For me, it's the walking foot on my sewing machine. I don't think I do all the stitch in the ditch without one. I love it.

I do have another one, I also love embroidery machine. Besides the embroidery quilts that I do, I love how I'm able to do machine applique wiht it. I have always love applique quilt but can't seem to get it done right. With the embroidery machine, I can make it look so professional.

So, tell me what is your most important quilting tool.

Tough to pick just one. My sewing machine, obviously, but I have kind of a love/hate relationship with it. But the one I really love is a big plastic square with slots cut in it every half inch. It's used to cut strips, and it makes it SO easy! Sorry, I don't know what it's called, but I just love this thing!

I have one of those and love it, my problem is to remember to use it. My favorite? hmmmm, I too have a love hate relationship with my sewing machine, but anytime anyone asks, thats usually the first thing I tell them. So guess it has to be my machine since I know the hate part isn't the machine at all but the sewer.

Rita

The Bohin Mechanical Pencil with ceramic leads. In fact, I have 2 of them. I keep one with just white leads in it for marking dark quilts and fabrics and the other is for the colored leads.

When using this pencil, marking is as easy as using an ink pen on paper. And the markings come out completely with just a spritz of water or washing in the machine. You can also use the eraser with the pencil or get a "CLICK" eraser (the ones with the white eraser). When marking or erasing it does not distort the fabric one bit.

The marking is bright enough to see very well but thin enough that when you quilt over it, your thread will cover the line! Also, after you mark the quilt, the lines do not "disappear" as you are working. They don't come off until you remove the lines. HOW GREAT IS THAT!

This pencil is replacing ALL of my marking tools. And trust me, I am the QUEEN OF THE MARKING TOOLS. Wanna see my collection?

I'd have to say 'all of it'...for all of it makes quilting more precise and easier and just plain fun. If I had to take only 1 thing...I'd take my needle:))The rest would come:))I just love my whole sewing space...I can go into that room and all is gone out of my head while I create, etc. Skeat...who is always on the lookout for a new notion to continue that cycle;))

Electric Quilt 5. It has saved me so much money by telling me how much fabric to buy and has helped me see my quilt before I make it.

Also, gridded template plastic...I don't like the plain stuff.

Beside my machine the most used are the cutting mat, rotary cutter, 12 x6 and 6 x 24 rulers. But I have many items that I use and love.
Bent pins with covers for basting. A 16 in square ruler for squaring up quilts.
Wooden skewers for holding pieces when sewing. Small scissors for cutting threads.
A sewing cabinet where my machine sits even with the top, makes quilting so much easier.
Travel iron for piecing and big iron for large fabrics. Eleanor Burns flying geese rulers and many of her books.
ect. ect. ect.

As of a couple of weeks ago, my most important quilting tool is
quiltingboard.com. I've learned more here and seen more here than any book or class!

How true is that? I've been attached to my computer justing surfing on this site.

Forgot that one. Also videos on Quilterstv and Qnntv.

My hands. Without them, I could not be a quilter, or a poet, or a photograher, or..............

My rotary cutting equipment

LOL... that is the most important thing.

A good sharp pair of scissors, a needle and thread and with bits of fabric you can create :D

Back to the roots. So on.

I was going to say my rotory cutter. But I think it is really the fabric. Cause without the fabric, you can't make anything.

My grandma's thimble. Without some protection, my fingers would be meat!

Thats a hard one to choose-I was thinking my rotary cutter, but then when I read about the fabric, that would be too, and of course my sewing machines, and oh well, heck, just all of it.....!!!

The most important tool for me is a good light (lamp)!!!.........or a sun-shiney day. :)
-Pat

So where can we get such a pencil?

I would have to say the sewing machine, then, the fabric. Yes, the love/hate with the sewing machine is there for me ;)

Hrmmm thats a hard one as they all blend into one. I'd say my sewing machine first, then my rulers... :?:

Bohin mechanical pencils are available at KnotsandBolts.com. Not affiliated, just love her stuff. Great prices on fabrics, too.

so true - and imagination/brains/inspiration to do something with them

I have several tools that I couldn't live without. My extra large cutting mat, rotary cutter and my rulers.

I cannot imagine what it must have been like before these tools were invented. What really boggles my mind is the 'Dear Jane' quilt; done in the 1800s with only scissors, needle and thread. :shock:

all of those tools are really important, but to me the most important has been the internet. i have gotten so many ideas and so many creative juices running just by seeing other people's work. it makes me want to work faster before even one idea gets away. and all for free, too!
(how do you get those emoticons to show their real faces instead of just the typed symbols?)