I like to keep my tools very simple, so if it’s on this list that means I found it very helpful and use it myself or I think it’s especially helpful for new quilters.
Links below may be affiliate links, so I’ll earn a small commission if you buy from the link, at no extra charge to you 🙂
Amazon has changed the way they provide links, so there are no longer pictures but I’ll get them there soon by taking pictures in my studio!
For now, you’ll have to click on the link to Amazon to see the picture of the product, but that doesn’t mean you can’t just go buy it at your local store instead 🙂
Olfa Rotary Cutter
I just got this cutter in 2021 and it’s so nice! I never thought I needed to upgrade my rotary cutter, but when I saw this I knew it would eliminate accidents from me being me 🙂 Every time you let go of this handle the blade slides closed. This means no accidental cuts on me, or fabric left near by. It truly is ergonomic as well – a joy to use 🙂
Fons and Porter Design Wall
Heads up: you can just use a flannel backed vinyl table cloth, or any piece of flannel as a design wall.
The two things that might make this design wall worth your money are:
- It has a grid. This can be helpful in lining up your blocks if you are working haphazardly
- It has sturdy grommets to hang it from hooks on your wall. The reviews say that command hooks work very well to hang this wall. So if you can’t have a permanent design wall, this wall can be taken up and down easily.
Tri Rec Ruler
Sometimes you really just want to make a triangle in a square. And that angle? Not an easy angle (it’s like 33 degrees). I avoided buying this ruler and tried making triangles in squares with a traditional piecing method. That sort of worked, but was messy. So I splurged on this ruler. It’s worth it.
Circle Savvy Ruler
This was the second circle ruler I tried. It makes much more intuitive sense to me, plus the package instructions are great – though in tiny print.
Superior Thread Holder
Looking for something to use to convert your spool holder from vertical to horizontal or vice versa? This spool holder handles both cones and traditional spools. I’ve only used it a few times because my machine isn’t too picky with thread, but it seems sturdy and works well. Check out this video on the Superior website about how it works. And if you are looking to order, it’s a little cheaper on Amazon…
Aurifil Piecing Thread
Using a quality lighter weight thread for piecing means that you still get the strength and durability, but your piecing can be more accurate. This is the one I like to use:
Kwik Klip
This simple little tool makes closing all those basting pins very fast and much easier on your hands. I bought it years ago and it has served me very well.
Seam Guide
I don’t use this much, but it has a nifty ruler to help with placement, and demonstrates the best place to attach the seam guide. It’s a good alternative to plain old washi tape 🙂
All About Buying Presser Feet
I do 99% of my sewing on a Bernina. Bernina uses special Bernina presser feet that don’t fit other machines. Other brands of machines have more interchangeable feet. However, there are some differences in snap on systems and whether you have a low or high shank machine. This can make it difficult to know what will work on your machine.
I don’t have experience with dealing with all that – but this blog post over at Madam Sew seems to explain it all thoroughly. Note that this is NOT an affliliate link, and I have no idea if they sell good feet or not. I’ve never bought anything from them 🙂
Where can you get a walking foot for your machine?
From your sewing machine dealer or from Amazon.
Here are a few Amazon links to get you started:
Huskvarna walking foot (pricey, there are generic ones as well)
Bernina walking foot (pricey, there are generic ones as well, but the generic one I bought did NOT work well on my 1990’s model 1030)
I have not tested any of these walking feet, so please read the reviews AND make sure they are made for your brand and model of machine. You can also just search for ‘walking foot for <your brand/model>’.
Still searching?
I’m here to help – click on contact at the top to send me an email and I’ll get back to you ASAP 🙂