What Do I need to get started with quilting?
You are curious and want to pursue a creative hobby – that is a perfect starting point. Aside from the desire, there is a certain level of equipment that you will need. And if you are looking to find some people to help get you started, feel free to contact us – we also do reservations.
Some of the basic Supplies:
Some of the basic Supplies:
- Cutting Mat: I highly suggest you get a self-healing cutting mat.
- Clear Acrylic Ruler: You’ll also want something to measure your fabric with. Acrylic rulers are used for rotary cutting. They come in many sizes and shapes. Probably the most popular size for beginners is the 6 inches x 12 inches ( or 6 1/2 x 12 1/2). When purchasing a rotary ruler, make sure the grid is correct. Use other rulers to check its accuracy. Most of the major brands (Omnigrid, Fiskars) are OK.
- Rotary Cutter: They come in three sizes, 28mm, 45mm, and 60mm. The one you need to start with is the 45mm.
- Thread and 80/12 sewing machine needles: You can’t quilt without thread! Quality is important here and some great brands are Aurifil, Gutermann, Mettler, Sulky, and Superior Threads.
- Pins: There are three basic types of pins on the market, all metal, metal with a plastic head, and metal with a glass head. Skip all metal ones and be wary of the plastic head ones. You can easily make a mess by ironing over the plastic heads. Glass heads will not melt.
- Scissors: it is a good idea to keep 2 different kinds on hand. One (dress shears) to be used for breaking down shirts and tougher fabrics. And a small pair that you will use the most when you are trimming and snipping threads.
- Iron: there is no real reason to spend over $50 on this item, but it is a good accessory to have and will be useful for iron-on patches.
There are many tools on the market for this hobby and they can be fun and make life easier, but they are absolutely critical to get started. As you become more experienced you may want to look into custom sewing machines and other neat gadgets.
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