What are your quilting "essentials"?
 

What tools would you say are absolutely essential to quilting? I've been sewing for years, but haven't quilted anything except a few baby quilts that I just did strips, cut, rotated and sewed again. Should I get a ruler, rotary cutter, or anything else?

For starter's 36X24 cutting mat, (or one you can fit where you want to cut) 6X24 ruler. 45 mm rotary cutter, 1/4 seam foot for your machine and a good steam iron and wide ironing board. I know you will want to add others as you gain more experience and progress to more challenging designs, but this is what you will use on a regular bases.

I would suggest to add a 12.5" square ruler to the above.

I would also add a good pair of thread snips, Clover extra fine straight pins, and I use a wooden skewer to help keep seams down when I am sewing.

I like my 6 x 12 ruler, it is one I use when I am cutting, like the 6 x 24, too.

Don't forget the seam ripper. I like my little 6.5x12.5 ruler as well as my big one. It makes it easier to cut some cuts of fabric. I use my little 6.5 square up ruler a lot as well.

Fabric.
Sewing machine.
Thread.
ruler/cutter/mat.
An idea.

Sorry, I couldn't resist! :D:D:D
Guess I had too much sugar for dessert.:shock::p

Jan in VA

Lots of $$$!

A good sized stash to pull from when you finally do get that brilliant idea!

A quitting buddy to shop hop with!