barny

My son bought me a headlamp also. I love it for sewing and for fixing machines. It has a magnifier on it too. Great!

ManiacQuilter2

Interesting post. I don't buy too many of the new gadgets because really, I am delighted to have what was developed in the 80s: the rotary cutter, mat and ruler. Such a blessing NOT to have to cut patterns with a pair of scissors.

Onebyone

I love new quilting tools and gadgets. Some I don't use after trying but I won't know until I try. The ones that don't help that much I pass along to let others try. Many times the one I don't care for becomes another's favorite.

letawellman

This is a great idea!!
Alas, hubby uses his often, so I guess I'll need to take a trip to WalMart and buy my own!

Onebyone

I must be using the trimmer wrong. I wasn't impressed with it. It grabbed the fabric and didn't cut the threads that great.

GailG

I'm a bit of the mindset of ManiacQuilter2, but I do have a few extras that I use, especially the June Tailor strip cutter (not sure of the proper name). I've bought a few stencils, some of which I don't use. Come to think of it, if I took inventory of my sewing room I'd find a lot of things obtained since the nineties.

Onebyone

Looking around my sewing room I see several new tools I have bought this last year that are great for me.

The Creative Grids Stripology Ruler, a big improvement over June Taylor's Shape Cut one.
Clover Wedge Iron. Love this little iron.
Missouri Star 10" square template. It's magic!
The most fun tool I have bought this last year is the Westalee ruler foot and rulers to machine quilt .

FYI: QIAD has the Clover wedge iron on sale for 55% today! I bought several for quilting Christmas gifts.

francie yuhas

I love the quilting rulers used on my domestic sewing machine.

Notwendy

I have the Shape Cut and find it useful but don't use it as much as my 6.5 x 24.5. What enhancements make the Stripology ruler an improvement?

RedGarnet222

I just got the westilee quilting rulers and a second hand Quilt Cut mat with an attached ruler. (They have a web site) I am looking forward to using them. My favorite, gifted by secret santa one year, was a periscope metal pointer that had a magnet on the end of it for picking up pins from the floor. I think they got it at harbor freight. It works great!

A self threading needle with the groove in the top you just push the thread into to for bury threads while quilting. I tried the thread heaven and decided I liked my quilter's wax better for hand sewing. The TH still allows the thread to knot.

I do like the tip my friend gave me of using the dental picks that can be used to thread a needle. They come in a bag and look like a loop with a pointed end.

Then it is mostly learning new ways to make quilting easier by watching u tube videos.