our modern quilting tools
#31
Power Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southern USA
Posts: 16,278
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Why are so many so negative about anyone buying new quilting tools? I buy new quilting tools. It may seem foolish, silly or wasteful to others that I spend $ on an item that is in their opinion unnecessary or say it's over priced for what it is. Many quilters have spendable income to spend and don't have to justify the cost vs. need. I use to give new product demos for my guild. I quit because of the negativity from many of the older members who never tried it but deemed the product silly or expensive. They sucked the simple joy out of every demo for me and others.
#32
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: East Tennessee
Posts: 1,102
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Curious, so I looked it up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXyot_s7Bhc
Couldn't find many places to buy one, but saw on eBay, approx. $10 with shipping. I think I'll use my fingers to remove threads for now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXyot_s7Bhc
Couldn't find many places to buy one, but saw on eBay, approx. $10 with shipping. I think I'll use my fingers to remove threads for now.
Last edited by AshleyR; 06-06-2012 at 03:09 PM.
#33
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hm. it's like the wedding industry i guess. if you brand something for weddings, you can charge a lot more for it than you could otherwise. i think this happens with quilting too. call it a tool for quilting and you have a market that will spend more money for something than it would otherwise.
our national fabric store, fabricland, has started to carry a lot more stuff for quilting. they had the fons and porter mechanical marking pen. is there something really different about this mechanical pencil that would justify it costing $18? the local office supply store had a range of mechanical pencils from $2-$12. so i could buy the f&p leads for $8 and still come out a few dollars ahead. i use #2 leads so i skipped the whole thing, but the point remains.
there are lots and lots of notions that are very useful and no one is to say how another should spend their own money. quilting changes all the time, and some of the quilts we see just wouldn't be possible without some of the new technologies. that's not where my sense of derision came from.
but i do feel that there is a certain amount of advantage being taken, and that maybe if we did stop and think for a minute about what we need and what we want and leave aside whether or not we can afford it (and saying i can afford it as a reason to buy it you know?) we'd probably buy a whole lot less generally.
but this is probably more political than warranted here at qb, so i say hey man, if you want to spend $12 on precut little rubber squares made for quilters, the peoples republic of china thanks you for supporting their manufacturing sector.
aileen
our national fabric store, fabricland, has started to carry a lot more stuff for quilting. they had the fons and porter mechanical marking pen. is there something really different about this mechanical pencil that would justify it costing $18? the local office supply store had a range of mechanical pencils from $2-$12. so i could buy the f&p leads for $8 and still come out a few dollars ahead. i use #2 leads so i skipped the whole thing, but the point remains.
there are lots and lots of notions that are very useful and no one is to say how another should spend their own money. quilting changes all the time, and some of the quilts we see just wouldn't be possible without some of the new technologies. that's not where my sense of derision came from.
but i do feel that there is a certain amount of advantage being taken, and that maybe if we did stop and think for a minute about what we need and what we want and leave aside whether or not we can afford it (and saying i can afford it as a reason to buy it you know?) we'd probably buy a whole lot less generally.
but this is probably more political than warranted here at qb, so i say hey man, if you want to spend $12 on precut little rubber squares made for quilters, the peoples republic of china thanks you for supporting their manufacturing sector.
aileen
#34
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I thought it looked kind of like an eraser, I'm guessing it is made of something that grabs the threads. I would love to have it because my fingernails are like cellophane so I use a tweezer to grab the threads. I couldn't find the place that actually sells it but there are many on YouTube who love it!
I really enjoy buying any tool that makes quilting more fun. Last Friday I found a mini iron at Target for $9.99 (plus my 5% discount). It is made by Sunbeam, and the steam lasted a surprisingly long time! The similar irons I saw on Amazon and eBay were $25. I've been using it and it works great. The thread was about that Clover mini-iron where I heard about them. I got that for Christmas but didn't like burning myself so I returned it.
My hubby encourages me to buy tools. He is an auto mechanic and always "has" to have a new tool, I'll never catch up to him, lol!
I really enjoy buying any tool that makes quilting more fun. Last Friday I found a mini iron at Target for $9.99 (plus my 5% discount). It is made by Sunbeam, and the steam lasted a surprisingly long time! The similar irons I saw on Amazon and eBay were $25. I've been using it and it works great. The thread was about that Clover mini-iron where I heard about them. I got that for Christmas but didn't like burning myself so I returned it.
My hubby encourages me to buy tools. He is an auto mechanic and always "has" to have a new tool, I'll never catch up to him, lol!
Last edited by CAS49OR; 06-06-2012 at 05:02 PM. Reason: Left out some info
#37
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Take a look at the method of dividing your big quilts into 3 sections - you cut your batting into thirds, then insert the middle batt panel nto the quilt and quilt as desired. Then add the second panel on the side and quilt again, then add the third. There is a tute on it somewhere. Its a great method for handling big quilts without bulk and works well on machines with small harps.
#38
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Quilting has come a long way in a few years. Thank goodness! I guess I look at quilting and it's tools alot like other things in my house. 45 years ago my Dad's wood shop was VERY different from today's wood shop. He could still work the old tools as well as the new ones and I too pride myself in being able to quilt the "old" ways and the new ways. I find myself, like my Dad did, combining the two "eras" and selecting what works best for me.
However I have to share that my Hubby has snitched 2 of my quilting rulers to use for his projects - not to mention I've snitched lets see, aluminum washers (curtain weights), various zip ties (works great for turning tubes) etc.
And I remember when Rotary stuff hit the market. I was skeptical - but took a class and fell in love with them. I used them for home decor before quilting.
However I have to share that my Hubby has snitched 2 of my quilting rulers to use for his projects - not to mention I've snitched lets see, aluminum washers (curtain weights), various zip ties (works great for turning tubes) etc.
And I remember when Rotary stuff hit the market. I was skeptical - but took a class and fell in love with them. I used them for home decor before quilting.
#39
Power Poster
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 17,798
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All the talk about all the "official" quilting tools, and the "re-assigned" tools, made me think of this thread. You might get some ideas ... and perhaps you have some more to add!
http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...g-t152963.html
About the binding clips vs. hair clips .... same ones yes, and much cheaper if you just buy them at the $ $tore. And you can find some pretty fun colours too, instead of the boring dull silver ones sold in quilters supplies.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...g-t152963.html
About the binding clips vs. hair clips .... same ones yes, and much cheaper if you just buy them at the $ $tore. And you can find some pretty fun colours too, instead of the boring dull silver ones sold in quilters supplies.
#40
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Fluff & Stuff works for me. As you say it's much easier.
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