It’s December and all the December Holidays are coming fast. Are you being asked by your peeps what you want this year? Let me help you with the Top 5 Must Have Tools for Every Quilter.
In this article I am going beyond rotary cutters, self-healing mats and cutting rulers. Let’s go.
The Top 5 Must Have Tools for Every Quilter
A Sewing Machine in Good Working Order
Let’s start with your sewing machine. If your machine is not in good working order, then you need to stop right now. Try doing a basic cleaning and oiling (if your machine takes oil). A basic cleaning means removing the needle plate and bobbin case and cleaning in those areas. This will often help your machine sew better. If that is not the case, please take your machine to your local sewing machine tech for a check up.
A sewing machine in good working order is essential to better quilting. Make sure you take care of your machine by cleaning it out every 1-2 bobbins, or when your machine starts to sound not quite right.
Quilting Needles
This is a subject of debate. Many people have their favourite needles, myself included, but that may not work for everyone.
Universal Needles are not the best needles to use for quilting. They have a slightly rounded ball point, making it harder to push through tightly woven quilting fabric.
A Quilting Needle is designed to stitch through multiple layers and intersecting seams. They have a tapered point that is slightly rounded.
You could also use a Microtex or Sharps Needle. They work particularly well with batik fabrics which are very densely woven. They have a very thin sharp point making it easier to push through the fabric.
My personal favourites are Topstitch Needles which are designed for multiple layers or heavy fabrics. They have a large shaft and a very sharp point.
Please stick with a Quilting Needle, Topstitch Needle or Microtex Needle for best results.
Quilting Threads
For piecing or patchwork you will want to use a 100% cotton thread. My favourite is Aurifil 50wt which is an amazing thread. It does tend to be linty and comes at a higher price point.
For an alternative, use either Gutermann 50wt or Mettler 50wt cotton threads. Both work well for a lower price point.
For machine quilting your quilts, you can stick with a 100 cotton thread or go to a polyester thread. Thankfully, the days of no longer using polyester to quilt your quilts are over. I use Glide 40wt thread to quilt all of my quilts. It has a beautiful sheen and works really well.
Seam Ripper
I cannot stress the need to have a seam ripper or two in your sewing space. Apparently they can dull, although I have never found that, at least not yet. A good seam ripper costs a couple of dollars and some even come with sewing machines. My favourite seam ripper is my Bernina seam ripper that came with my big Bernina machine.
Awl
A little extra item I recommend having in your sewing space is an awl. Although usually associated with leather workers who punch holes into their work, an awl has a couple of great uses in quilting. The first is when working with small, fiddly pieces to help feed them through your machine. The second is to help ensure your triangles don’t get sucked down below your needle plate. You could also use an awl to punch out corners, but you risk creating a hole by going all the way through the fabric. Use a Hera Tool for this instead.
My Final Thoughts
I hope you found this helpful. Having the right notions close by will help your quilting. Needles and threads are important. Never buy thread from the bargain bin or use Universal Needles on your quilt projects.
For more helpful quilting tips and tricks, make sure you follow me on YouTube,and Pinterest.