Originally Posted by PuffinGin
As I scan through posts, I see the many of supplies, tools, gadgets, and materials that are needed in making quilts. Some are necessary, or mostly so, some probably not. I'd like to hear from you about how much you think it costs to get started quilting as it is currently done. I'd like you to think about what would you consider your 'necessaries' and your 'desirables' for quilting and provide a starting cost as you see it. To level things out a bit, let's assume you have a sewing machine you think is adequate to use for starting to make a quilt top. Let's also not include a machine for doing free-motion quilting. Just the basics.
How much would you estimate you'd spend if you wanted to try making a first quilt and didn't have anything other than a basic sewing machine?
Well, I'm teaching myself to quilt again after a 30+ year hiatus. I do have a perfectly nice Janome but prefer to do it all by hand.
So far, my biggest investment has been two thimbles from Thimblelady, one cone finger thimble and one thumb thimble. I got the first one years ago, so I'm guessing at a total cost of maybe $220.
I got Liuxin Newman's (Thimblelady) book and DVD, _Perfect Hand Quilting Without Pain_. Another $30 or so.
Needles (from Thimblelady... can you tell I'm a fan?) and YLI thread (from Red Rock Thread), another $30.
Inexpensive fabric and polyester batting from Connecting Threads for practise quilt sandwiches, less than $40.
Q-Snap quilting frame, around $20.
For my first non-practise project, a pre-printed wholecloth wall hanging by Holice Turnbow, $45.
So around $385 or so. I already had common notions like basting thread, pins, a pin cushion, seam ripper, shears, and tailor's chalk, which would probably add another $75-100 ($60 of that or so for good shears).
Not the cheapest hobby I've ever taken up but not terribly expensive either, considering that the vast majority of the expenditures were for one time purchases.
Not all of it needs to be bought at once.Thimblelady sells plastic cone thimbles for $15, which will last for one or two quilts. Being able to use my thumb to quilt away from myself is a convenience but not a necessity. If you find you like her cone thimble, she also sells it in stainless steel, for half the cost of the sterling silver one (I got the sterling silver one before she offered the stainless steel version).
I have already gotten a floor stand because I have fibromyalgia and found that the lap frame made my arms tire out faster. My Hero (also known as my husband) bought me a Grace Hoop Squared as a gift. I think it's around $230 but since it was a gift, I just told him what I wanted and he did the research and bought the frame.