must have tools? Not to be missed books?? help me shop!

[wendy w.]

Keeping in mind that I have to lug all this back to Brazil in my luggage, that I do have a budget to stick to which isn't very large, and that I so far only piece by hand but will be getting my machine!!! while there --- what other tools are "must have" tools???

I have so far:
-rotary cutter
-biggest sized mat that fits in our luggage
-a sufficient variety of rulers
-nice scissors
-thimble
-needle-keeper book, seam rippers, marking pencils, pins, needles, etc.
-will buy the needed machine accessories

Any glaring holes in my supply list? What one thing can you just NOT imagine doing without??

As for books -- I have Jinny Beyer's hand piecing/quilting book, a "Quilter's Bible" by ??? that is chock full of info, an Alex Anderson e-book with some patterns, various older (70s era to 90s) books my grandma gave me, Mimi Dietrich's Diary Quilt book, and a handful of project books that a friend gave me.

For patterns, I have and love using EQ7 (mostly I design my own quilts, so I really don't need books of patterns).

I'm totally self-taught except for advice here and email advice from my dear friend/mentor, and the lesson I'll get on my machine when I pick it up. Are there any great "technique" books that I need??? I'm watching DVDs of TQS in my spare time/sewing time and might go through those and look up, but I don't really care to get project books, just mainly technique books, if that makes sense.

so -- what one book can you not imagine doing without? what one tool? anything else?? Make my shopping list for me, ladies!

[Renata L.]

I'm pretty new to quilting and among the books I've purchased that I keep going back to for fundamentals on a great number of topics is Better Homes and Gardens Complete Guide to Quilting. It claims to have "more than 750 step-by-step color photographs" and "includes every basic method and technique." So far, I've found practically everything I've needed there and when in doubt, a posting to the Forum!

[Renata L.]

On the scissors front, I would recommend that you have a pair of snips/small scissors to keep next to the sewing machine, and another small pair to keep at your hand sewing place, also a large pair of shears (fabric only), and a pair for paper (that the family can use :wink: )

As for technique books, sorry I cannot help, I tend to wing it, using information I have learnt from elsewhere or from the TQS shows.

PS don't forget Margo's recommendations of crayola washable felt tips & elmers glue - not that I use glue much myself, got scared off using it by my first embroidery teacher at the RSN, and have trouble breaking out of the training :wink:

[Renata L.]

On the scissors front, I would recommend that you have a pair of snips/small scissors to keep next to the sewing machine, and another small pair to keep at your hand sewing place, also a large pair of shears (fabric only), and a pair for paper (that the family can use :wink: )

As for technique books, sorry I cannot help, I tend to wing it, using information I have learnt from elsewhere or from the TQS shows.

PS don't forget Margo's recommendations of crayola washable felt tips & elmers glue - not that I use glue much myself, got scared off using it by my first embroidery teacher at the RSN, and have trouble breaking out of the training :wink:

okay, I think I'm good on scissors. I have one good pair of fabric-only shears that stay in my sewing bag, + a good pair of small snips that live in that bag, too. Probably that bag will live next to the sewing machine, so that's easy. And yes, I have separate paper ones and such for the family, those live in the kitchen/office.

Can you elaborate on Margo's crayola washable pen suggestions??? for marking on fabric? Or something else?? And the glue....for instead of fusibles? or ??? sorry, haven't seen that tip anywhere, but I'm intrigued!

Any other "common sense" tips that I need to know? Because I really barely know anything, despite that I do design my own quilts.

[Renata L.]

I'm pretty new to quilting and among the books I've purchased that I keep going back to for fundamentals on a great number of topics is Better Homes and Gardens Complete Guide to Quilting. It claims to have "more than 750 step-by-step color photographs" and "includes every basic method and technique." So far, I've found practically everything I've needed there and when in doubt, a posting to the Forum!

That sounds a lot like the book I have; I'll double check the name of what I have and if it's not that one, I'll compare the two and see if they overlap or not. Sounds like a great one! Thank you!

[Betty J.]

I would also suggest:

A Fons and Porter Klutz glove to protect your fingers when you use the rotary cutter.
A pair of quilting gloves really helps
A roll of blue painter's tape
A Fons and Porter white mechanical marking pencil -- for marking things not washed or quick marks along the way
A package or two of Crayola washable markers -- for marking everything that needs marking that can be washed.
A nice selection of good sewing machine needles
Washable glue sticks -- lots of uses for these
Additional feet for your sewing machine: 1/4 inch foot (it's #37 for Bernina), open toed embroidery foot (it's #20 for Bernina)
A Super Slider mat for free motion quilting

[Nancy R.]

Margo swears by the crayola markers for marking quilts. Says she's used them for years and has never had a problem with washing them out. I've got some and haven't tried them yet, but I'm sure they'll be great. (As with all marking tools, always test first to avoid unwelcome surprises....)

Washable glue, whether the bottles of school glue or the glue sticks, can be used in a lot of ways to hold fabric together in places where pins aren't convenient. Then it just washes out when you wash the quilt. Very useful, especially since it's do cheap! I use it for holding applique pieces on the quilt for turned-edge applique.

[Betty J.]

As for books if you are going to quilt your own quilts:

Guide to Machine Quilting by Diane Gaudynski
Machine Quilting: A Primer of Techniques by Sue Nickels

[Hannelore N.]

Forget about the standard seam rippers. Get one of those wonderful Alex Anderson multi tools!

[Hannelore N.]

Well, I would suggest freezer paper but I don't think it will fit in your suitcase. Also, I would suggest tracing paper. If you decide to do paper piecing, tracing paper is great to print on and use for that. Freezer paper has many uses in design and applique. I use a lot of Elmer Washable school glue but I don't think that would travel well on the plane.

So, I guess I didn't help at all, lol.

[Hannelore N.]

I use a lot of Elmer's glue. When I want my applique to stay in place I use a Elmer washable glue stick. When I have seams that don't want to stay in place with the pins--I use the liquid. On Margo's crayola markers she said she uses the fine tipped ones because they do not put as much product on the fabric she is marking. She also rinses the quilt in cold water before she washes it to remove the markings.

[Hannelore N.]

I would also suggest:

A Fons and Porter Klutz glove to protect your fingers when you use the rotary cutter.
A pair of quilting gloves really helps
A roll of blue painter's tape
A Fons and Porter white mechanical marking pencil -- for marking things not washed or quick marks along the way
A package or two of Crayola washable markers -- for marking everything that needs marking that can be washed.
A nice selection of good sewing machine needles
Washable glue sticks -- lots of uses for these
Additional feet for your sewing machine: 1/4 inch foot (it's #37 for Bernina), open toed embroidery foot (it's #20 for Bernina)
A Super Slider mat for free motion quilting

love this list, thank you! Have seen that super slider mat thing on the TQS shows, thanks for the reminder! Yes, it seems wonderful!

I have the painter's tape, good sewing machine needles, and will be getting the extra feet for my machine. And I love all the suggestions for school glue (washable) and crayola washable markers! I can buy those "for the boys" and thus not take them out of my fabric budget but out of the household budget, and then just "borrow" them as needed. :mrgreen: Brilliant!!

I'll look into the gloves and such; thank you!

[Hannelore N.]

Well, I would suggest freezer paper but I don't think it will fit in your suitcase. Also, I would suggest tracing paper. If you decide to do paper piecing, tracing paper is great to print on and use for that. Freezer paper has many uses in design and applique. I use a lot of Elmer Washable school glue but I don't think that would travel well on the plane.

So, I guess I didn't help at all, lol.

luckily I can get freezer paper here, so that's no problem, as well as the tracing paper. I haven't tried paper piecing yet, but I'm sure I'll get around to it eventually....

Elmer's washable glue will work fine in the luggage! Since we're a family of 5 we get 2 bags each, and we have some hard plastic containers that we bring back & forth for fragile &/or leakable items. Will tuck that in there, no problem! And as I mentioned, love borrowing school supplies as that means they come from the household budget, not my play/fabric budget! Perfect!!!

[Hannelore N.]

Forget about the standard seam rippers. Get one of those wonderful Alex Anderson multi tools!

I have seen those on the show, of course, but keep wondering if they are worth the $$. I wonder what they cost.....if I can justify spending $ to replace tools I already own, I will. That little thing does look wonderful! but I'm stretching right to the edge of my budget this trip b/c of the machine itself, so trying (ha!) to be prudent on what else I add in.

But yes, it's on my "one day" list, for sure, just not sure if this trip will be that day, ya know?

[Hannelore N.]

As for books if you are going to quilt your own quilts:

Guide to Machine Quilting by Diane Gaudynski
Machine Quilting: A Primer of Techniques by Sue Nickels

Betty Jo, thank you!! yes, I plan to quilt my own at least for some of them. And yes, I'm clueless!! Will add these to my Must Get list, as I don't right now have anything super fantastic about machine quilting. Many thanks for this suggestion!