Slippery templates

Quilters of today use plastic rotary cutter templates for cutting quilt pieces.  In my younger days we used cereal boxes and manila folders to make templates.  We traced around them then cut out our fabrics.  I can see a possible day in the future when even the plastic rotary rulers and templates become obsolete.  Die cutters will become the norm.  Well, until that day arrives we make do with a wide variety of plastic templates.

They arrive coated with paper which we pull off to reveal pretty, unmarred plastic.  Slippery plastic.

A variety of anti-slip products have come on the market over the years.  Everything from clear cling plastic film to sand paper dots to spray baste is used to prevent slipping.   Plastic film eventually curls and sand paper dots loose their sand.  I’ve never used spray baste so I don’t know about it.  I guess all the anti-slip methods need replacing after awhile.

You ever notice that anything advertised as “for quilting” is very expensive?  I happened upon a product several years ago that helped keep my templates from slipping and didn’t cost a small fortune to purchase.  It’s found in many different stores in or near the school supplies.  Actually, I started using it on the back of my cutting board in the kitchen before I realized it would be great on my plastic templates.

It costs about a dollar or two.  One bottle lasts me three or four years.  Simply spread a very thin coat on the back of the templates.  Wait a few minutes for it to dry and you’re ready to go.  It creates a tacky surface which sticks enough to prevent slipping.

The glue eventually starts to become cloudy from picking up fabric lint and it starts to loose it’s anti-slip but that’s easily fixable.

Simply roll the glue off the template.  Push it with your finger and it just rolls right off.  If you don’t want to do that yourself, give it to a kid.  Kids usually like doing stuff like that.  For them it’s fun.  Ladybug does mine if she’s here.

See?  All clear and ready for a new coat.

It works really well on the plastic templates and rulers I use at the quilting machine too.

One more thing while I’m talking about the templates.  Handles.  Picking up smaller templates may not be a big problem but larger ones usually are.  I could buy those handle thingies that have suction cups on them but those are expensive too.  So, being the frugal person I am, I make my own cheap version handles.  I use clear tape to make mine but for photo purpose I used a brown tape on one.  Simply fold the tape back onto itself but leave enough to attach to the template.

Actually any tape works.  I like the clear packing tape because I can see through it.