What you will need to start a quilt
1. Rotary Cutter – you will never get clean angles and exactly the same size blocks without this. Take the leap and buy one. It will make your life so much easier.
2. The Rotary Mat and Ruler – The mat will protect your table top from cuts. I purchased a self healing mat in a kit with the cutter and ruler.
3. Sewing machine – Do you have to have one? Well no, but plan on it taking you a couple of years to finish one quilt
4. Cotton fabric – Can you use satin, velvet and lace? Yes, but don’t! Try to make your first few projects with quality cotton. You will be happier with the outcome and it will last a lot longer. Don’t skimp on fabric, because guilty, tightly woven cottons will extend the life of your quilt.
5. Iron and Ironing Board – Make sure you have a clean tight cover on your board. You may also want to invest in one of the mini irons if you plan on doing a lot of appliqué.
6. Fabric Scissors and Paper Scissors – ok….how many of you had a good pair of fabric scissors only to find your children or husband using them to tighten a screw or cut plastic packages open. Buy a good pair and hide them!!! Buy a cheap pair to cut out your patterns.
7. Cotton Thread – I have fallen into the trap many times of buying bargain thread at Wal-Mart only to have the seams break open a month later. A quality spool of thread is only about $2.30 a spool so invest in your tread and your project will last much longer.
8. Design Wall – WHAT??? OMG! Don’t get excited… its just a large piece of white flannel tacked to the wall so you can stick your blocks together to see what they look like. This is a “nice to have” not a “have to have”.
9. Seam Ripper – DO NOT LEAVE THE STORE WITHOUT THIS!!! I got a really cool one that is padded and angled to my hand because it’s my best friend!! :0) I’ve ripped a lot of em in my day! Lol
10. Pins and Needles – If you plan on doing a lot of hand stitches instead of machine you need to have multiple sizes of needles in your tool box. If not then just a simple pack will do. (Hint) the glow in the dark ones are easy to find in the carpet if you drop it. They hurt less if you spot them first!
So that’s my list. My dream list includes one of those $7,000.00 long arm quilting machines but unless I win the lotto, I’m guessing that’s not going to happen anytime soon.
2. The Rotary Mat and Ruler – The mat will protect your table top from cuts. I purchased a self healing mat in a kit with the cutter and ruler.
3. Sewing machine – Do you have to have one? Well no, but plan on it taking you a couple of years to finish one quilt
4. Cotton fabric – Can you use satin, velvet and lace? Yes, but don’t! Try to make your first few projects with quality cotton. You will be happier with the outcome and it will last a lot longer. Don’t skimp on fabric, because guilty, tightly woven cottons will extend the life of your quilt.
5. Iron and Ironing Board – Make sure you have a clean tight cover on your board. You may also want to invest in one of the mini irons if you plan on doing a lot of appliqué.
6. Fabric Scissors and Paper Scissors – ok….how many of you had a good pair of fabric scissors only to find your children or husband using them to tighten a screw or cut plastic packages open. Buy a good pair and hide them!!! Buy a cheap pair to cut out your patterns.
7. Cotton Thread – I have fallen into the trap many times of buying bargain thread at Wal-Mart only to have the seams break open a month later. A quality spool of thread is only about $2.30 a spool so invest in your tread and your project will last much longer.
8. Design Wall – WHAT??? OMG! Don’t get excited… its just a large piece of white flannel tacked to the wall so you can stick your blocks together to see what they look like. This is a “nice to have” not a “have to have”.
9. Seam Ripper – DO NOT LEAVE THE STORE WITHOUT THIS!!! I got a really cool one that is padded and angled to my hand because it’s my best friend!! :0) I’ve ripped a lot of em in my day! Lol
10. Pins and Needles – If you plan on doing a lot of hand stitches instead of machine you need to have multiple sizes of needles in your tool box. If not then just a simple pack will do. (Hint) the glow in the dark ones are easy to find in the carpet if you drop it. They hurt less if you spot them first!
So that’s my list. My dream list includes one of those $7,000.00 long arm quilting machines but unless I win the lotto, I’m guessing that’s not going to happen anytime soon.