too too many marking tools that don't work well. I've resorted to mechanical pencils (The fine lines can be covered by quilting)... Cheaper, and if the lead is soft enough, you can see a silverish (is that a word??) line on darker fabric, but I usually resort to a chalk pencil here.

A few years ago, before I started quilting I had gottn a few books. One I think is called "Quilting 101" and the other one is also a beginners book. Well the second one had a list of supplys that would be needed. A little over a year ago I took a list and went shopping. Until I had the supplies, not all b/c I thought I could get the rest later if needed, and a few yards of fabric, quarter inch foot with flange, I was already over $200.00.

For marking on dark fabrics I like the Clove pen, it washed off. And I just got a new one from Joann's, it is blue on one end and purple on the other. Purple wears off (it says within 48 hours - but it was actually a few hours for me) and blue rubs off with wet cloth. That was a little bit of a pain but at least I knew it would come off.

I do not have any grips for my rulers.

My mom gave me a pair of gloves that I am not sure where she got them, but they are yellow and have blue dots on them. They hole the ruler on my hand but it will slip if I push it on the fabric. But the NEAT part is, if the blade hits the gloves they won't cut it, I've tried it to make sure (with hands out of gloves of course). My mom gave these to me when I had an accident with the rotaty cutter and couldn't get it to stop bleeding for a little while. Had me a little worried. But a little more than a week later you couldn't tell I cut myself. I think these gloves are my favorite so far for tools.

The seam ripper is my least favorite...but only b/c I hate to have to take them apart.

Kyia

Love the flower headed pins, The sand paper dots for the bottom of the ruler and the revolving cutting mat works great.
I find the soap sliver works better than most of the marking pencils you can buy.

Love: my magnetic pin picker upper that extends to about 18", my Olfa rotary cutter, revolving cutting mat, rulers with lips, short rulers (6-8") for cutting strips into squares, etc, 1/4" foot, walking foot, Kwick Klip, binding clips (cheaper at Wal-Mart), large spools of cotton thread by Coats and Clark (1200 yds), small straight pins with heads that don't melt!! Still looking for a good iron, that doesn't spit and sputter when I use steam!!! Anyone know of a good one? And don't say Rowenta!!! Ugh! Soap slivers for marking and the small rolling chalk pens. There are also clear dots to put on the bottom or rulers, that don't obscure the lines.

Hate: Mat cleaners, blade sharpeners, Fiskar rotary cutter-blades seemed to dull very quickly!! Can't think of anything else...right now! :-)

I'm just another gadget collector too! The one thing that comes to mind thats absolutely worthless is the blade sharpener for your rotary cutter. But I do love my magnetic pin grabber. SEWHAPPY

[quote]3incollege

I am pinning curves like crazy & you've just reminded me that I have the curve master foot as well. I couldn't seem to figure out what to do with it though. Does it work like a normal foot or is there something special you have to do?

things I 'have' to have:

cutting mat (huge, huge one from Joanns)

rotary cutters - I keep going back to the cheap ones from years ago at Joanns - don't think they are available anymore - nowadays it's ones with all kinds of 'guards' built in - yuk

rubberized gloves from wallyworld gardening dept - absolutely essential and perfect for stippling using regular sewing machine

those cheap safety pins from wallyworld - the real thin ones - great for pinning a sandwich for stippling

things that were a waste of money:

those 'clips' that go around a quilt to keep it rolled up - a major joke

as said by others - lots of different marking things that don't work

The only marking pens that I like are the disappearing ink and the washout purple pen. The disappearing you must sew before the day is over or it will go away. I use the pounce but found if I rub a damp washcloth over the fabric first the chalk sticks better. Now I have discovered Fons and Porter glue stick holds well on the binding before stitching in the ditch.
Also use the stitch in the ditch foot since it stays put in the ditch.

I'm with you on the "scalpel" seam ripper. I have thousands of them, though, because they are so flat and elusive. I lost one to DH -- he loves it to open CDs and DVDs!