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Quilting Tools You Can’t Live Without
Laura Stone RobertsWhether you are new to quilting and wondering what quilting tools to buy, or you’ve been accumulating tools for years and are looking to scale back, Laura Roberts shows you which tools are her go-to favorites.
Cutting Fabric
Quilting can require several different tools for cutting fabric. Laura shares her favorite types of rotary cutters, ergonomic and large-blade cutters, and explains when and why she uses the different tools. She also shares her favorite snips and scissors, which are also ergonomic and spring loaded, making it easier on your hands if you have to do a lot of cutting.
Measuring Fabric
Another quilting tool must-have is a ruler. Laura shows her favorite ruler, a clear ruler with black lines, and explains why she finds it easier to read and easier to use. She also shows how it has small areas of texture on the wrong side of the ruler to help it from slipping on your fabric while cutting.
Pressing Fabric
Many times in quilting a large pressing surface isn’t needed when small blocks are being assembled. Laura shows her favorite quilting tools for pressing which include a small mat you can press on one side and cut on the other, as well as a small travel iron.
More Quilting Tools
Marking tools, pressing tools, rotary cutters and ruler are often the first tools people think of for quilting, but Laura has other favorite tools as well. A magnetic pincushion can actually save you time when quilting as it can quickly and easily pick up all your pins. Bobbin holders and bobbin winders can also help save time, allowing you to wind many bobbins at one time and not have to remove anything from your machine to do so. Laura also shows several tools she likes to use that aren’t necessarily thought of as quilting tools. She shares how she likes to use an awl to help guide her fabric under the presser foot and how she likes to hang fabric she has just pressed rather than drape or fold it.
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6 Responses to “Quilting Tools You Can’t Live Without”
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I replayed it several times but could not catch the name of the "add a something" ruler, the small ruler she mentioned. Some good ideas. Thanks.
what weight of aurifil thread do you use?
My favorite, blue painter's tape, was on her table, but she never discussed it. It has so many uses-marking, holding, identifying--the list goes on and on. I definitely cannot sew without it!
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Except for the Fiskars rotary cutter, Laura nailed it on, alerting me to wonderful tools I haven't tried yet. For lefties, such as myself, though, the rotary cutter is not safe. the blade guard is designed for righties. So, since I have issues with my hands also; I use battery powered scissors for my heavy duty cutting and a strip cutter (this is a rotary cutter that doesn't discriminate against southpaws). Best of all, I was excited to see the tin with the bobbin rings in it. I have that exact tin and now know what I will be using it for next. Thanks for the video.
I think Laura and I are twins! I use the same rotary cutter, iron, iron and cutting pad and the bobbin winder. The one thing I use constantly that Laura didn't mention is "That Purple Thang". It is one of the most versatile tools I have ever used and it is very inexpensive. It has a 1/4 inch seam mark, a hole for hanging 'round your neck, is a great awl and a pin puller. Positively love it!