Thirteen Things beginning quilters need
Want to start quilting? When I started quilting in around 1990, I had no idea that it would take over my life like it has, so I wanted to buy as few expensive quilting supplies as possible to get started. The goal is to strike the balance between usability, quality and expense. Looking back, I’m not sure I bought the right things, but there wasn’t anyone around to tell me what the bare minimum really was. If you’re in that situation (or want to be in that situation, Heaven help you), here’s a list of essentials to get started:

1. A sewing machine. If you don’t have one, maybe you can borrow one from a friend or relative. Do make sure that it has been serviced recently, and that you can set it to sew an accurate 1/4″ seam.
2. A rotary cutter. When you choose a rotary cutter, try not to go for the cheapest thing just to get by. The medium 45mm size is the best choice and there are many choices available now that have ergonomic handles as well. If quilting doesn’t turn out to be your “thing,” rotary cutters are always handy to have around for paper trimming and other crafty tasks.
3. A ruler for rotary cutting. There are so many different types and sizes of rulers around these days that it’s really hard to know which one to choose. I started with a 6″ x 12″ Omnigrid ruler and it’s still the size I use the most on a daily basis. That being said, if you don’t have much experience you have with fabrics and don’t know much about grainlines and such, you might consider purchasing the 6″ x 24″ size since it’s sometimes harder for beginners to cut strips perfectly with the 6″ x 12″ size since the fabric must be folded more times to fit the ruler. Omnigrid rulers are marked in yellow and black, and I’ve never really had any issues seeing the markings when cutting fabrics. Other choices abound, and when shopping, consider testing the visibility of different rulers against various fabrics.
4. A mat to use with the rotary cutter and the ruler. Look for a “self-healing” mat made to work with rotary cutters. Choose a mat that’s bigger than your ruler, and keep in mind that when it’s time to cut borders for your quilt, a smaller mat may make the task more difficult. I started out with a 12″ x 18″ mat, and that was okay until I started making bigger quilts and then things got hairy and I decided to purchase a 24″ x 36″ mat. Gridlines on the mat are not necessary (in fact, I often recommend that beginners turn gridded mats over so that the gridlines are not there to confuse them) but most mats do come with one side marked with a grid. I’ve always used green mats and only ever had visibility issues when using a fabric that’s very similar in color to the mat. There’s nothing to be done about that really, because no matter what color your mat is, at some point you’ll be using a fabric that same color. Good lighting is the solution to that one.

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Okay, yeah, it’s been awhile since I did a Thursday Thirteen, but hey, this one just had to be said:

Thirteen Things to love about the Bernina 440
(in no particular order)

1. The CFL (Cool Fluorescent Light) that is three sided and wraps around the foot for fewer shadows on your work. No more extra lights all over the table in my way!
2. Three (really!) thread cutters, one on the machine head, one on the bobbin winder and one in the bobbin case area. Do we really need thread snips any longer?
3. The separate bobbin winding motor. Fast, easy, and usable during embroidery.
4. The #24 free motion quilting foot. Neat and trim, with and offset shank and an open toe for better visibility.
5. The magnifier attachments. Three separate pieces with different mag levels, and you can even use them without attaching to the machine. Yeah, sometimes my eyes are tired (or is it just age?).
6. Built-in vertical spool holder. No more digging in a messy attachment box trying to find it.
7. Buit-in needle threader. It works much better than what the older models had, and better than what some other machines have now. Thread goes in the first time, every time.
8. The embroidery module. Waaaay better than what I had before, super easy to use, and virtually dummy-proof.
9. The knee lifter. Lift the presser foot with your knee and keep both hands on your work.
10. Infinitely adjustable motor speed. Not just a “half speed” setting, but a truly adjustable motor with a slider control. You can adjust the motor speed for different thread types during embroidery to minimize breakage, or use it to control the speed during machine quilting.
11. The foot control. Very sensitive, with the “tap of the heel” function to bring the needle up or down, and I love the cord storage on the bottom. Very neat.
12. The accessory box! Silly, but this is almost my favorite feature! Customizable storage for all the feet, bobbins, needles, etc. that you need near your machine while you work. No more digging through a cluttered box attached to a machine bed for whatever you need that’s always on the bottom. Add more shelves for bobbins or feet as needed.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

1. Amazing Gracie 2. Games,Video 3. phentermine no prescription 4. Girls articles

5. Music Downloads 6. Justin Timberlake 7. Michael Buble 8. Yoga

9. phentermine no prescription 10. acomplia online 11. You're next!

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Thirteen Things I did this week.

1. Changed my blog layout a bit, so it has three columns instead of two and there’s less “stuff” all over.
2. Wondered if the whole site is just confusing as is, with the home link that goes to the main site, and needs a complete re-do.
3. Decided I really don’t have time for that complete re-do right now. Maybe over the summer?
4. Sold some stuff on ebay and shipped it all out.
5. Bought some quilting stuff and Photoshop 7 software on ebay with my money!
6. Finished doing the taxes, I think. (OUCH! It’s not pretty!:()
7. Started the site redesign programming that I’m doing pro bono for a non-profit organization.
8. Took DD#1 to get her hair cut, always stressful!
9. Quilting?? Um, I don’t remember, but I hope I did. Oh, yeah, maybe I did over the weekend…
10. Took DD#2 to her flute lesson and poured lavish praise on her for cleaning her art desk (aka “the pit”).
11. Heard about a German company (it’s even close by!) that makes sewing furniture like you can get all over in the States, so as soon as we recover from the tax beating, I can get the sewing cabinet of my dreams finally!
12. Planned a charity quilt project (for the QOV Foundation) to take to the BFQG quilt retreat next weekend. Hopefully, I’ll have time this week to take the plan further toward reality.
13. Got a bit stressed out over whether the Stars in my Hand quilt would make it to the AQS show before the judging/showing deadline! It did, with not one day to spare. Note to self: mail SOONER next time!

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

1. MM del Rosario 2. Raggedy 3. she 4. Mark Caldwell

5. KarenW 6. Comedy Corporate Magician 7. How to get into West Point 8. mp3 cheap

9. Girls blog 10. Justin Timberlake 11. You're next!

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View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
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