Helpful tools for both longarm and standard machine quilting
#1
Some things save me time, others frustrations, others expense. There are also a couple of techniques to help me when backings are too small in width and stabilizing when doing several colors.
This is a friend's quilt and will require 3 colors of thread and had the backing too short.
This is a friend's quilt and will require 3 colors of thread and had the backing too short.
The purple article on the left is an eye brow shaper, it has a razor blade protected by metal with slits. This is easy for ripping and does not cut into the top. I found them in the beauty department of any pharmacy store or store like Walmarrt/ There is another brand that is longer and better. Next to it you can see the batting and then a piece of muslin sew onto the sides of the quilt. There was only two inches extra given on the backing and with my wonderful long clamps from Calico Kitten, I need more. I was able to sew this on with the longarm
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Starting on the left, is a plastic dish with a cover for my chalk. I use a foam craft brush to apply chalk to my stencils. Put brush into chalk, knock off the excess on the sides of the dish. Next to it is baby talc which I use in place of chalk. It is fine and much cheaper, I also use it in my pouncer. A pencil sharpener with two sharpeners, one large enought for the chalk sticks is the red artcle and nrxt is the chalk board chalk I use to mark parts of my quilt. Next to that is a black handle with a little crocket hook in it for getting thread out from under the quilt top when they have been quilted in and finally on the edge is a ballpoint awl by Clover. If you are ripping out from the top of your quilt especially just a few stitches, the ball head is wonderful
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The pearl heads on the pins show up well. When I am doing several colors and need to stablize the quilt sandwich, I pin every six to eight inches with these very visable pins.
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These are GENERAL pastel chalk pencils. I have used white and grey and both have washed out well. But they do have to be washed. They don't just brush away. I found them at Walmart and many other craft departments in stores.
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#8
I just got one of those eyebrow things, it works great! I also use a mustache trimmer...9.99 at WalMart and if you need to rip what seems like umpteen miles of stitches, it works wonderfully!
Thanks for the tip in the baby powder.
Thanks for the tip in the baby powder.
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