Good Morning, Quilters!
It’s been a busy week as we kick off the beautiful summer months here in Minnesota! Because our season is so short, I try to take full advantage of every nice day to be outside and active. (You may notice an irregular posting schedule all summer long.) As I was sipping my wine on my porch, I enjoyed this very creative video–A Not so Still Life.
MEMORIAL DAY WEEK
Thank you to all who commented this week about the Land that I Love Quilt HERE and especially those who shared their stories of service! Again, a big Thank YOU to all our veterans and their families for their service and their sacrifice!
And thank you, Claire who suggested we check out The Quilting Marine–a twenty year veteran who found quilting. He’s a new voice and fresh perspective in the quilting world. He has several YouTube videos HERE. Thanks, Claire for sharing this link!
FAYE’S INDIGOS
Faye and I have a weekend date to see if we can get my serger threaded–it’s been a long time since I serged anything–mostly because I’ve been too lazy to find my manual and figure it out again! Instead, like many of you suggested, I use an overlock or zigzag on my regular machine. However, Faye has so much indigo to prepare, I think it will be much faster to set up the serger– (wish us luck!)
BARE MINIMUM QUILT TOOLS
My five daughters all want to begin quilting.
If YOUR daughter or grand-daughter or friend was starting from scratch, what would YOU include in their “essential” quilting basket?
Let’s all harken back to those early days and, at the same time, apply all of our experience with unused notions and quilting tools to make a list of the ABSOLUTE ESSENTIAL TOOLS for quilters. (Assuming they will be machine quilting–and we won’t include the machine accessories for now.)
Here’s the list so far–please agree or disagree and add or subtract!
- Rotary Cutter
- Self Healing Cutting Mat
- Rulers
- Scissors
- Pins
- Marking tool (blue pen? chalk?)
It’s been so long since I had to think about this…
(Instead I have to think about where all of these tools are! LOL)
What do YOU think?
Is there anything else you consider an absolute essential tool?
Is there anything in the list above you don’t view as essential?
We’d LOVE to hear!
(We will make our “wish list” next week)
I’m off to set up my serger—perhaps I should take it out onto the porch with a glass bottle of wine Irish whiskey!
(I didn’t say that out loud, did I?)
Lori
PS…All tutorials, images and information are the property of Lori Kennedy at The Inbox Jaunt and are intended for personal use only. Feel free to re-blog, pin or share with attribution to The Inbox Jaunt. For all other purposes, please contact me at lckennedy@hotmail.com. Thanks!
Get signed copies of my books on Etsy today! (Each book comes with a little surprise inside!)
79 comments
ADKKate
Best Press….stabilizes your fabric and gives seams a nice flat finish
Dona Taylor
If you can’t get Best Press…1 oz of vodka to 8 oz of water, in a spray bottle works just as well. There is also a recipe for “Quilter’s Moonshine” somewhere online that is vodka and Sta Flow liquid starch in water. Haven’t tried it yet.
Suzanne
Vodka! H-h-m-m; think I’ll have to test that out. Then again, I can just hear my husband…”You did WHAT with the vodka???” (giggle!)
Amy Roth
A good steam iron. I have found that pressing seams as sewn and then pressing the pieces open (either seam to one side or open, depending on the application) has been a huge help! And a good square ruler that you can use to square up blocks.
Amy Ershler
Iron, pencil and paper, good music
Helen S
A seam ripper?
Cheri
Oh Lori, I love the Iris flowers! My go to seam ripper is n electric trimmer. So quick and easy, but be careful and watch closely so you don’t clip the fabric!
Oh, Baileys or Irish Mist? No matter, porch sewing sounds divine!
Janet Verity
Don’t forget the seam ripper. As much as I do not like to use it, it does come in handy.
Christine reeves
I have a little wooden seam pressing tool that was hand made and I aquired a long time ago at a log cabin class. It’s been very useful for “finger pressing” instead of hopping up to the iron every minute for some piecing projects. I think you can get a similar tool in shops.
Pat V
I agree with Dona. My “un-sewing” tool is essential!
Dona Taylor
A seam ripper is a must have!
Dona Taylor
I loved the reference to the Quilting Marine. I must share this with my son…..a disabled veteran and former Army Ranger.
Jane Johnson
package of “new” machine needles and pipe cleaner to clean the machine. (bobbin case). Also I have a 6″ x 2.5″ ruler that I use a lot.
1/4″ machine foot
Jan Tarasovic
Spray adhesive for making your quilt sandwich. (Don’t spray the whole area at once. Ask Mom!) Pinning and unpinning takes hours and you end up with sore fingers. For me it’s worth the cost.
Sue
Seam Ripper!!
swakins
Seam Ripper!
Diana Lassahn
I rarely use seam rippers to unsew, but have a wonderful pair of snips and a paper cup to put the threads in so my kitty doesn’t eat them.
Lynn
Give some thought to a machine with a needle up/ down setting and has a walking foot, open toed foot, darning foot and 1/4” foot. A good overall light in your work area is a must for me as well as a comfortable chair. One can spend many hours sitting at sewing machine. For starters for rulers a 6×24, and a 121/2” square did me for a long time. Many specialty tools are a nice luxury and can be added as time goes on and you find your own style. I just finished off a quilt that I started in 1996. This was early on in my journey. I had a good laugh at some of the little oops that I found I had made. I decided to leave it mostly alone. I corrected a couple of seams and decided that my younger self could have done a better job pinning. I was in such a rush to finish the quilt I forgot to enjoy the process. I would suggest that a queen sized quilt is probably not a great choice for a first project . It takes too long to see any results. Enjoy your journey
Judy
A seam ripper!
Sherry
Notice you mentioned self-healing cutting mat. Frankly, I find benefits to the cutting mats that are not self-healing — they do not pull the fabric as the self-healing do. You do not need to press as hard for cutting since the blade doesn’t have to go down into the mat. I love my rotary blade sharpener, too as replacement blades can be pricey and you can easily get new life out of the old if you haven’t knocked the blade on pins. The June Tailor mats for rotary cutting on one side and pressing on the other are great for portability of sewing tools. They are not self-healing.
Cynthia Wood
A battery operated electric seam ripper and a bottle of Roxanne’s Glue Baste.
SueEllen White
SEAM RIPER! A sandpaper board, with an automatic pencil and 6″ clear plastic THIN ruler. These are for marking HST.
Rosalie A Brader
What is s sand paper board and what do you use it for?
Meran Taylor
For stabilizing fabric as you trace around it with templates
Donna K McMichen
A reliable sewing machine! I know some folks love to piece/applique/quilt by hand, but I have a WONDERFUL relationship with my machine. A new quilter doesn’t need a top of the line machine with all the buttons & whistles. A sturdy, workhorse that won’t be the source of frustration is essential IMO. Having said all that – after all these years of being a passionate quilter, I recently upgraded/traded up my machine for a awesome Viking Epic 980q. All I can say is WAHOOOO!!!!!!!!
Rosemaryflower
Hi Lori, HAPPY FRIDAY
I am happy that you are having nice weather. After a harsh wintery winter, you deserve to have delightful fresh air that blows gently without chill.
Here on the East Coast (far west Northern Virginia) we are roasting and toasting.
I love all of the ideas stated above! Excellent advice from your readers.
The only other things I would add would be ……accept just a little bit of time. You can just stitch a row or two pieces together and set them aside and do the other thing that has you out of that little “patch” of paradise, your sewing area.
The other suggestion: a clear plastic sheet to cover your things – to keep kitties and kiddos out. A clear shower curtain from Target, not too thin, is perfect. With see though coverage, you can glance at your creativity 🤓😍….. longing for a moment, and also catch any persistent offenders…..🙃😇 You can “adjust” with clothes pins (perhaps sweetly decoupaged with super cute fabric bits
Happy Week-end.
The deluge of rain continues here
Andrea
Already mentioned but I would love to second:
Good extra lights, either attached to sewing machine or set up by it
Quality thread along with quality fabric. Batik might be good for beginners since it doesn’t fray much and generally behaves
Finally the little clips which you can get in bulk very cheaply on Amazon
Karin Pudenz
Cutting mat, two rulers (8.5×24 and 6.5×6.5), rotary cutter, thread snips (to keep next to the machine), and pins. I use a mechanical pencil for marking lines. A small bowl for trash next to the machine so I don’t have a bulky trash can sitting next to me. Your list looks pretty good for just getting started. Oh, and I also have a spray bottle of water for those stubborn folds/creases in my fabric that don’t want to iron out.
Vonnie
I know you have scissors already listed but I wanted to stress that it be a good pair of scissors with a nice point and not let anyone else (husbands or kids) use them!
Rosemarie
I haven’t seen these items mentioned yet, but are very important in my life, especially my 68 year-old eyes! A good source of light for both the sewing area as well as the cutting area. So, probably multiple lamps — the kind meant for a sewing area — should be a must. If you will be doing hand work, also a good lamp in that area.
Since I’m a fanatic about staying organized, see-through plastic totes with covers are also a must. All of the items for a project should fit in it. I have multiple larger ones, as well as medium and small. If you have multiple projects going at one time, each project stays in its own tote. Great to take to a cottage for the weekend, or Mom’s if you have a question. 🙂
Another thing that I also keep in my sewing area is a travel mug with a cover, filled with water or beverage of choice. If you happen to tip it over, there will be no spills.
Helenanne
I’d add a press cloth (can use a piece of muslin) and a water spray bottle to the iron, and a non stick sheet if you will be using fusible web. I believe that one of the best things a new quilter can learn is that the seam ripper can be your friend. Not every seam goes together perfectly the first time. Having the right tool and the right attitude about using it can make a big difference. I used to have rip it races with my students. They were always surprised when I was able to unsew faster than they were. I assured them it was because I have so much practice at taking out stitches. None of us are perfect. Sometimes it’s also good to have a tweezers to go with the seam ripper. (the tweezers also help when I need to rethread the serger – just sayin’)
Marta
Ditto to having the tweezers on hand while ripping out. I made a little Senior Rip kit recently : ripper, tweezers, very pointy small scissors, and magnifying glass.
Dee by the Sea
Good light is so important … there are amazing lights available that can set near or behind your machine that don’t cost a fortune (especially if you have a coupon)! I love my Ott-Litet! It offers great light and provides true color for what I am working on.
I would say too, to just enjoy the process.I am always adjusting one thing or another as I am not as precise as (I suppose) I should be but I have had so much fun in making things that I am proud of. I give myself permission to just play and enjoy the chance to be creative.
Donna M Coakley
a tape measure (preferably retractable soft tape) for quilt measuring (to prevent your quilt from being “friendly”—You know, the edges wavy when you get to putting on the frame.
Arvilla Trag
An ACCURATE 1/4″ foot (my first one was 3/32″ off, made some real problems till I figured it out); a good 6″ x 24″ ruler, a really good iron;a teflon sheet to protect the really good iron from fusible web goofs; a walking foot; a table big enough to do everything you need to do; a case of white wine and a masseur. (This is a basics wish list, right?)
Jane
Lots of good added suggestions, but unless I missed it the other VERY important item is a box of Band-Aids. We know it’s only a matter of time until blood is drawn, no matter how much care we take when pinning or how careful we are to close the rotary cutter between cuts. A universal law of quilting: the amount of blood from a pin prick or blade nick is in direct proportion to the amount of white fabric in the quilt.
Granny G
I was stubborn and stupid enough to cut myself badly TWICE, before buying a protective glove. Ugh, messy. One of the injuries required a hand surgeon to put me back together. Because of the unwieldy bandage, I couldn’t quilt for 2 weeks!
DON’T ANY OF YOU BE LIKE ME – BUY AND WEAR A GLOVE, PLEASE!
Marta
Your own saliva on your own drop of blood on fabric will remove it partly.
Wet the blood/fabric, blot it away with kleenex or paper towel and it will disappear unless it is a lot of blood. I removed a smear an inch long once by doing this procedure twice on it. Try it quickly before it has chance to dry.
Karen
I was taught by the sewing machine shop to cut the threads near the cones and attach the new color thread to the thread that’s currently in the serger. Turn on the serger and let the thread run till you only have the new color in the entire path. I’ve never totally unthreaded my serger and then rethreaded. But if I ever needed to, I have colored dots that folllw the threading path (and a couple illustrations on the serger).
Bridget Balthrop Morton
O me darlins’! Two suggestions: Your public library! Take out as many as you can, and gaze at photos of quilts. Quilting books will inspire your sense of color and design, teach new & useful techniques, help you figure out what to do with that must-have fabric!
Also, find a local quilt circle or guild. Sure, sure — you have each other (I get it! I’m one of 6 sisters! ) but those other ladies, wry, sweet, or otherwise, will not just guide you, they’ll become new friends who share your passion. Quilting thrives best in community!
Jo
A stiletto. For those times when fabrics have to be held down near the needle. Far better than a finger. Ask me how I know!! LOL! (I can laugh now). Many other uses for it too!!
Deborah
One of the mini irons…a day does not go by that I don’t use mine…gor it off craftsy
MaryJean
A sharp seam ripper is a must (what we sew – we unsew).
Extra machine needles.
A beginning quilt class at a local shop.
Chocolate!
Patience and an advernturous spirt.
Enjoy!
Quilting Tangent
Iron and board, sewing machine, seam ripper, fabric, batting, safty pins, pattern.
Sandy Martin
If I were making up a basket of ‘must-haves’, I would include a 6 x 12 inch ruler, a .45 rotary cutter and some extra blades. (also instructions on how to use, i.e. close after every cut; definitely a good seam ripper, cutting mat, tape measure, dressmaker pins that are very thin and very sharp. I was introduced to those my a major name quilt lady and now I do not use anything else. A top stitch needle, basic knowledge of how to increase and decrease stitch size on machine, iron and ironing board or mat and some good help with making quarter inch seams. And encouragement to not get discouraged when things go together wrong.:-)
Suzanne
I would add school glue, Best Press (or at minimum spray starch), fine point tweezers and Oh yes! An easy pattern for the first-time-quilter.
MARILYN M GIBLIN
A good iron and pressing surface are essential. You can cut accurately and sew accurately, but if you don’t also press accurately, it won’t look good. There are opinions galore, personally I like the Reliable iron, it lives up to its name.
Mrs. Plum
For me, a 100 inch tape measure and a design wall are essential, to say nothing of my seam ripper. Eventually, I would invest in a large, square ruler, for trimming quilts, or making large blocks.
Terry
Well, I tend to be a detail person, so there were things on your list I would further clarify:
Rotary Cutter—what size? I know the main size we use is 45 mm, but if you have a strip ruler or a circle ruler, it can have slots to run a cutter in, but it needs a smaller size.
Self Healing Cutting Mat—size? Maybe even a small one and a larger one?
Rulers—definitely multiple ones, and different types, i.e. measuring and quilting (for ruler work). On another site, I have seen some nice rulers that would work well with precuts, 5×15 and 2.5×8.
Scissors—dedicated to just sewing.
Pins—might consider wonder clips, they would be easier to keep from running over with the needle.
Marking tool (blue pen? chalk?)—maybe erasable and/or one where an iron will erase the lines?
Plenty of sewing machines n edges so you can change often.
I guess I had more to say then I thought, as I said I tend to be a detail person. It also helps if someone shares their tools, so you do not have such a great expense starting out. My mom shared hers with me when she could no longer see because of vision problems.
Dianne Duff
I would also not be without clips either the very tiny metal ones found in business supplie shops or the newer plastic ones out for sewing. I prefer the metal they don’t melt and actual hold the seam better for stitching by machine or by hand.
As for your serger, I taught sewing and fashion as one of the courses in Family Studies. The students always had trouble with the looper and those blue floss threaders from the dentist’s office work great if your serger is not self threading. Also once you have it threader and want to change the thread before removing the old thread cut the thread at the first thread guide, yes the one at the top. Now you have a length of thread to attach to the new cone of thread , use a square knot for threading and gently pull the 3, 4or 5 threads all at once or singly through the various thread guides and even the loopers. The knot usually does not go through the last point ,the needle but that is usually easy to thread. I hope this helps. I have 2 sergers, a self threading Imagine by Baby lock at home and a 4 thread Elna at the cottage. Some family member always needs pants hemmed. I really do love the Imagine by baby lock, it really does thread the loopers all by itself.
Linda R
Seam ripper, snips and a pin cushion.
Judy Purcell
Hate to point out the obvious, but you must have either a sewing machine or needle and thread!
Diana Lassahn
LOL! amazing that we all assumed that would be available!
Kathy
I think one essential is patience and the other is enjoyment!
D. Joy Summers
A mid-size square ruler and frixion pens (they are heat or laundry erase) so use your hair dryer, dryer or an iron, laundry I hear makes it permanently gone. Although it only comes back in freezing temps, weird huh.
Karen Williams
I really like the Frixion pens, but the only way the marks are “permanently” gone is to wash the quilt. Until then, there’s a risk it could return (if exposed to cold temps). So I try not to use them where they will show.
Marta
Hmmm, I have been using Frixion pens for few years now and heat has always appeared to remove the marks. I accidentally left some on before washing that was still there til I used heat on it. But that was a cold water wash. I really don’t think I could successfully make a quilt without my Frixion pens, I am so spoiled to them.
Angie
I also find myself using these items often when quilting, but never did when I was doing other sewing projects:
Tweezers, stilletto (I use a wooden skewer), basting spray,
Don’t forget an iron and ironing board or ironing mat.
Mary Honas
I treated myself to one of the wool pressing mats! Such a nice treat!!
Karen Williams
Mary, Yes, yes, yes! Those who haven’t tried the wool mats don’t know what they’re missing. I got mine a couple of months ago on sale at Nancy’s Notions & got the largest size (17″ sq) they make, so it will accommodate the biggest blocks I am likely to make. They make pressing so much better/ easier!
Jean W
Good thread! Not the cheap stuff or stuff you inherited from your grandma. Also a good basic sewing machine, not the bottom of the line, it will just cause frustration. But doesn’t have to be super fancy either. And finally good fabric! Find a quilt shop that is helpful from the moment you walk in the store.
Maureen B. in B.C.
Magnifiers! I couldn’t get anywhere without my 325 magnifiers for average work, and my 400s for FMQ. “Blindly going where no woman wishes to go” without them. 🤗
Rosalie A Brader
Maureen B I am SOOOOOO there with you!! My grandkids joke about how many magnifiers I have!
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