Some things save me time, others frustrations, others expense. There are also a couple of techniques to help me when backings are too small in width and stabilizing when doing several colors.
This is a friend's quilt and will require 3 colors of thread and had the backing too short.
The purple article on the left is an eye brow shaper, it has a razor blade protected by metal with slits. This is easy for ripping and does not cut into the top. I found them in the beauty department of any pharmacy store or store like Walmarrt/ There is another brand that is longer and better. Next to it you can see the batting and then a piece of muslin sew onto the sides of the quilt. There was only two inches extra given on the backing and with my wonderful long clamps from Calico Kitten, I need more. I was able to sew this on with the longarm
[ATTACH=CONFIG]274297[/ATTACH]
Starting on the left, is a plastic dish with a cover for my chalk. I use a foam craft brush to apply chalk to my stencils. Put brush into chalk, knock off the excess on the sides of the dish. Next to it is baby talc which I use in place of chalk. It is fine and much cheaper, I also use it in my pouncer. A pencil sharpener with two sharpeners, one large enought for the chalk sticks is the red artcle and nrxt is the chalk board chalk I use to mark parts of my quilt. Next to that is a black handle with a little crocket hook in it for getting thread out from under the quilt top when they have been quilted in and finally on the edge is a ballpoint awl by Clover. If you are ripping out from the top of your quilt especially just a few stitches, the ball head is wonderful
[ATTACH=CONFIG]274302[/ATTACH]
The pearl heads on the pins show up well. When I am doing several colors and need to stablize the quilt sandwich, I pin every six to eight inches with these very visable pins.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]274303[/ATTACH]
These are GENERAL pastel chalk pencils. I have used white and grey and both have washed out well. But they do have to be washed. They don't just brush away. I found them at Walmart and many other craft departments in stores.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]274308[/ATTACH]