The Sewing Place

Necessary quilting tools

Lowena

Re: Necessary quilting tools
« Reply #15 on: November 18, 2017, 17:19:03 PM »
I have 3 useful rulers. 6.5" x 24", 6.5"square and one for cutting hsts from strips.
Most impotant equipment imo is your rotary cutter and cutting mat, get one as large as you are able.
I use Frixion pens for marking, but they are a bit Marmite in their appeal.
Triumph of hope over experience :D

Sewbee

Re: Necessary quilting tools
« Reply #16 on: November 18, 2017, 17:30:22 PM »
Hope you're feeling better soon, Sewbee.

I've never heard of a starter set of rulers.  A 6 1/2" by 24 1/2" rectangle is probably the most useful to begin with.  Next I bought a 12 1/2" square which is useful for squaring up blocks as well as cutting.  I have several others but use these two most.

I have a 45mm Olfa rotary cutter, which I use most of the time and a 28mm Clover to use with templates.

Thanks, Pearl. Should I buy rulers with metric markings or imperial (inches)?

Pearl

Re: Necessary quilting tools
« Reply #17 on: November 18, 2017, 17:32:12 PM »
Imperial.  When I first starting P&Q, I went on a beginners course on which the teacher sold us rulers in cm.  No idea why.  Quilters use inches.

Kenora

Re: Necessary quilting tools
« Reply #18 on: November 18, 2017, 17:33:58 PM »
I agree with Pearl and Lowena about ruler sizes, but would add that I wish I had a larger square ruler for squaring up larger blocks - probably about a 15" square would be really useful. It depends on what size blocks you're going to make.

I bought all my rulers in imperial because p&q patterns are almost always in imperial. I also bought a metric ruler when I first started but I've never actually used it. :S
Minding my P's & Q's in Portreath

Ploshkin

Re: Necessary quilting tools
« Reply #19 on: November 18, 2017, 17:44:02 PM »
I would agree with others - a 6" x 24"  and a square one, mine is 12",  to start.
Once you've done a bit you will have a better idea of what your 'must have' rulers are.  I've gone a long one 2 1/2" wide and a little 6" x 1" both of which which I use a lot.
Life's too short for ironing.

Sewbee

Re: Necessary quilting tools
« Reply #20 on: November 18, 2017, 17:45:38 PM »
I agree with Pearl and Lowena about ruler sizes, but would add that I wish I had a larger square ruler for squaring up larger blocks - probably about a 15" square would be really useful. It depends on what size blocks you're going to make.

I bought all my rulers in imperial because p&q patterns are almost always in imperial. I also bought a metric ruler when I first started but I've never actually used it. :S

I have two separate packs of fat quarters - and I don't know what size a fat quarter is!  :ninja:

Anyway, I'd like to start with simple squares, maybe 5 in square - not sure yet. I want to get used to sewing them together in a chain and folding seams the right way for stitching. When I was trying to do all this in my head, I realized how easy it would be to get twisted seams with one end going one way and the other end going another!

https://wpt.org/SewingWithNancy/Video/precut-fabrics-speedy-projects-part-1

I've been watching this video by Nancy Zieman who died just a few days ago. She makes it look really easy and just by using different sizes of squares and strips she made such a lovely quilt. I am not ready to make a quilt but perhaps a runner or small wall hanging.

supergran

Re: Necessary quilting tools
« Reply #21 on: November 18, 2017, 18:14:13 PM »
Hi sewbee.
The creative grids starter sets usually contain a cutting mat, a 45mm rotary cutter and a 12 1/2 x 24 inch ruler. That's probably all you'll need to start with and after that you can add to your collection as you go. As the others have said a large rectangle is very useful for squaring up, and later a triangular one is handy.
Creative grids do a mind boggling array of rulers, but you really need very few of them, and if you are only going to use one once for one particular quilt, it gets very expensive. I would stick to the basics for now. xx

Deafoldbat

Re: Necessary quilting tools
« Reply #22 on: November 18, 2017, 19:53:11 PM »
Quote
I don't know what size a fat quarter is!

A fat quarter is a ¼ yard or in this country ¼ metre. It should measure just about 20 inches along the selvedge and about 22 inches on the crosswise grain. Imagine a square cut horizontally then vertically to make four quarters. A thin quarter will measure 25cm by the width of the fabric.

As regards rulers, rotary cutters and mats, you may find this useful
https://www.cottonpatch.co.uk/acatalog/Rotary-Cutter-Mat-Ruler-Set.html

Sewbee

Re: Necessary quilting tools
« Reply #23 on: November 18, 2017, 19:55:00 PM »
 I have a cutting out mat which I think will do for starters. If I really get into quilting (and I am sure I will!) I can then by a bigger one. From memory the one I have is about 1.5 ft by 2 ft. I bought it at a quilt show and got the smaller one because I didn't want to lug around the larger one.

The Creative Grid rulers have a good following, it seems - better than Omnigrid/grip - according to my various searches for reviews on the Internet. Gosh, they are expensive but again, an investment.

BrendaP

Re: Necessary quilting tools
« Reply #24 on: November 19, 2017, 10:02:59 AM »
A fat quarter is a ¼ yard or in this country ¼ metre. It should measure just about 20 inches along the selvedge and about 22 inches on the crosswise grain. Imagine a square cut horizontally then vertically to make four quarters. A thin quarter will measure 25cm by the width of the fabric.


A quarter metre, cut from the bolt is a quarter metre and should measure 25cm x width of fabric.
A fat quarter is a half metre cut from the bolt and then cut lengthways down the middle and so should measure 50cm x width of fabric.  If the fabric is 112cm/44" that will be 20" x 22".

Imperial FQs, as used in America, are half yards cut from the bolt and cut down the middle, the resulting size typically being 18" x 22".  In UK everything (except milk and beer!) has to be sold by metric measurements.  Whilst it's not illegal to sell 18" of fabric it should aslo be marked as 45cm.  Strictly speaking if anyone in UK is selling Imerial FQs they should be very clearly labelled as such and the metric measurements included, but that isn't always the case.  If a pack of FQs seems cheap check the sizes!

I think that the reason why quilters, or rather patchworkers, use inches is because it's so big in USA and most of the books etc are American and instructions are in inches.  Also the quarter inch seam allowance is generally easier to work with than 6mm or 6.5mm.
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

Sewingsue

Re: Necessary quilting tools
« Reply #25 on: November 19, 2017, 11:59:17 AM »

I think that the reason why quilters, or rather patchworkers, use inches is because it's so big in USA and most of the books etc are American and instructions are in inches.  Also the quarter inch seam allowance is generally easier to work with than 6mm or 6.5mm.
I nearly got caught out by this.
As my current project is FPP I have just been stitching along the printed lines and didn't need to check measurements.
Fortunately when I started to think about borders something made me check the stitching line and seam allowance on the papers round the edge of the completed centre - seam allowance 1cm!
As it was a European pattern it is working in Metric not Imperial.
Bernina Aurora 440QE, Brother BC-2500, Singer 99K (1938), Juki MO-654DE overlocker, Silver Viscount 620D overlocker.

Sewbee

Re: Necessary quilting tools
« Reply #26 on: November 19, 2017, 12:09:25 PM »
I nearly got caught out by this.
As my current project is FPP I have just been stitching along the printed lines and didn't need to check measurements.
Fortunately when I started to think about borders something made me check the stitching line and seam allowance on the papers round the edge of the completed centre - seam allowance 1cm!
As it was a European pattern it is working in Metric not Imperial.

There's a real mix of metric and imperial systems here and it drives my poor brain insane! I wish it were one or the other!

Holly Berry

Re: Necessary quilting tools
« Reply #27 on: November 19, 2017, 16:58:19 PM »
I don’t do much patchwork and quilting, so bow to the experts on here, but when I started I bought this book https://wordery.com/the-essential-sampler-quilt-book-lynne-edwards-9780715336137?currency=GBP&gtrck=YmkzWnZMTS9TemNONWxiQUVrTWNkZU1Nam9HMW5Dbkd1YlFuSmt5dEl6UW9PcjNCWVo5SVhaQml0cDZvVkkyejV4Tm9oTXc4KzQvcHlNTlIxSk5tWHc9PQ&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgsa4vIvL1wIVCeAbCh2VMADpEAQYASABEgIgbvD_BwE

The explanations are for a beginner and illustrations are really good. The idea is that you can make all the blocks into a quilt or as I’ve done just made the blocks up as bags, machine covers etc.

I’ve just got a 24”x6” ruler, cutting mat and rotary cutter. The ruler is also very handy for making sure dressmaking patterns are on the straight grain.
Procrastination get behind me

Sewbee

Re: Necessary quilting tools
« Reply #28 on: November 19, 2017, 17:30:06 PM »
I don’t do much patchwork and quilting, so bow to the experts on here, but when I started I bought this book https://wordery.com/the-essential-sampler-quilt-book-lynne-edwards-9780715336137?currency=GBP&gtrck=YmkzWnZMTS9TemNONWxiQUVrTWNkZU1Nam9HMW5Dbkd1YlFuSmt5dEl6UW9PcjNCWVo5SVhaQml0cDZvVkkyejV4Tm9oTXc4KzQvcHlNTlIxSk5tWHc9PQ&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgsa4vIvL1wIVCeAbCh2VMADpEAQYASABEgIgbvD_BwE

The explanations are for a beginner and illustrations are really good. The idea is that you can make all the blocks into a quilt or as I’ve done just made the blocks up as bags, machine covers etc.

I’ve just got a 24”x6” ruler, cutting mat and rotary cutter. The ruler is also very handy for making sure dressmaking patterns are on the straight grain.

Thanks so much for that link, Holly Berry. I've been trying to find a beginners book :) . When in America I had a 6x24 ruler for dressmaking, too. Wish I'd brought it with me. I need to buy a French Curve for dressmaking, too, come to think of it.

Lowena

Re: Necessary quilting tools
« Reply #29 on: November 19, 2017, 19:08:51 PM »
The Quilter's Bible is the best P&Q book ever
Triumph of hope over experience :D