How to Accurately Transfer Quilting Design from Books?

[Lynn K.]

Hi, everyone,

Is there a way to accurately transfer quilting design from books for hand quilting? What kind of tools/supplies/methods should I use? Any suggestion?

[Lynn K.]

I recently tried a new method. If you want to transfer the design in the same size, get some cheep tulle from the fabric store, like bridal veil. Place it over the design and trace it with a sharpie marker (if you don't own the book, you can make a photocopy first). Take the tulle to the quilt top and you'll be able to see the design on the tulle. Using a chalk pencil or a fabric marker, trace again over the design. What you get are little dotted lines that are perfect for stitching by hand or machine. I was thrilled with the results the very first time I tried this! nancy in ny

[Lynn K.]

I recently tried a new method. If you want to transfer the design in the same size, get some cheep tulle from the fabric store, like bridal veil. Place it over the design and trace it with a sharpie marker (if you don't own the book, you can make a photocopy first). Take the tulle to the quilt top and you'll be able to see the design on the tulle. Using a chalk pencil or a fabric marker, trace again over the design. What you get are little dotted lines that are perfect for stitching by hand or machine. I was thrilled with the results the very first time I tried this! nancy in ny

GREAT IDEA!

[Jules M.]

I have traced the design onto a manageable length of Glad Press & Seal. Like saran wrap but the kind that sticks to plastic bowls, etc.

I trace it with a fine point sharpie and lay it on the quilt. Then I machine quilt through it. It came right off after quilting. Worked very nice but sort of a hassle for a border! :wink:

Joyce

[Judy M.]

I copy my quilting designs from books by using just a sheet of copy machine paper and a pencil or pen. I then trace over the design on the copy paper with a Sharpie permanent pen so that the design can be placed under my borders or blocks and transferred onto the fabric. You can tape together the copy paper patterns so the design fits your border. You will need to use a lightbox under darker fabrics. Check back to see Alex's pencils that she uses to transfer her designs to fabric. It's in her classroom on the Daily Blog page. I've used the netting to transfer a quilting design. It's a good method, too. You just have to pin the netting so it doesn't slip. I used it on a black Amish-style quilt and it worked well. Also, rolls of adding machine paper can be used to transfer designs onto narrower borders.

[Judy M.]

Thanks everyone for the response!