Quilting is a long cherished skill that has passed down through families for generations. Grandmothers taught mothers who taught daughters the techniques required to produce beautifully crafted quilts that would be admired for years to come. Anyone who has quilted knows the inordinate amount of patience it takes to cut and compile the mosaic of patterns that together will make a stunning quilt. But the often overlooked fact of modern quilting is the quilting template, making the art of quilting much less difficult to master.

A quilting template, as it name suggests, is a pre-made design that quilt makers can use to cut their fabric; it is generally made from a sturdy material such as acrylic, and allows quilters to cut many blocks of fabric at once, or one piece of fabric per design. A quilting template does much to improve consistency and elevate design, and has become more and more popular as a preferred quilting tool. Quilters can actually trace the design from the template onto their fabric, using a specially designed fabric pen, and then cut the design out of their fabric with quilting scissors.

For novice quilters, the availability of a quilting template offers a chance to master the art of quilting without being totally left to their own devices. And for veteran quilters who are looking to upgrade or refresh some of their designs, a quilting template introduces a multitude of new ideas they may not have previously considered.

One of the great benefits of the quilting template is its availability. A variety of templates can be found in any fabric store where you can look through books to find the perfect design for you needs. And the Internet has websites exclusively devoted to the quilting template where quilters can search through their inventory and order online. There are even sites that offer downloads of quilting templates that you can print straight from your home computer. Of course, the more creative among us can even create their own quilting template from something they draw freehand onto sturdy paper, transfer to plastic template material, and ultimately use to cut their fabric.

The uses for a quilting template are endless and only limited by your imagination. Take the time to get creative and you’ll be surprised and undoubtedly thrilled with your results.