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dawninva

Just getting started

dawninva
10 years ago

So, I would like some advice on the best cutting pad, cutter and other basic supplies that I will need to get started. There is nothing I detest more than having to stop what I'm working on to run to the store! I want to purchase quality stuff so it lasts, so would appreciate your opinions.

I remodeled my kitchen years ago and spent a good bit of time here researching, exchanging etc. It's nice to be back ;) Thanks in advance!
Dawn

Comments (9)

  • grammyp
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Welcome to the world of quilting! I use Fiscar's mat and rotary cutter. I suggest you hold the cutter to see which feels best for you. I like the weight and shape of the Fiscar, but you may not. The rulers I use most are June Taylor shape cutter for strips (you may not need it), and 6 x 24, 6 x 6 and 12.5 x 12.5 rulers. Get one you can easily see. For piecing I always use neutral (beige) thread unless I'm piecing black fabric, then I use black. For quilting I have white, beige, tan, and black. Other useful items, thread snips, seam ripper (I have one in every room of the house), basting pins, pin cushion, disappearing marker, thin straight pins (I like Clover piecing pins), and long tape measure.

    I know you are gonna get lots of help.
    beverly

  • dawninva
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Beverly,
    Thanks for your input. I sew some so have a lot of different things but the rotary cutter and those things are new to me. I'm returning to sewing after many years. Thank for your quick response,
    Dawn

  • meldy_nva
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Welcome to quilting! It's a wonderfully varied world where individualism is not only accepted but celebrated. I began quilting before I began school. Many years ago I taught a group of co-workers how to quilt, starting each with quarters of the same fabric. 15 lap-robes later, it was notable that no two were alike! Some were better sewn, and some were better color-balanced, and some were better pieced, and some had more even quilting, but they were all wonderful to behold, and the proud grins of the quilters were beautiful. Small quilt or large, we all get a big grin when a project is completed.

    I skipped more than a couple decades between then and now, and I will say there have been some wonderful inventions become common during that time. The rotary cutter is tops on that list. It comes in several sizes and with several different shaped handles. The 45mm is most-used, and only hands-on trials can tell you which brand will be comfortable to you. Always use it with a cutting mat and remember that this is a razor -- safety is first: keep your fingers on the ruler and away from the blade, and always, always, always close the guard when not actually cutting. If the thumb-slide (to push the blade-guard up/down) is not comfortable or convenient, change brands.

    Cutting mats come in all colors and sizes. I haven't found much difference in life-expectancy between brands. I mostly use a 24" mat for long cuts (yardage folded in half fits nicely); a 6"x 9" for small pieces and a 12"x 18" for every thing too big for the small mat. Mats are expensive but last for years, especially if you try to not cut in the same place each time. Keep a small nail-brush for dusting the lint off between cuts and vacuum it occasionally.

    Acrylic rulers come in all sizes, shapes, colors, and grid-spacing. I prefer a thin (flat, not thick) ruler (less chance of distortion) but that too, is user's choice. The 6x24 is 1/4" thick and do be careful to look straight down at the markings, especially if you use it to square the cut. I use it only for long yardage and bias cuts. The 3x18 is used for almost all other long cuts. The 3x6 is used for template cuts. The others just hang on the wall and look pretty. I mostly do scrappy quilts with small pieces, so the larger rulers aren't as useful. Acrylic template-rulers come in all sizes and shapes: those who use them often like them; I'd suggest buying only when you have chosen a specific pattern.

    Among other neat gadgets: Clover's purple vanishing marker is excellent - I've never had a problem with it re-appearing. Fabric basting glue-stick is handy, especially if you get into foundation-piecing (I'm still doing trials among brands). Elmer's washable school glue is a nice substitute for pins, but don't use it with paper foundations.

    Sheer-weight fusible interfacing is almost a necessity when working with lighter weight fabrics; also use it to prevent stretching on bias cuts. Cut in strips, you can fasten leftover pieces of batting together to make a larger piece.

    I use glass-head extra-fine pins; irons don't melt them and they leave a very tiny hole compared to standard pins.

    I love basting spray -- in it's place, which imo is outside the house.

    Do visit the crafts section of your local library. Even small libraries have books on quilting. Read, enjoy, learn, and remember that each represents an individual opinion which may or may not be valid or of use to you. I do like the books by Bonnie Hunter, Pat Speth, and Anita Grossman Solomon.

    If you can, join the local quilter's guild and/or a quilting group. It's nice to have somebody nearby to offer a shoulder when you've cut expensive fabric to the wrong size, or to help with short-cuts and ideas.

    Do come back here: everyone was at least once a first-timer (me, I think this is my second time at being a newbie :)

  • dawninva
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Beverly,
    Thanks for your input. I sew some so have a lot of different things but the rotary cutter and those things are new to me. I'm returning to sewing after many years. Thank for your quick response,
    Dawn

  • loisflan
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Welcome, Dawn.

    I use Olfa rotary cutters and pads. If you have room, I would suggest a pad sized 24"x36". If you can buy more than one, then also get a smaller size to trim blocks and make short cuts. The larger ones are quite a bit more expensive to replace, and they do wear out. I agree that the 45mm rotary cutter is the size to start with. It's the only one I have.

    My favorite, I couldn't do without, ruler is 6.5"x24". A 6"x24" would work just as well. I would also get a 1"x12" or 1"x6" too. I have a small Fiskars scissors that is sharply pointed and cuts perfectly out to the very tip. Can't remember its name, but it's invaluable to me.

    I'd also get a marking pencil that has a very fine point and that has both white and dark lead.

    Those are my suggestions. Have fun. Lois

  • dawninva
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks for all your input, I truly appreciate it! I'm anxious to get started :)
    Dawn

  • quiltingfox
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I mostly hand quilt, but do also do some blocks on the sewing machine. I like to keep things simple, but please bare in mind that it took me years to accumulate all these items:

    2' x 3' rotary cutting mat
    OLFA rotary cutter - I think the blade is size 45
    Fiskar scissors as the handles are very ergonomic
    2.5" x 2' binding ruler
    6.5" x 2' Omnigrid ruler paired with a 6.5" x 6.5" square acrylic ruler so you can then do 6.5" unfinished / 6" wide finished size quilt borders with a 6.5" square unfinished / 6" finished size square corner blocks.
    4.5" emery pin cushion so my straight pins and needles stay sharp
    Fons & Porter size 5 embroider/utility quilting needles ( they have a larger hole so is easier to thread and don't seem to rust or tarnish)
    seam ripper
    metal thimble
    wooden iron
    sewology water soluable fabric pens
    EZ Quilting (fat) fabric pencils & sharpener
    bobbins & bobbin storage
    I have a large sewing box for storing items in, but when I do hand piecing I keep a small hinged lid plastic box with my pincushion, hand quilting thread, needles, small dull pointed non-stick Fiskars (so I don't accidentally cut through fabric as I am trying to cut off excess thread after tying), wooden iron, and a small 3" x 3" x 1" tall plastic box to put cut thread in as I go, I so don't like to throw threads on my floor, I like a clean house, and then I just dump the tiny plastic box at the end of the day and comes in handy if I hand piece in a doctor's office as I am not littering their floor with threads.
    I also keep an extra pair of large scissors just for cutting out Steam-A-Seam2 applique paper/grids.
    For drawing out my patterns from scratch I use a 30/70 degree triangular ruler, a regular ruler, and then transfer the paper block pieces on to clear plastic template sheet (18" x 24") tracing with a sharpie fine point pen - the same scissors I use to cut out applique grid I also use to cut the plastic template pattern pieces. And then I keep my pattern plastic template pieces in a 3-holed clear pages in a binder.

    I consider the above items the basics, but due to various other quilt projects over the years I have accumulated a lot of square acrylic mostly Omnigrid rulers: 4.5", 6.5", 8.5", 9.5", 10.5", 12.5" and some smaller acrylic gridded squares like 2.5" and 3" etc. And I use a compass when drawing out some quilt paper patterns. When I started out I did check out a lot of quilt books from my local library, but since then I have been fortunate and have received quilt books as Christmas and b-day gifts from family. I would shop around for fabric as Hancocks, Joann, Hobby Lobby, and Walmart carry some of the same idental printed fabrics, one fabric I found was sold at Walmart for $7 a yard and at Hancocks the same fabric was $10 a yard, and some of the same fabric my sister bought me at Joanns (I don't have one of these stores locally here in central Louisiana, but wish I did) I also found same identical fabric at Walmart in 2013.
    Hope that is helpful.

    Best to you,
    Sandra

    This post was edited by quiltingfox on Fri, Mar 7, 14 at 16:39

  • littlehelen_gw
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi,
    I'll chime in as a somewhat recent quilter...just a few years into the process and here were and are my essentials
    -45mm Olfa rotary cutter, I buy the blades via amazon - good prices
    -the largest size cutting mat that fits on your work top
    -small snipping shears w/ really sharp points
    -rulers...well this is a preference, the 3 I use regularly... 6.5 x 24, 6.5 x 6.5, and the 6.5 Easy Angle, but I discovered many quilter don't use an easy angle, but I love it for half square triangles- super easy to cut and sew with the easy angle.
    -I've also learned to buy the best quality or named brand fabric, your projects will go together so much better
    -same is true for thread
    -quilting straight pins
    -iron...I had an old BD iron I used at first..ok- but I switched to a Rowenta (dry iron only) and it's perfect for me. Some hate Rowenta's as they have a reputation to leak, but I use a spray bottle of water if needed.
    My beginning quilt list was longer than I thought, and I may have forgotten an item, but the list shared by all will get you started.

    Do have fun and please check out the Monthly Lotto postings , always enjoy new participants! Feel free to email me via my page if you'd like to learn more.
    V.

  • dawninva
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks you guys for all your helpful tips and advice. I'm so ready to get started. I appreciate you all taking the time to post!
    Dawn

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