Here's my top 10 list of what every quilter needs to get started and put in a good day of work! I have a variety of tools and "odds n ends" (see what I did there?) that I like to use. I especially like to keep it fun, because quilting is a process and it can be easy to get frustrated in those moments when you are tired or stuck on something. Now this may not be every quilter's list of "must haves", but it's mine. ;) If you are a crafter, maybe some of these will become your essentials, too!
A perfect balance of work-to-relaxation in the tone of the room goes a long way to making me comfortable and focused enough to make a lot of progress in my work day. I need plenty of light to be able to see the balance of fabric colors, cut evenly, and see when I'm stitching. But there are a few other things that help go a long way in keeping my energy and creativity flowing.
Here are some of the things I need to put me in work mode!
1. A good sewing machine! Absolutely necessary if you are going to quilt. I do well with my mom's Kenmore sewing machine. It has quilter foot attachments I bought extra for straight and free motion quilting (that's the foot attachment that allows me to create those fun loops and flowers) and allows the feed dogs to drop down (the little grabby things beneath the needle moves the fabric along). This helps to be able to move the material around freely when quilting. You can have a more advanced sewing machine, but I want you to know you can quilt beautifully even with just an average sewing machine!
2. A great workspace - I don't have my own craft room (boo hoo!), so I create a "mood" and do the best I can with my workspace. We have a large kitchen table for our family of six so it's a great workspace to spread out my tools. Our table opens up to add extra leaves for the table, so my dad cooked up this great quilt table insert for me! I am still working on getting some better storage and organization for my supplies that won't take over our family kitchen, but this works for now. ;)
I also printed some posters for my little corner. These inspire and encourage me to keep going when the going gets tough. I found mine here on AllPeopleQuilt.com one of my favorite quilty sites (bookmark this site...it's awesome!) and on pinterest. It makes my space feel more personal...instead of just the family's kitchen. ;)
The point is, you don't need a perfect craft room to do what you love! I was so worried when I began my home quilting business that I wouldn't be professional enough if I didn't have a "real space". This has been what works for me, and my budget and family...for now. :) Don't be afraid to start small. Work with what you've got and make it your own!
3. Inspiration Notebook - I quickly found out I needed something to keep all my design patterns and ideas in. I doodle free motion quilting designs, sketch new pattern ideas, and write out the measurements and instructions for each of my product patterns. My trusty notebook is always within reach in my sewing corner. And when I'm out and about, I have a smaller notebook for when creativity strikes or I remember something I needed to do. My inspiration notebook is a composition notebook that I covered in this fun jeans-print wallpaper (my aunt gets them for us free). I like the lines like this where I can write and doodle if I choose to, but I've seen some quilters using graph paper, too.
As a beginner or an experienced quilter, a notebook is a must have. You can store all your sketches and doodles and always be able to find those ideas again. And years later, it's fun to see how far you've come in your designing!
4. Rotary Cutter, Mat, and Rulers - If you are going to be a serious quilter and spend a lot of time cutting out all those small pieces, you really have to invest in a rotary cutter and quilting mat. It saves so much time! And there are so many special rulers you can invest in to help with measuring and precise cutting (very, very important when quilting!). You can find all of these items at your local craft store such as Joann's and Hobby Lobby or online.
If you don't want to go investing in a lot of tools upfront, here are the basics of what I love:
- I use a large 18x24-inch Fiskars cutting mat, but I also have a small 12x18 Omnigrid mat I use whenever I'm just doing some small piecework on a project. I would definitely invest in the larger mat, as the more space you have to cut on the better. I honestly find myself still running out of room on my cutting mat some days. I like to spread out when I work. ;)
- My favorite ruler is my Omnigrid 8-1/2 x 8-1/2 square ruler (they sell a 9-1/2 x 9-1/2 ruler now). It's the perfect size to get you started and great for small piecework and trimming. Then I have my longer Omnigrid 3-1/2 x 24-inch ruler for cutting out binding, trimming fabric edgings, and squaring up larger blocks than my 8-1/2 ruler can manage. Browse their site...there are lot's of options for mats, rulers and rotary cutters!
- There are many sizes of rotary cutters with varying grips and such for comfort. I use a 45mm rotary cutter without any bells and whistles and it's been just fine for me, even with my carpel tunnel. Try out my easy technique for sharpening those blades and making them last a little longer. This saves so much money!
5. My table insert - One of the things a quilter needs to create that amazing stitching technique on the quilted items is a flat surface. Whenever I tried quilting without that smooth surface between my sewing machine and the table, my stitches came out wonky and tore at my material! So my dad, the genius that he is, made me an insert for our table. It has a special cut-out where my sewing machine slips in...and a small hole directly underneath where I can slip my fingers to change the presser foot settings (mine are underneath the machine and that's how you set the machine up to create all the fun loops and designs in quilting). This is a wonderful, inexpensive resource for home quilters.
If you are using your standard home machine and don't have a table that can extend in this way, there are small extension tables you can buy to attach to your machine that give you an even surface to quilt on. Look for one that will fit snuggley against your sewing machine before purchasing. If you're interested in investing in something like this or creating your own table, I have a whole post about it here, and a pinterest board for inspiration!
6. Pins, Scissors and the trusty Seam Ripper - Though I had sewn since I was a girl, I quickly found I needed to invest in a variety of new pins when I switched to quilting. You will need long quilting pins for use in piecing your blocks together. These are easier to grip and stick smoothly through layers of thick fabric. You will also need large size 2 bent safety pins to use when ready to machine or hand quilt your project together. The large bent safety pins make it effortless to pin through multiple layers of batting and fabric, and the curve makes it manageable to pin without moving your layers around too much.
Even if you use a rotary cutter, a pair of scissors are still needed for cutting threads and snipping corners from your blocks when trimming. There are a lot of choices and if you already sew then I'd stick with what you have on hand, especially if you purchase a rotary cutter. I use these scissors I purchased from my local craft store and they have held up really well for years. A small pair is nice to keep on hand for snipping thread at the sewing machine. Scissors can be bought in 2-packs as well.
Most quilters and sewers have a love-hate relationship with their seam ripper. If you are not familiar, a seam ripper is used after you've made a mistake and need to re-sew a bad seam. Thus the hate. ;) No one likes to make mistakes, but it comes with the territory. And just because you have a messy seam does not always mean it's your fault. Needing a new bobbin wound, extra lint in the needle or presser foot, or a snag in the thread could be causes as well. We learn from our mistakes, and our snags, and in time your stitches and seams will be straighter, with practice. My seam ripper is always within easy reach...just in case. ;)
When you craft and quilt, put on your favorite movie or play that music you hum all day long and get stuck in your head. You want to be relaxed and comfortable when you're crafting. It really works!
8. A Little Friend - If you read my about page or my shop page here on my blog, you'll see mentioned that I live in a pet-free home. So instead of a pet nearby to keep me company, I like to have one of my TsumTsum's made by Disney. There is something about a cute little stuffed toy or figurine that brings that happy, free-spirit to the room that I'm looking for. Since I'm not naturally that kind of person myself. ;) When I'm stressed or struggling with a design, I look over and it cheers me up and relaxes me. My favorites are my Winnie the Pooh characters like Piglet, or my prince charming owl from Sleeping Beauty.
9. Hot Tea and Water - Drink up...because it's essential to stay hydrated. It may seem cheesy, but I've found if I stay hydrated I work more productively. And that is very important to me to make the best use of my time. I don't want to start feeling sick, either! I can get so wrapped up in what I am quilting that I forget to eat properly and stay hydrated. Keeping a glass of water nearby, within reach helps me out. A cup of hot tea relaxes and soothes me and feels like a cup of comfort before I start my day of work. So I almost always have a cup of hot tea in my favorite mug!
A snack can go a long way in helping me make it through a long day of quilting. Quilting can be a lot of standing in one place cutting out pieces, or up and down between the sewing machine and ironing board. And there are the countless, minute decisions of color and pattern being used by your creativity. I usually like to get as much quilting for the shop done as I can in a day, so it's always nice to have something to keep my energy up - and reward myself for all the hard work! Some of my favorites are: a fruit and nut granola bar, Dr. Pepper, tea from Republic of Tea and Tazo tea (love the peach!).
10. A Stack of Favorite Books - A quilter needs inspiration. I'm constantly on Pinterest and scoring books I own and library books for ideas, and to keep up with the latest styles and techniques. There is always something new and exciting to try! Some days I lack creativity and inspiration, so I take out a favorite magazine or book, skim through, and soon I'll find ideas. "Oh, I need to use triangles for the border!" Or I'll find just the right swirl to quilt on a new table runner. Angela Walters free motion quilting books are always among my stash, as well as some block books like the "Farmers Wife" series and this fun one "The Vintage Quilt Revival".
It's good to invest in a book of basic quilt blocks. Even if you use free patterns online, sometimes it's more useful to have additional diagrams and instructions for the basics like a flying geese block or a half square triangle block. These two often become the foundation for a lot of larger block designs. Judy Hopkins "Around the Block" gives me perfect blocks with perfect points every time and has excellent templates for basic blocks in a variety of sizes to suit my needs. I can always find what I'm looking for here.
So I hope you're inspired and encouraged to take up quilting now! :D I know you can do it! Start with what you've got and go from there. If you fall in love with quilting the way I have, you can always extend your tools and supplies as the need and your experience grows. Don't stress, just have fun with it.
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