A Quilting Blog for Patterns, Products and News

My New Favorite Tool

Add comment July 25th, 2009

My seam ripper is, and always will be, my best friend forever when it comes to quilting tools.    It has gotten me out of countless jams and messes and made the day right again. I just can’t get along without one. I don’t know a quilter who can. But I found a runner-up.

I seldom sew by hand. I have even been known to sew my bindings on completely by machine. (Please don’t tell the quilt police.) But sometimes you MUST sew those bindings by hand. It takes me as long to thread a needle as it does to sew the binding. Until I started using this gadget, the Needle Threader. I LOVE IT!

It looked complicated and confusing until I saw how it worked. You just lay the thread across the slot made for it, drop in the needle upside down (the needle threader turns it just the right way!), push the button. Tah Dah! Ready to sew.

New Items at QuiltersWarehouse

Add comment July 21st, 2009

It’d be hard to get any easier than this!  Fieldstones can be made from  scraps and you can enjoy seeing bits of all your recent quilts.  Or showcase a new or favorite fabric line and make it from Layer Cakes and Jelly Rolls.    A perfect quilt to showcase a line of fabric or all the fabrics from your recent quilts.  Instructions for crib, lap and twin size.  A pillow pattern is also included.

 

Goober Peas has a great diagonal or on-point look to it but it’s just hourglass blocks and oversized center nine patch blocks.  Again, easy, but with a great look.  This quilt is a good one for using your reproduction scraps.

 

We can’t quilt non-stop. Sometimes we have to shop!  Here’s a cute bag you can make to carry with you on your next shopping trip.  You’ll get lots of help with neat tips and cool tricks when you make this EZ Bag.   You can dress this one up or make it flirty and casual. Bet you’ll make more than one!

Control your scraps and make your own Charm Squares.  This Charm Wizard ruler makes it easy.  Also great for fussy cutting.

Blizzard Table Runner can be made with the stitchery center – a very cute snowman – or without.  It’s a winner either way.  If you make it without the stitchery you can use red white and blue fabrics and you’ll have a stunning patriotic table runner. 

These are just a few of the new items.  Check out the rest of the new quilt patterns at Quilters Warehouse.

There’s a Ruler for Every Job

Add comment April 14th, 2009

When I first started quilting I went out and bought all my supplies.  A cutting mat, a rotary cutter, and a ruler.  I bought a nice big ruler and figured I was all set.  Why would I ever need another one?  Oh, how naive I was!   I made a log cabin, a split rail, and then a nine patch quilt.  My ruler was awesome!   Then I saw a split nine patch that I wanted to try.  Hmm, marking those diagonal lines on my squares so I could make half square triangles sure was awkward with my nice big 22 1/2” X 6 1/2″ ruler. 

The Creative Grid 4.5″ square ruler was perfect.  Just the right size to mark my diagonal lines.  Sitting in front of the TV with a stack of squares and a small ruler worked out great.  And, when the half square triangles were sewn and pressed, the square ruler was just right for trimming the squares to size with the diagonal laid right along the diagonal seam.  Beautiful half square triangles.  This opened a whole new world.  There are several sizes of square up rulers and it so much easier when you have just the right size, whether it’s a 4.5″ one or and 18″ one.  As long as it fits the job.

For lots of different triangles, there’s the Tri-Recs Ruler.  Your 1/4″ seam allowance is included.  Sold in a set of two, an instruction book will help you learn all the things you can do with these rulers.

We’ve just scratched the surface when it comes to rulers.  There are lots more.  How is your collection?

New product!! Updated! It’s Here!

Add comment March 30th, 2009

I’ve heard a rumor that there is a new product coming out very soon that could change the way we quilt.  A leading innovator in the quilting world,  AF Enterprises claims to have done it again.   I’m still trying to get more details about the Quilter’s Portable Tool Kit, but I did hear that it’s powerful enough to finish any quilting product.  This promises to be one of the most exciting and far-reaching new ideas in a long time.   I’ll update as soon as I find out more.

No longer a rumor . . . it’s on the market.  Amazing product!  Check out the Quilter’s Portable Tool Kit.  Powerful, versatile, portable.  Just can’t say enough good things about it.

Storage Options and Organization on the Go

Add comment March 12th, 2009

Whether it’s a dedicated room, a section in the basement, a corner in the family room, or the dining room table when it’s not being used for eating, everyone likes a neat, organized sewing area.  We have fabric to store, pins & needles, thread, rulers, patterns and more.

This storage box is perfect for storing WIPs (Works In Progress), or patterns.  If you are new to quilting and just starting to build your stash, it might hold all of your fat quarters of one particular color.  Or if you’ve been quilting for a while, perhaps it would store all of one color of fabric scraps.

 

The Multi-Craft Rack Storage will hold all your pins, needles, thimbles, quilting marking pens, extra bobbins, seam rippers, and more.   If you like to embellish your quilt projects, think of all the materials for embellishment this will hold.

 

Are you on the go with your quilting?  Do you head out to a quilt day at your local quilt shop or to an evening of sewing with your quilt guild?

The Total Tote will hold everything you need to take with you.  It has storage on each side with adjustable elastic bands to keep things organized and in place.  There are several interior pockets.  You also have the option of removing the center divider to provide bulk storage.

 

If you are taking your sewing machine along with you this wheeled sewing machine bag will be sure to hold it and still have room for your projects.  It has an inside pocket to hold your quilt patterns.  When you are not on the go, it collapses and stores easily.

Ok, now, no excuses . . . get organized, then get sewing!

Quilt supplies and Gadgets at Quilters Warehouse

Add comment October 14th, 2008

Who doesn’t like gadgets?  They make you job easier and are fun to use. You’ll find lots of them at Quilterswarehouse.com and you’ll save money on them too!

 

 

 

 

The Color Selector color wheel will help you choose fabrics for your next quilt project. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How handy would this SideWinder Portable Bobbin Winder be to have.  No more “un-threading” your machine to wind bobbins and then have to thread it up again.  What a time-saver! It will run with a power cord or it will run on batteries… truly portable.  The SideWinder will work with any bobbin that has a standard center hole.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joan Hawley of Lazy Girl Designs has two gadgets that she really likes.  One is the Ultimate Scissors.  Here’s what she has to say about them: “In addition to their great cutting, they are lightweight and feel like holding nothing in my hand. I’ve had these scissors for about a year and I once again appreciated how wonderful they are while working like a fool at a weekend-long quilt retreat.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another of Joan’s favorites is the Bendable Bright Light. It’s so very handy AND it’s energy efficient.   Read everything Joan has to say about these two items at Lazy Girl Designs Blog.

 

 

 

 

Do you do any hand sewing? If so, this is a “must-have” gadget.  This Desk Needle Threader will save you time, save your eyesight and save you aggravation.  PLUS you’ll save money on it at Quilters Warehouse!  It doesn’t get any better than that!

There are many more quilting tools, supplies and gadgets available.  Browse through them and you’ll be sure to find something you can’t live (or quilt) without.