updated favorite quilting tools

I was recently at a quilt retreat, and a newcomer asked us each to share what our favorite quilting tool was.  I had to think about it.  Of course, I didn't have just 1.  Here's my list:

You've probably all seen these magnetic pin bowls in the quilt stores.  Anything magnetic will work, but it might as well be cute.  I rarely use pins, but when I am using them, a magnetic bowl comes in handy.  These past few months, I've made almost 500 masks for Covid19.  And I did pin, and this bowl sure came in handy.  

Somewhere along the way, I got into a habit of using tags.  I start and stop sewing with them.  I don't get those birds nests on the back of my fabric when I start sewing.  My rule is to trim at the tag, and leave the tail of thread on what I'm sewing.  This post better explains how and why I use tags.

It's just a personal preference of mine.

I love Aurifil thread.  We are good friends.  We like each other.  And so does my machine.  So, we don't go looking anywhere else.  It is made with long strands, so the lint is minimal in my machines.  

I love this light gray for sewing a quilt top together (notice the shade above).  It blends well with all colors.  

I use these quilting rag sheers when I'm cutting strips on a raggy binding.  It's much faster, and easier on the hands.  Here is a post about raggy bindings.  and another post about rag sheers.

Singer Feather Weight.  This machine is my traveling buddy.  It goes to retreats, on trips, mostly when ever I need to transport a machine.  It's easy for other people to use if someone needs a machine.  It's light weight and travels well, unless you are going into a foreign country, which is not recommended (from experience!!)  This is also my back-up machine when my regular Pfaff is getting a check up. 

**NOTE-  I do not recommend changing machines in the middle of a quilt.  Your seam allowances will be off .   

 lint roller - use to clean off those little strings on your ironing board, design boards, your clothes, the floor around you if you're too lazy to go get the vacuum . . . the list goes on and on.

I free-motion quilt all my quilts on my sweet sixteen and I've tried most everything to help grip my quilt as I'm quilting.  These quilting tips seem to grip the best.  I use them on both hands, just those 3 fingers.

I have also tried numerous products to keep my rulers from slipping while quilting.  This product works well.  Simply paint it onto the back of your rulers and they don't slide as easily.

I love a little squirt of canned air into my bobbin housing unit each time I change my bobbin, as well as into the bobbin.  Some of my friends tried this and it messed up their machine, so be careful.  It works great on a Pfaff.

A simple thread cutter for cutting chained pieces is helpful.  Children or grandchildren love to help with this part.

(If you're over the age of 50), you may need a little extra help with ripping seams out.  This nifty tool is called Mighty Bright.  It's a seam ripper with a magnifying glass (which has a light) attached.  

I'd love to hear about your favorite tool.

Journey of a cutting table

The idea of incorporating this dresser into a cutting table has been in the planning stages for years, and it has been quite the journey. . . .

which started with some major bribing and pleading (homemade chocolate chip cookies) . . . 

a table top from Ikea

some muscle power and big tools, and more bribing . . .

and some creativity.

I needed to incorporate the dresser cuz it is full of fabric, and I didn't have room for both pieces in my sewing room.  

I absolutely love this antique blue.  And since my husband won't let me paint the whole kitchen in it, this will fill the niche.  (he probably knows he'd end up being the designated painter :) #hefinishesallmyprojects 

gotta have new hardware!

"Pleased as punch" describes the mood around here.  I think my family will be happy when the newness wears off, they're getting tired of me pulling them into my sewing room to show off these beautiful details (talk about my new table)

Time to put the fabric away.

What do you use for cutting your fabric?  Are you still taking the cutting phase of your quilting projects down to the kitchen where the counter top is taller?  or are you just dealing with the sore back?

pink gingham & family history

This post is really about this pink gingham baby quilt, but I have to tell you about where this picture is taken.

I love the whole process of making a quilt . . . but that's not the end.  After it finally comes out of the dryer, it enters the documentation phase, which includes a photo-shoot.  And the location of the photo-shoot can't just be against the neighbor's fence or anywhere else I've used before.  So, when I'm driving along the countryside, I keep an eye out for prospective locations.  

This old farm is literally a couple miles from where I was visiting last month.  When we knocked on the door to get permission for a photo, I found out that the owner's grandparents on both sides were the founders of the local town and neighboring town. The original part of this house was on the right.  Then, in the early 1900's, they added the 2 story onto the left!  117+ years old!  I could have talked to them all day, learning about their German Heritage and how they got to Texas.  I couldn't resist telling them about all the recent indexing of old records that has transpired in the past few years, and a few sites where they could find more of their lineage and family history.  I just can't resist hearing the story behind old stuff.  #lovethegate!!  

For this baby quilt, I was given this rifle paper co. by cotton and steel for the backing to a gingham quilt.  

I found the perfect 2 pinks using my Kona Color Card.

Do you have your new Stripology Ruler yet?  I promise, it's the best invention since sliced bread!  Mother's Day is right around the corner.  Cutting for this quilt lasted a few minutes . . . literally.

Stack and sew in process . . .

stats:

37 x 43 washed

4 inch squares

Kona: peony, carnation and pfd

back is: Les Fleurs by Rifle Paper Company for Cotton and Steel

batting is 80/20

owner: RosieJane

 

linked:

finish it up Friday
whoop whoop
tgiff

ombre gem quilt along- wk 1

I'm so excited for today!!!   It's the first day of the "ombre gem quilt along" by Emily Dennis over at Quilty Love.  I've never done a quilt along, but I hear you learn lots of things, almost like taking a class.  (I should do more of that ;)

You can purchase the pattern from her shop.  Those colors are gorgeous, but I think I'll use my long awaited, well stored (in a dark cool place), Reunion and Hometown by Sweetwater, and make a scrappy version.

Here is Emily's scrappy version.  She's on instagram and is using this hashtag for the quilt-along  #ombregemsquiltalong.  It will be fun to see what fabrics everyone else is using.

I'm normally not into deadlines and "keeping up", but who can resist these cool coloring pages you get???  It may or may have not been a deciding point.

But I will admit that I HAVE been looking for an excuse to purchase one of these Stripology Rulers.  I am now a proud owner!!  I'll let you know if it helps with the whole "elbow" issue I can't get rid of in my strips.

Here are the fabrics I've decided to go with, a mix of Reunion and Hometown, quite a few years old, but they never disappoint.


I officially washed this quilt last night, so that counts as a "done", right?  As in I can start a new quilt?

I'm excited to share this I-spy finish with you as soon as I take some more pictures.

linked:
finish it friday
whoop whoop

varsity plus in gray

stats:

38 x 42 washed.

fabric - varsity by sweetwater

batting - Winline 80/20

quilting is organic straight line

The colors in this sweetwater line are very similar to their "reunion" line, remember those fabrics?  tanner reunion,  reunion at midnight  and  raggy squares, yea, I think we all went a little crazy on that line.  I still have a dresser full of it, for the future :)

Several posts ago, I talked about a new binding method.  My quilting friend, Christine, introduced me to this new modern look. 

 There are so many reasons to be in love with this modern binding . . .

 If you look close, you will see that the binding is stitched down (with gray thread) in a running stitch.

This quilt is bound in turquoise, very similar to the binding color.  Either the contrast or the same color thread look nice . . . home made.  

binding tools:

(I used those surgical scissors this week to pull out stitches, eek! . . . purchased at market)

even with a thimble, I still feel like I need to use these for gripping the needle.  I wear them on my thumb and index finger and the thimble on my middle finger.  That's just my preference, it's so individual.

Have you seen these darling tulip packages in the quilting stores?  their marketing is brilliant . . . them and Target.


They have a large eye, they're warp resistant an run smoothly through the fabric.

 I use Gutermann's hand quilting thread from the big box sewing store.  It's thick and sturdy.

linked:
finish it up friday
frenzy friday
fabric addict