Most quilting and most art is done by ordinary people with busy lives. Masterpieces are painted by people who work full time jobs. Quilts are stitched in snippets of time. Most artists and quilters don’t have the luxury of long periods of uninterrupted time for their creative lives—therefore that time has to be highly organized!
With that in mind, we are working to establish a Rock Solid Routine for Free Motion Quilting to minimize wasted creative time.
HUNTING
Last week, we found our sewing machine manuals (for some this was a hunting expedition…) and marked several pages pertinent to free motion quilting…
GATHERING
This week, we’re gathering all our supplies in one place.
This small step can make a big difference in productivity.
First–Make the list.
I recommend you make a copy of the list in your best hand-writing on a heavy piece of paper or stationery.
The List should remain in the box with the supplies for ready reference.
SUPPLY LIST FOR FREE MOTION QUILTING
- Brush for cleaning sewing machine
- Oil
- Single Hold throat plate
- Darning foot (I like Bernina’s #24 Offset darning foot)
- Needles (If you don’t have a favorite–start with Topstitch 90 Needles and adjust if necessary.)
- Supreme Slider (If there is just one thing you treat yourself to for FMQ-this is what I recommend.)
- Painter’s Tape (Optional–when the Supreme Slider is linty–it moves. I tape mine down because I don’t clean it as regularly as recommended.)
- Snips
- Tweezers (NEVER forget your tweezers–Read Inattentive Quilting: A Cautionary Tale and Learn from my Injury
- Hoop
- Gloves–(Most people like these, but I never use them.)
- Sewing Machine Manual
- Thread–(I often use Sulky or Robison-Anton 40 wt Rayon on top and Aurifil 50 wt in the bobbin.)
A Single Hole throat plate is optional, but it helps with stitch formation.
Supreme Slider by LaPeirre Studio–A teflon sheet that allows a quilt to slide more readily while quilting.
Most people like gloves for free motion quilting. (I never use gloves.) However, I often use this hoop by Husqvarna--see My Secret Weapon for Free Motion Quilting
Once you’ve collected everything, find a pretty box or basket in which to store everything.
Don’t forget to put your handwritten Supply List inside…
(If you are sewing on a long arm machine, you may have to adjust this list a bit–but the concept is the same.)
NEXT WEEK:
Build a Rock Solid Routine: Get Ready to Sew and…
A CHALLENGE!
Don’t miss it!
Happy (Organized) Stitching,
Lori
PS…All tutorials, information and images are the property of Lori Kennedy at The Inbox Jaunt and are intended for personal use only. Feel free to re-blog, Pin, share with attribution to The Inbox Jaunt. For all other purposes, please contact me at lckennedy@hotmail.com. Thanks!
