What are some supplies that you absolutely MUST have?

For me, my quarter-inch foot is a must. How in the world did I do without it? I used to move my needle over but the seams were not always the same. I'm seriously considering a stitch-in-the-ditch foot next.

My rotary cutter and I have a 6' self-healing cutting mat I got at an estate sale for $20!!! I can not live without that thing! Those and my pattern weights - I almost never pin.

ACK! How could I forget about my rotary cutter?! I have several different size mats.

What are pattern weights? I've recently gotten back into garment sewing since I now have twin granddaughters and 1 great granddaughter.

UGH. I am apparently not allowed to post links. They are basically tiny beanbags. That if you have a large enough cutting mat, you can put your fabric on it, and then the pattern on top, and then the weights to hold it in place, and cut around without tracing or pinning.

Those sound good. I gotta get me some. I don't quilt, I sew felt. I love my scissors and my wax. I couldn't work without either.

Wax?

Am I the only person on earth who uses wax to keep thread together? I know I am not because you can still buy it at fabric stores even though it's not beeswax anymore. It comes in a plastic thingie where you can run your thread through. I don't like the wax they sell in fabric stores so I have to go to the bee store and get votive candles. My sewing friends don't use it, have never heard of it either. I think it is more hygienic then spit and it stays together. As you can tell, I am very picky about my wax.

Thank you for this. Yes, I'm familiar with it.

Where are you?

Santa Rosa.

Ah, so there are quilters and sewers on the forum. Yeah.

My most beloved gaget would be paper plates, becasue I use them to keep my cut fabrics seperated into groups, makes the actual assembly of the quilt so much easier for me. I have been using this method for over 6 years.

I have also used the wax, it is great. Keeps that thread moving. And a 1/4 inch foot makes life so much easier.

Chickadeee, have you visited the Fons & Porter page on FaceBook? Also, Eleanor Burns has a page there as well.

There are quite a few crafters on here.

Mare, no I haven't, I will have to check it out, don't use Facebook as much as I should.

Oh, and by the way my nickname is Mare (short for Marilynn).

Thanks

Great thread! I quilt and need hints on keeping my stash in order. Right now it's taking over the studio. I'd forgotten about the wax trick. Thanks.

I've not done any quilting since early summer as my "studio" was used as a guestroom for summer visitors. Since then I've been shortening pants - I bought a bunch of smaller size ones that were too long, of course. As soon as I get the last two pair shortened, I'll start another quilt top for Victoria's Quilts. Some members of my group do 3 or 4 a month but I always keep getting hung up on sashing and cornerstones - I need simple and quick patterns.

I've been sewing clothes for almost ten years, but recently started quilting (no quilts, but bags and pillows and stuff, LOTS of hexagons!). I also like embroidery. Since my now nearly 3 year old started making it impossible to get any real sewing done, I've gotten more into hand work, which I really like, too. Oh, and knitting.

I was thinking rotary cutter and mat, too. Though my blades are so dull and expensive to replace. I'd always rather buy a yard of fabric. A good cordless iron is awesome, too. I have an Evolve serger that has given me many hours of entertainment over many years now. Up until very recently I was always able to say I paid more for my serger than for my car.

Rather than pattern weights, I like to use my clear rulers. If it's a big pattern piece I'll toss my 18" or 24" on top. If it's smaller I use my 6.5" and move it around on the pattern as I cut.

I also go through tons of thinnish white iron on interfacing. I use it for making my own patterns and tracing pattern pieces and appliques.

I need to get some wax!

Ruth, you have the same problem I do, how to store the stash. I took pictures of my sewing room before and after I organized it. (Yep, I didn't care it is what it is) And I am happy to say, it is still organized. But I haven't really sorted my fabric, some people swear by fabric boards.

Rubidox, I would love to sew clothes, I use to in high school. I think that would be cool to wear something I made, like a vest. I took up knitting for two years, after I realized I had too many quilts already, but then my eye focusing went bad and I am now back to quilting. But I use to have a yarn stash, which I am still trying to get rid of. LOL