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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After many years about thirty minutes of thoughtful consideration, I’ve come to the conclusion that a good portion of success in quilting is dependent on the shape of your head. If your head is somewhat skinny and tall, and set back a bit, it’s easier to see what you’re doing and your back doesn’t hurt so much when you quilt for long hours. Those with shorter, somewhat wide and angled heads are at a disadvantage. What?? Oh, you thought I meant…no, no, no, not that kind of head! I meant the head of the sewing machine! Let me explain.

For years I was happy (and so was my back) with my Pfaff 1475 machine. Then when I bought the new 2056 model, I noticed I had a harder time seeing the needle without hunching down farther in the chair, and then I had more back pain, especially when machine quilting. Here’s the side by side shape comparison:

On the left is the 1475, and on the right is the 2056. As you can see, the head of the 2056 is wider, and the needle is set back farther from the front of the head. Read the rest of this entry »

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One day, I’m in love with it, and a few days later, we’re still making friends! Well, I am still in love with my new Bernina, but I’m also still trying to be friends with it for machine quilting. The embroidery part is absolutely awesome, and I like it much better than the Pfaff, so that’s not the issue. Free motion machine quilting is the issue, and it’s a biggie, since that’s what I do most, and the major reason I wanted the machine. I had such a great time with it in Paducah, so I wasn’t thinking that the adjustment from the Pfaff would be all that difficult. In my mind, there was no adjustment period, I think. In reality, it’s a huge change, and I’m still getting used to it.

Part of the problem is that in Paducah, I was doing a completely different type of quilting than I usually do (which is why I took the class in the first place!). So now, when I’m home and working on quilting in my (mostly) normal style, it’s proving more challenging than I thought it would be to produce the same quality work on the Bernina as I can on the Pfaff. I say “mostly” normal style, because I did decide to quilt the Irish Chain quilt with silk thread in the needle and Aurifil 50/2 in the bobbin, so I’m making smaller stitches than I usually do, and that’s undoubtedly contributing to the problem a bit. When I’m making smaller stitches, it’s not the rhythmic sound of one stitch at a time from the machine that I’m listening to and trying to coordinate with, but the pitch of the motor at a certain speed. Totally different ballgame here. Maybe I’m trying to get used to too many things at once.

I’m beginning to feel like a beginning machine quilter again! Aaack! Read the rest of this entry »

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