For the beginning quilter, creating a beautiful handmade quilt may seem a bit overwhelming. As with any project, the right tools can make all the difference.
Essential tools and equipment needed by a quilter
1. A sewing box or cabinet to keep your tools and supplies organized will come in handy. Make sure it is large enough for adding to your collection.
2. A good pair of sewing scissors. Scissors are supposed t
o be used to cut fabric,but not anything else.Cutting paper and other things can cause your scissors to become dull to the point they will not cut fabric.
3.Rotary cutters can make cutting quilt pieces go much quicker since you can cut through two or three layers or fabric at once. If you use a rotary cutter, a special blade sharpener allows you to sharpen your rotary blade rather than buying a new after the blade gets dull.
4.A special cutting mat which can withstand the effects of the rotary blade is essential if you use a rotary cutter. These are available in a variety of sizes.
5.A tape measures to measure the size of the quilt pieces. Rulers with grid marks which make it easy to measure sizes and angles for your quilt pieces are available in a variety of sizes.
6.Making a quilt top is a much quicker process with a sewing machine. It is possible to hand sew your pieces into a beautiful quilt top, and still find your quilt can hold up after many years of use.
7.Once you have your pieces cut out and sewn together into a lovely quilt top, you are ready to proceed with the quilting stage. Special straight pins and large safety pins make it easier to keep the quilt top batting and back together.
8.You will need a quilting pen or pencil to mark the quilting lines on your quilt top. Special pencils are available where the markings you make will disappear. This allows you the conveniences of marking your quilting lines and not having to go to the trouble of trying to get the markings out.
9.When you are read
y to begin the hand quilting process, you will need needles, a thimble and of course special quilting thread. Regular sewing thread is not strong enough to withstand the use your quilt will get. A needle threader comes in handy also.
10.Quilting frames if you are hand quilting you will need quilting frames. The quilting can also be done by sewing machine. Having all the latest tools can make creating a beautiful handmade quilt much quicker and easier than in years past. The good news is that you do not have to start out with everything available.
You can create a beautiful handmade quilt with just a few basic tools. If you find you enjoy the art of quilting enough, you have the option of adding to your collection of tools a little at a time.