Quilting is an incredibly rewarding hobby that lets you create beautiful, cozy masterpieces with just fabric, thread, and a bit of creativity. If you’re new to it, though, you might be overwhelmed by the variety of tools and accessories available. Fortunately, you don’t need every single quilting gadget out there to get started. To make things much easier, here’s a guide to the essential quilting accessories that every first-timer needs in their toolkit:
Rotary Cutter and Cutting Mat: Your Precision Power Tools
A rotary cutter is one of the most important tools in quilting. This is a circular blade tool that allows you to make clean, straight cuts in your fabric. Forget old-fashioned scissors – rotary cutters are far more accurate, and they can save you loads of time.
Paired with a rotary cutter, a self-healing cutting mat is a must-have. These mats protect your surfaces from cuts while giving you a durable base to work on. The self-healing feature allows the mat to close up minor cuts, making it long-lasting. Most cutting mats come with gridlines, which are helpful when cutting your fabric into precise shapes and sizes.
Quilting Rulers: Accuracy Is Key
Alongside your rotary cutter and mat, you’ll need quilting rulers. Quilting is all about precision, and a good ruler will help you make those accurate cuts and measurements. While there are plenty of specialty rulers on the market, for a beginner, a 6 x 24-inch ruler is the most versatile. It’s long enough to make big cuts but narrow enough for smaller, detailed work.
Another helpful tool is a square ruler, usually 12 x 12 inches. These are essential for trimming your quilt blocks to the perfect size, ensuring everything lines up just right when you sew it all together.
Pins and Clips: Keeping Everything Together
When quilting, you’ll need to hold layers of fabric together while you sew. To do this, you’ll need quilting pins. You might want to opt for longer pins with flat heads as they’re easier to work with, especially when you’re dealing with multiple fabric layers.
For those who prefer not to use pins, quilting clips are a fantastic alternative. They hold your fabric layers together without leaving any holes or marks, and they’re easier to remove as you sew.
Sewing Machine Needles: Don’t Skip the Basics
Believe it or not, the sewing machine needles that you choose make a huge difference in your quilting. The task requires working with multiple layers of fabric, so you’ll need needles that can handle the pressure. Quilting needles are specifically designed for this purpose. They’re slightly thicker and more durable than standard needles, reducing the risk of breakage.
It’s always a good idea to have a few different sizes of needles on hand, as different fabrics may require different needle sizes. A size 90/14 quilting needle is a good all-around choice for most quilting projects, but you may want to experiment with other sizes as you become more advanced.
Quilting is an amazing creative outlet, and with the right tools, your first projects will be both fun and rewarding. By investing in these essential quilting accessories, you’ll set yourself up for success.
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