it up.