I love teaching beginning quilters how to use their tools!
This video shows the top 5 tools I feel you can’t be without when you’re quilting.
Tools make quilting easier. Just the other day I talked with a lady who uses her husband’s woodworking T for cutting her projects! She also had a nasty cut on her hand. She left the shop with a Creative Grid 6 1/2″x 24 1/2″ ruler and a smile on her face.
Sure, there are lots of name brands out there, some more expensive than others.
Hello, my name is Aimee Griffin, from overallquilter.com. And I’m currently working at the Quilter’s Loft in Morrisville, North Carolina and what I find when customers come in … and they are self-taught quilters … they are not using the correct tools. So today’s video, I want to show you my top five tools for quilting.
The top five tools that I think you absolutely have to have is a self-healing mat, and I prefer the Olfa. I know that there are a lot of different types of mats. Some are more plasticy. These are self-healing and I find that I can read them easier, and they work for me.
The other two rulers; you have the 12½, and I highly recommend a square ruler. And the 12½, I just like because if you’re squaring down blocks, you have up to 12½ inches to square down.
And the other one is the 6½ x 24½. And my preferred rulers are the Creative Grid rulers. They do have nice grippy and they are very easy to read.
A nice rotary cutter that fits well in your hand. There are three, four different sizes, and I find the 45mm is what works best for me.
Pins. Pins are really important because the thinner they are, the flatter your seams are going to fit. You want them to be glass head. In case they’re left and you go to press, you don’t want any of the plastic heads to melt into your fabric.
So those are the top five.
And I do have a sixth tool, and that is thread. And I want to show you my preferred; my preferred thread is the Aurifil. It’s very nice and thin. You don’t see any hairs. And that is very important to have very thin thread when you’re sewing, so that your seams lay nice and flat.
Here they are. Your top five, plus one, tools.
To see how the tools are used check out our cutting video. Oh … and don’t forget to change your blade!
For these and other tools visit your local quilt shop.
If you’re new to quilting, the Block of the Month is a great way to get tips and tricks without the stress of making a large quilt. It’s one block per month, and you can do it at your own speed. Join us now!
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