There have been a lot of posts about tools for quilting that you don’t buy at the quilt shop, and we even had a speaker, Jacqui Murphy, at our local guild that did a great job giving a presentation. In this post I’m talking about quilting with a capital Q – the quilting part of making a quilt. Whether on a longarm machine or your domestic home machine, these tools will help. I am a longarmer and quilt on five HandiQuilter longarm sewing machines, four of which have pro-stitcher, so this post is geared toward longarming, but hopefully is helpful for all that want to finish more quilts!
In order of the things I can’t live without, here is my list of top quilting gadgets and tools you don’t get at the quilt shop:
Sunnersta
Sunnersta is a small container with a plastic hook that fits perfectly over your longarm frame. Use this little bin for your thread scraps, lint, and other irritants to keep your frame clean.
Available from Ikea for only .99 each! What a deal!
Thanks Mary for gifting me this one.
Command Hooks
Duh. Perfect for hanging your scissors on the front of you machine. Whatever you do, please, please, please get one of these and put it on your machine if you have a longarm. And don’t ever lay your scissors on your fabric while your machine is moving. (Ask me why!) Thanks Harvey for this tip!
I didn’t add a link as you can get them in the grocery store, hardware store, dollar store – all the stores…
Compressed Air / Electric Duster
It is super important when longarming to keep your table free of lint, loose threads and other debris. I find that a quick shot of compressed air is a great way to keep your table clean with minimal effort. I like the electric duster because it ends up being cost effective – canned air is almost $10 a can. Five cans and this sweet duster pays for itself. You can snag this one on Amazon.
Small Paint Brush
Available at your local hardware store, small paint brushes are great for cleaning around the bobbin area, tension assembly and along the entire thread path. They remove dust and lint, and are easily cleaned to be reused again and again. Be sure to invest in a quality brush that doesn’t have the bristles fall out. I keep several in various sizes around all of my machines so I can always keep them clean. Because the last thing I want to do is sew lint onto the bottom of my quilt!
Magnetic Wristband
Many quilt shops, including this one, carry magnetic pin bowls. While they are super handy, it can often be more convenient to have a magnetic wristband for pinning your quilts to your leaders on your longarm. It minimizes back strain and allows you to get through pinning more quickly. And, as someone that has a wrist pincushion, those longarm pins hurt when they pierce the other side and reach skin. Thanks Julia for this great find! Available at Harbor Freight or an even better one from Home Depot.
Yes, a Toothbrush
I know this seems like an odd choice, but despite your best efforts you will have times that you accidentally sew excess bobbin thread into the back of your quilt. That will create a little thread nest, also known as bobbin throw-up. This is especially problematic if you have a thread break in the middle of the quilt, and then create a thread nest on the back.
To clean that up, simply take a clean toothbrush and rub the bristles gently on the bobbin nest. That should loosen the excess thread enough that you can pull those strands and cut them away from the quilt. Easy, peasy, and inexpensive too.
Anti-Fatigue Mat
Longarm quilting requires a bit of time on your feet. And if your feet are like mine, they are going to get tired! An anti-fatigue mat can help make your quilting more comfortable, minimizing foot pain and leg discomfort, allowing you to spend more time quilting. Full transparency, we have some branded Handi Quilter mats, but I like this one because it is longer (20″ x 60″) and cuter with a floral print. Grab yours at Home Depot, or check your local Home Goods.
Grid Wall or Peg Board
Thread is pretty to look at and sometimes if you see a color you may be motivated to try it on your quilt. In our shop we use grid wall, but you can just as easily use peg board and hooks. Peg board is readily available at hardware stores, is easy to install, and won’t be visible once you cover it in thread. 🙂
What tools do you like to use that I missed? I certainly could have included painter’s tape to mark quilting lines, a garbage can, hangers or pool noodles to store quilts before quilting, vodka to make starch, tracing paper to plan quilting designs, etc. but I had to stop somewhere! I also didn’t include cabinets beneath my frame (honestly, because I forgot to take the photo at home this morning…) Please let me know what ideas you have that I missed as I am always looking to make my quilting space more efficient.
And, remember there are a ton of tools you need that you do get at your quilt shop. We appreciate when you buy your batting, pins, longarm needles, thread and other notions at Cotton Candy Fabrics. Thank you!
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