I was wondering if you all had a favorite tool that you wouldn't want to live without.

Mine is "That Purple Thang".

It pushes, pokes, pulls, fudges, turns, stuffs. It makes its own uses! Every quilter/crafter/seamstress needs one! You can thread a ribbon through the slot and wear it around your neck. Made of heavy plastic.

I have few... the sixth finger, my bamboo iron thingy, my mittered binding tool, and a few others.

Maria

Mine is a pressing clapper. Years ago I overheard a conversation at a quilt show about the winning quilter never presses her seams without using one. I had no idea what it was so I butted in and asked. At that time June Tailor was making them. It makes a big difference in my blocks, all the seams are flat and smooth. I use it on every seam I press. Before I found the wooden one to buy, I used my smooth bottom bacon press, (I never used anyway) :D One of the old flat irons would work for quilt seams too. It really makes a difference to use one.
Here is link to a picture and how to use it:


http://www.judisstudio.com.au/index....d=22&Itemid=34

I haven't found any June Tailor Clappers in a long time. Ebay may have them.

This is my favorite of all rippers!!!!!!http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog.j...PRODID=prd2782

I like Clover seam rippers too. It's amazing how many quilters at classes/workshops use the awful sewing kit rippers. I offer my Clover and they are amazed at the difference.

I would have to say my manicure scissors have been my favorite tool lately... I use them as a seam ripper, to trim threads close on embroidery machine projects, little clips in a seam line, those little curved blades come in very handy off and on throughout the day... they are small enough to sit by my machine and not get in the way. I have an older pair that I use for paper, they are awesome when cutting out curves smoothly for templates, or into a V.

When I heard the clapper...I thought of that gadget that when you clap your hands a light turns off... :? Had me stumped til I checked the link... I had not seen one of those before! I will have to check it out!

The purple thang looks a bit like my orange peeler which I NEVER EVER use. Maybe I can steal it from the kitchen.

I have chopsticks for poking corners - it's one of my favorite tools. I'd say my rotary cutter is my second favorite although I'd like to get a nicer rotary cutter - I really don't like mine - cheap Walmart thing. It just stinks - I'm constantly having to screw the screw back on because it loosens up as I cut for long periods of time... so yeah, it's on its way out the door one of these days lol.

I have the Purple Thang too. I love it.

Good idea! Only the Thang has a 1/4" on the end to check your seam allowance too.

That would be my sewing machine. Everything else is gravy. 8)

I have one, too! Love it but now I also have a Wacker! It is a plastic(?) hammer that pounds down the heavy seams where 3-4 come together. You steam it first, wack it, then steam it again! It's great! Clotilde had it but I can't find it there now?? It's quite heavy for plastic so maybe it's something else? I have a bamboo stiletto that is great too!

I have a Clover needle threader that I wouldn't want to be without.

Fiskars Donna Dewbury strip cutter :D

I bought one last year at the Quilt show...love it!

Quilt in a Day triangle square up ruler. One cut to square up a HST.
Perfect every time.

I have two favorites--manicure sticks and bamboo skewers. Sometimes the flat end of the manicure stick is good and sometime the sharp end of the skewer is best. This all came about out of desperation and living a long way from the store. Really enjoy you guys and your advice and pictures.

My favorites are nice fine, sharp hand stitching needles... and the pink tape I use in the place of a thimble..really makes stitching easier.

I have a purple thang too and like it.....right now my favorite tool is my clover seam ripper...as I have been using it a lot!!!! :evil:

I love my wooden seam roller. like a wall paper roller to flatten seams, this one is convex a bit so no side marks from the roller on the fabric-but other quilters have actually bought wall paper rollers and used them just fine.
i use mine when paper piecing mostly. i roll the seams and don't have to get up to the ironing board so much.

Mine favorite thing is my Ott light! I do however have other things I can't live without and the first is my cutting table on wheels, which is at a great height. Saving my eyes and my back make quilting so much more pleasant. Ergonomic chair is next!

Has anyone ever used an eyebrow razor as a ripper? I saw a quilter use it once on TV and she went though a seam in seconds, saying it never cuts into the fabric, just the threads. I keep forgetting to look for one.
Diane

Learn something new everyday even when it's sitting right in front of you. I have a pressing clapper I got at a yard sale a few years ago for a dollar. I use it when making clothes and never thought of using it for quilt block seams. Duh!!! Thank-you for the new sewing tip. I took a small wood dowel and sharpened the end in a pencil sharpner and use that for pushing/holding seams as I sew.

What? try to live without a gazillion tools...and pick one :shock:

If I had to pick one, it would have to be one of my rotary rulers. If I couldn't measure, line up etc. I'd be lost!

My husband carved me a wooden one.I had been using a wooden skick thingingy you grill meat on .I really hate getting older and not rembering things :oops:

my design wall, I love it!

My favorite tool is a big plastic square from June Tailor that has slots cut in it every half inch. This this is indespensable for cutting strips--makes the job go so fast! I think I've used it on every single quilt I've ever made!

i would give up everything except my machines, my rulers and my rotary cutter - I'm not a tool person, very basic in my stuff, but if I had to measure and cut with a 12" ruler and scissors, then sew by hand i would quit!

ditto :-)

My Martelli cutter!

Do you think this works better than the tweezers I've been using to push all my intersections thru?

Manicure scissors and my ergonomic seam ripper!

In response to a reply posted earlier....you can use moustache trimmers for a seam ripper also...they are available almost anywhere.

Tippy, what kind of pick tape are you quilting with? I'm always looking for finger coverups for hand quilting.

The June Tailor Perfect half sq triangle ruler.

I love this ruler. I am pretty half square triangle challenged - this ruler is the best!

http://www.connectingthreads.com/Too...r_TD81907.HTML

Oh Oh! I just bought one of those at Micheal's Craft store with a Sunday coupon. Regularly $13, got it for 50% off that. SCORE!! Haven't got to use it yet though.

One of my favorite tools is a gadget that I made from half of of two ended knitting needle (I had for knitting socks but I lost one from the set) and a piece of a 1 inch dowel. I have a small lathe so I turned the dowel into a wooden presser and drilled a hole in the other end and inserted the half of the knitting needle, So now I have a stellito and wooden iron. I do a lot of paper piecing and this is perfect for guiding the little piece when I sew them with the sewing machine and pressing the just sewn pieces before adding others. I also like to hand quilt and when I do I cut the tips of the fingers from disposable vynile gloves and put them on my thumb, and ring finger of my right hand. This makes it a lot easier to pull the needle through the quilt and prevents getting blisters.

Barb...you are soo clever! And handy too!

My favorite tool is my pair of 5" Gingher scissors. I can cut absolutely everything with them. They are always with me when I am sewing-on the machine or by hand.

Thanks to everyone for sharing their favs too---now I want to buy a Clover seam ripper (I have a great Bernina one but I like the way the Clover handle looks), and a clapper.

Barbs you rock!

Me Too!!!!

Check the Clotilde Catalog, as I know that I have seen an advertisement for this item in one of my many catalogs. Clotilde carries things that you don't find most other places....GREAT prices on everything too! Also, if something that you have seen in a previous Clotilde catalog is not in the current catalog, just go to their site and use the search box...all the items are generally available, but do not make it into each catalog edition!
Aloha, Andy