We’re getting to the time of the year when it’s time for gift giving. What better gift for a quilter than a great quilting tool they do not have or don’t know they need? In the first part of this post, I’ll share some of my favorite tools that you can find at quilt shops or online. Then, I will share some items we use in everyday life that can be also used in your daily quilting. I’d like to hear from you too! Let me know what some of your favorite tools are and also some things you’ve re-purposed to fit in to your sewing room. Let’s get going.
Conventional Quilting Tools
Tool #1: My first favorite tool is one that has made my scrap quilting so much easier. This is the Quilt in a Day Triangle Square-up Ruler. If you are a regular blog reader of mine, you will have seen this tool in my HST posts.
This makes trimming half-square triangle squares a lot easier because you are trimming them prior to pressing them open. So, you’re only making two cuts instead of having to trim all four sides.
Tool #2: Next, is my pressing stick. If I am piecing a block with many small pieces and don’t want to keep jumping up and down to the ironing board to press every seam, this is a handy tool! Then when it is time to press the entire block, the individual seams for each unit of the block are already pressed enough to make the pressing of the whole block easier.
Tool #3: My third favorite tool is my wool pressing mat. Once I go to the iron to press an entire block, I love using this mat because it works to press block seams beautifully flat. And everyone knows that flat seams mean your blocks will measure more accurately. Here’s the mat:
And here’s the difference in using just a regular ironing board versus the pressing mat:
The block on the left was not pressed on the wool mat so it doesn’t lay flat on the bottom and the top. You can see the red strip is creased a bit over the seam. The photo on the right shows the seam pressed using the wool mat. That red strip is now flat with no fabric creased. Now this block will measure correctly.
The heat from your iron penetrates these 100% wool mats. Because of that, it works to press your unit on both sides at the same time! No flipping of your piece is needed. It also helps to reduce stretching or distorting of seams because of the cushioning provided by the mat. Because of this you can press down harder with your iron when pressing your blocks or units on this mat, as opposed to a regular ironing board, without crushing your piece.
Tool #4: This one is a safety tool. We all have cutting mats and rotary cutters that we use when we’re quilting, but my favorite tool that goes with these when cutting fabric is this little item. It’s call a ruler safety shield made by Olipfa. Right now, the only place I can find it is online at Joann Fabrics. You may be able to find it at your local quilt shop.
I found this tool after I had a rotary cutting accident that sent me to the ER. It was not fun, trust me! This tool is made to fit on the long 6 1/2 x 24 1/2″ rulers most of us have, but I ordered a few extra and had my husband cut them to fit my smaller rulers.
In conjunction with the safety shield, I use a “klutz glove”, especially if I have a specialty ruler that can’t have a safety shield piece attached.
You can find these gloves everywhere, including most quilt shops. You still need to use caution with that rotary cutter, but with these safety tools, you can feel a little better.
Unconventional Quilting Tools
Now for some of the unconventional things I have used and still use in the sewing room. I bet if you needed to solve an issue in your sewing room and there’s not a quilt tool to do it, you probably have invented some yourself!
Tool #1: My favorite over all is a roll of blue painter’s tape.
I use it to mark the cutting line on my ruler if I need to use the same measurement over and over. It makes that line on the ruler easier to see.
I also use it to extend my 1/4″ line from the throat plate of my sewing machine onto my sewing table so I can use it to line up larger pieces I am stitching together.
Here’s it in use, both to line up the corner of squares for HSTs and also to keep larger pieces aligned with the 1/4″ seam allowance.
Tool #2: My phone camera!
Or is you don’t have a cell phone, a digital camera will work. I take photos of fabrics together to see how they play together. I also use it to take photos of block layouts on my design wall to decide which layout I like best and so I can refer to it when sewing them into a quilt top.
Tool #3: Finally, unconventional tool holders. I use a shower soap dish, attached to my table with a command strip, to hold tools close to my machine:
This tool holder for my scissors and rotary cutters at my cutting table started life as a mug holder for the kitchen:
And finally, since I am a lover of sewing antiques, I use this sewing machine drawer I found at an antique store to store the other items at my cutting table that can’t be hung on the mug holder:
Well, that’s it for this week. Share with me some of your favorite conventional and unconventional tools. I will enter you into a drawing for my newest pattern, Through the Seasons:
The drawing will be on Monday, December 16th. Good luck! ***We have a winner! Congrats, Donna S.!***
Happy Quilting,
Deanne
I use a couple of wooden tool boxes with individual square sections for tool storage that sit on a cabinet beside my sewing machine table. Antique items are fun items to use.
Those sound like great storage solutions!
I love my magnetic pin picker upper. It extends out and allows me to reach dropped pins under my sewing table. I also have the round magnetic pin cushion on top.
I have one of those pin collectors too. It’s super convenient.
Always love hearing about quilters favorite tools. Use several of the items listed and am always willing to try something new. Am in search of a new rotary cutter and am trying to decide which one. Open to suggestions. Carol L
I still use my Olfa ergonomic cutter I have used for years. I love it.
I use a sturdy metal napkin holder to corral rulers on their edges when I’m cutting using multiple rulers. This takes up less room on the cutting table, the shape of the ruler is immaterial and they don’t get buried by each other making the one I need at the time easy to find.
Good idea!
Good idea. I happened to have one on the dining table, but now it is on my cutting mat. Thanks for the suggestion, Donna.
I have a multi-tier thread holder byL Clover to keep several spools of thread by my sewing machine and I use a metal napkin and silverware holder on my ironing board to hold items like spray starch, marking pencil, and press cloth.
Those napkin and silverware holders are really versatile!
I have a clean plastic ice cream bucket to throw spools of thread, small rulers, gloves, etc. into on my temporary sewing table. It keeps the threads safe from the cats knocking them off and batting them around the room.
That’s a good idea. The cats sure like to bat stuff around. I have that problem too!
some great ideas,
I use a wooden tv tray and a wool mat beside me at the sewing machine. Easy to press short seams before I have to get up and press a bunch (or longer) seams.
Good idea!
I use a 5 lb hand weight or an old time antique iron ( some people use for book ends) to secure one end of my long ruler when cutting strips. It also works as a third hand to hold my quilt from sliding off the table when I’m quilting or squaring up a quilt. Enjoy your newsletters!
Good idea. I might have to try that.
I love Bonnie Hunter’s Essential Triangle tool to cut both half and quarter square triangles of all sizes. I use a Pampered Chef rotating utensil holder on my cutting table to hold all sorts of frequently used things-scissors, marking tools, pens pencils, etc.
I’ll have to check out that Bonnie Hunter tool. Sounds interesting. I love the idea of a rotating utensil holder to hold tools too!
Love my Alex Anderson 4 in 1 tool. I have one for retreats and one at home!
That looks like a really handy tool!
I have put my fabric for new quilt on printer and print a sheet of each piece.
Then you can cut out your pattern and take it together to see the block before you cut the fabric.
That is a fun & creative idea! I print out outlines of my blocks and use colored pencils, but I might try this the next time.
I love the glue sticks and school glue by Elmer’s. Both are handy for some quick basting, they’re water soluble and are very economical. Crayola Washable Markers are another safe and easy to use
I like the glue stick idea.
I use a collapsible travel bowl for dogs as a string/scrap catchall next to my sewing machine. Easy to empty and snaps flat with a carabiner clip to attach to my sewing machine carryall for travel. Found at my local Dollar Tree.
That’s a good idea for quilting retreats. Easy to pack!
I use painters tape (only the good 3m brand because it sticks better to fabric) to mark quilt top for cross hatching. Stitch along one side of the tape, or both. Try to not stitch on the tape. Sew one direction, then remove the tape and reposition for second direction.
I have used the tape that way too. Mostly for my primitive stitch quilting on wool appliqué projects. I’ll have to try it for regular quilting sometime.
When I turn a shape inside out I use my old silver butter knife to help press out the edges. The rounded edge of the butter knife glides smoothly along seam and the iron can be placed right on top of the metal knife.
Good idea!
I cut a pool noodle to the length of my knee lift and then used a bread knife to cut a slit down one side. It slides onto the knee lift and I don’t have to push my knee over quite as far.
I might try that. I have a hard time using my knee lift because it’s far for me too.
I have a large drawer in my sewing machine table. I have two silverware holders in there where I organize my notions that I keep near the machine.
Those silverware holders really do come in handy for other uses. I use a couple to hold my valdani threads in a drawer.
I have one of those inexpensive plastic drawer units. Perfect height for sitting and pressing. I cut a thick board the size of the top and padded it to make an ironing surface. My wool pressing mat fits nicely on it too. It’s handy at my right side, like “L” shape. I have my mini iron there and it is so handy when I’m piecing and pressing seams. Keeps things moving along. There are some wonderful tips here!
Makeshift mini ironing station. Great idea!
It’s so fun to see what you use for organizing all the tools. The comments are great.
Thanks!
I love needle turn applique and wool applique. I cut pool noodles in half to about the size of the length of my project and roll the block onto the pool noodle, securing it with a few pins. This makes my project easy to transport to a class or friendship group. With the pool noodle, there are no creases from folding a block.
Another use for the pool noodle. I like the idea of no creases in the block when transporting it.
I had a string of LED lights added to the underside of the throat of my machine for added lighting