A few years ago I came across a forum on the web which had great input from members on which quilting tools really worked, and which were just waste-of-money gimicks. Naturally, I haven't been able to find the site again. The only thing I remembered of the advice was to get the Kwick Klip pin closer, and it's been awesome. Is there a thread on this topic somewhere on the site....and if not....can we start one? I searched but never found anything like this (which doesn't mean it's not here in plain sight.)

Have any of you bought a tool thinking you HAD to have it because it had great advertising or because you were new and didn't know better, and never used it or didn't like it? Or, have you found the Holy Grail of quilting tools and would like to share it with us?

Naturally I can only think of one thing right now that I bought and wished I didn't - binding clips. Sheesh, they're just hair clippies in a more expensive package. I know there's more, but my mind has gone completely blank right now. :oops:

The funny thing is, you will find totally contradictory reviews because we all work differently.

For instance, I can't stand rulers with a lip or rulers that have ridges on the back that prevent it from sliding smoothly across the fabric when I want it to! I don't like rulers with the extra 1/2" added to them (except for the 12 1/2" square). But some people love all those things!

I love my big white cutting mat because it is 30" x 36" instead of 29" x 35" like the green ones.

Hi Quilters,

Absolutely love the new frosted rulers - you can really see the measurements on any kind - or color of fabric. And the yo yo makers are another great tool. They work well. Have made more yo yos since purchasing them that I ever have - made enough of those things to make a flag for my daughter-in-law.
Sue in PA

umm - what's a yo-yo maker? I don't think I've seen one of those.

I TOTALLY agree on the Olfa Frosted rulers. They are incredibly easy to read and my measurements are far more accurate because the lines are not so fat as all the others.

The ugy? Anything by June Taylor. She should have stuck with choreography!! (Don't think she's really the one of Jackie Gleason fame, though.)

Well, I got my rotary cutter for my birthday, and I haven't used it much :roll: The fabric I have, is pretty much scraps so... I should've waited.

I agree with you about the 1/2 extra, it confuses me. I have one that has it on the very beginning and hate it. I am always cutting say 3' and end up with 3 1/2 because I forget so there is another half inch I have wasted. Sometimes this doesn't make a difference but when you are down to X amount of fabric, there is no more anywhere and you can't afford a mistake, well need I say more?

Lets see in my long list of buying gadgets, what have I bought or gotten that I never use or hate... My hubby bought me for my birthday one yr a hoop on a stand. Now I know that sounds great and some of you may use them. But I don't hand quilt so much yet, have used it on one quilt and found it to be very ackward. Even taking it off the stand its hard you can't reach from end to end, and its too long that way to hold comfortably. So I never use it.

Rita

I was given the Clover threader and it works great for me, not being able to thread my hand sewing needles anymore.

I have a 6 1/2 inch ruler that I love. I dont know if you can tell from the pic, but at one corner it starts out with whole inches with the extra half on the end. From the oppisite corner it marks the half inch at the beginning. Plus you can flip it to either have black or yellow lines.
http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.c...021_1267575120

As for duds....I'd say my fabric pens/pencils/chalk/whatever. I can't seem to find one I like.

My most expensive mistake was the Flynn frame. It sits against the wall and is useless.
Also many marking tools that dont work well.
My best tool is the Quilt in a Day flying geese rulers and the square up ruler.

I have a 12.5 inch square Olfa ruler that I love. I use it for just about everything after I cut my long strip. I have used it so much that it appears that the top three inches are no longer straight. I can't believe I wore it down but have noticed my squares are off. So now I use the top edge and read numbers sideways :) Has anyone else had this happen?

Yes, I think I wore a curve into one of my rulers, also. I couldn't figure out how come when I moved the ruler, the fabric didn't follow the measurement line and had this bow in it.

DUH.

So if your ruler has been a well used tool, it might be a good idea to stand it on edge and see if there is an arc on the cutting edge.

I have many notions myself and love them all and find all of them helpful in each way. I like my big ruler that has an edge on it to hold on to the edge of my cutting mat so I can stack my yardage and cut straight long strips even. That has been a life saver and a time saver for me. Also, love those little sticky pieces of sandpaper that hold your ruler from sliding. I guess I put too much muscle in my cutting for if I didn't have those on some of my rulers I'd only cut about 3/4 of the fabric straight:))I'd say the biggest waste of money is the chennile (sp?)cutter...the one that slides under the layers to cut for you. Since I was going to use it on a rug that never worked out...it still sits in it's plastic:))Maybe one of these days:))Skeat

I totally agree wth you, 2wheelwoman. I bought a couple packages of the binding clips, tried using them a couple of times, I'll just pin my binding. To me, it's easier.

I kind of like the clips - but you are right - as hair clippies they cost a lot less.

The only thing that I think will be constant is that different folks like different things.

I have a lot of Creative Grids I just love....love love love my Olfa rotary cutter 60mm that you open when you grip it....love the chaulk markers with the wheels....love my cutting table and mat from Joanne Fabrics....Love my White style-maker sewing machine I bought as a reconditioned machine so the price was right...

waste of money....chennel mat and cutter....disc sharpeners.....I paid good money for these things and they don't work like I had hoped they would...

My best tool for marking dark fabrics is the sliver of soap left that most people toss into the trash and used dryer sheets are great stabilizers.

gcathie, I agree with you about the Creative Grid rulers. A friend recommended them to me. I bought two and they are my favorite rulers now. They slide less than any other ruler I've tried (and I have a large selection). I intend to gradually replace my other rulers with Creative Grid. I also wouldn't be without my Tucker Trimmer rulers. I have the small and large sizes.

Does anyone use the revolving cutting mats? It took me a while to remember to use it, but it really saves time since you don't have to move your fabric. Instead, you just revolve the mat.

You all are much better than me. I don't know if it is my favorite but I sure do use it and that is my good old seam ripper.

I bought a bamboo tool to hold fabric near the presser foot,and I really like it, but then read a hint to buy the bamboo skewers (about $1 at the dollar stores for 50 of them) and they work great. (I cut them off so they're not so long.)

(gcathy) I too bought the rotary blade sharpener and didn't have any luck with it(

Boy do I agree with you on that!!!! Dont like to have to use it but what would I do without it!!! :lol: :lol:

I can't seem to find any markers that I like. Be it chalk, air erase or water erase...
If I could find something like a Sharpie, but not permanent!
I bought, years ago, a plexi-glass template set called Pandoras' Box...have never used it.
I bought an Altos quick cut and use it all the time...
I have the Fiskars roatry cutters...45 and 65mm and that is my primary because I tried the Olfa Ergonomic cutter (what a joke, for me), I hated it!
The basic rulers I love, the basic rotary cutters I love and I love my scissors...
K

Like everyone else we have issues with our rulers. I don't like the green rulers it is so hard to see the lines.
I love this new foot for my machine called the curve master it is really neat, it make sewing curves pin free.
I do like the yo-yo makers also.

Thanks for sharing. I totally agree that everyone will have their own way of doing things, and their own preferences, but hearing about someone else's preferences and experiences is a great way to learn about available options.

When I was just starting to quilt a couple years ago, I thought I needed one of everything on the quilting notions aisle (though the $$$ prevented that!). It's nice to have a place to learn, for instance, that the frosted rulers would be better and that I didn't need to spend the money on binding clips (I also think that pinning is easier).

I'm going to try the sticky sandpaper dots. I've been using the film-ish stuff (I think it's called Omni-grip) but I get a lot of sliding still. I must use too much muscle too.

I had to laugh about June Taylor. I bought one of the cutting mats with the slits in it to make one-inch, two-inch, etc., strips. Seemed like a good idea - BUT, it's not stiff enough, and I ended up with a bunch of wobbly strips. Seemed like a bad design and I was muttering "stick to dancing!"

And if ANYBODY knows of a good marking pen/tool/method/etc, please share. I too have been disappointed with everything. I bought the "Pounce" at a quilt show, since the demo looked so slick, but all I got was a chalky mess when I tried it at home. Other pens and pencils have been no better. Anybody got a method they love?

I read a tip on here somewhere about putting some hot glue on the ruler (let it cool first). I done it to my long ruler and it works great. Finally, a use for that hot glue gun I used once before I started quilting! :lol:

Oh my gosh. there was a whole page of posts which I didn't see. duh :oops:

I've heard about using a soap sliver, but never tried it. I'm going to give it a go. Does it brush off, or do you need to wash the quilt after?

I was just thinking about getting a rotary blade sharpener. Not now.

The bamboo stilletos work great. I got mine from a placemat my SIL was throwing away. It was made of strips of bamboo laced together, and I just cut the bamboo off, and cut them in half. If I happen to break one, no sweat.

zyx - sure glad I wasn't your secret pal that year!! hehehe But, yep, it's probably the June Taylor.

As for seam rippers, the scalpel one is awesome. And, when the blade dulls, you just buy the set of replacement blades (not that any of YOU would wear out a seam ripper, but I have).

I have one of those little metal hemming rulers, never even thought of using it to double check widths. I'm going to dig it out.

The good to me is ...

1. The sixth finger-It is a little metal in the fom of a Y that helps me hold the fabric closer to the presser foot.

2. The piece if wood that I use to push corners inside out.

3. The handle for my rulers.

4. My bobbin winder. What was I doing before that?

The bad:

1. The plastic thingy that DH got me to keep the quilt rolled while machine quilting.

2. A little magnetic thing that helps you follow the 1/4 inch area to the right of the foot- Thanks God I onlt paid $2.00 for it. To me is useless.

3. A notebook DS got me that has on one side a cutting mat 8 x 8 and on the other side ironing space, also 8 x 8. When I iron I burn the cutting area. I guess I am used to my 46 inches cutting mat.


More to come when I can think about it.

Maria

Many years ago I bought some of those plastic templates for drawing lines on the fabric when you are getting ready to hand quilt. I have about 4 of them. Never used one. Of course, I only started seriously hand quilting about 4 years ago. AND who knows, the price is probably higher now. I guess I could call it a bargain, IF I ever use them. :D

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!