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Best Tools for Quilting

Swapnil Srivastava
Quilting is a way of sewing quilts which can be used for other various purposes as well. It comprises stitching quilts embellished with complex designs. Before you venture out as a quilter, make sure you have all these quilting tools ready.
Quilting is a form of sewing done by hand, sewing machine, or a long arm quilting system. The process basically requires a needle and thread, which will be used to join two or more layers of material together to make a quilt.
There are many ways in which you can do this and its purpose may range from being purely functional to purely decorative. It is commonly done on bed spreads, wall hangings, and a variety of other textile products. Its characteristic is that it helps make the end product comparatively thicker.

Tools Required for Quilting

Quilt Pins:

Quilt pins are longer than normal pins and are used for pinning together different cloth pieces in a quick and easy way. These pins are extremely sharp with large heads, and are extra-long to skewer in and out of multiple layers of cloth.
They may also be used as fasteners for stabilizing insulation inside jackets, in order to form insulating covers that are installed around hot surfaces. Besides these, there are other pins also available in the market for specialty uses, like, appliqué and patchwork.

Quilting Thread:

Threads are the primary requirements and are available in a variety of types. The most common types are 100% quilting cotton, nylon invisible thread, patchwork, and silk-finish.

Marking Tools:

These are used for marking temporary lines on fabric and hence, are very important. These tools include a wide range of pens, pencils, and soapstones.
They are handy for making notes on the back of a block, regarding direction or placement, drawing seamlines, or pivot points for sewing reference, or marking stitching lines for quilting.

Thimble:

A thimble is a protective shield worn on the finger or thumb while hand sewing. They are available in different sizes and are usually made from metal, leather, rubber, and wood. Some thimble makers also make ornate thimbles set in diamonds, sapphires, or rubies.

Transparent Rulers:

The transparent rulers are a must for quilters, as they are necessary for accurate cutting with a rotary cutter. These rulers are available in a variety of sizes and styles in the market and may be purchased according to the application.

Rotary Cutter:

Rotary cutters consist of a rolling razor blade, which is made of high quality tungsten carbide. These cutters are used for cutting fabrics into various shapes, strips, and pieces.
The rotary cutter has revolutionized the art of quilting and the time saved by using it instead of a scissor, is considerable. A special mat is required while using rotatory cutters, to prevent the tabletop from getting damaged.

Stencils:

Stencils are basically used for marking quilting lines on a quilt top. They come in different types and some are especially designed for continuous line stitching. Such stencils have the fewest starts and stops, which give the benefit of avoiding the need to tie off thread tails in the middle of the quilt design.

Sewing Machine:

In order to make machine designs, quilters often use machines with zigzag capabilities and utility stitches like satin, blind hem, blanket, or buttonhole.
These machines generally come with a walking foot and a quilting bar, which is a spacing guide that attaches to the presser foot.

Curved Safety Pins:

Curved safety pins are used for holding a temporary stitch. They make it easy to get all layers pinned and cause less damage to the surface underneath.

Quilters Measuring Tape:

Unlike the normal measuring tapes, the quilters measuring tapes are extra long ones, useful for measuring quilt tops, draperies, etc. They help the quilters to find optimum measures for the quilt design.
A proper and careful use of all these tools can make quilting a wonderful experience for the quilters and result in beautiful designs.