Abhishek Agarwal asked:


If you are interested in quilting, you might be confused about the supplies that you will need regarding your new craft. The best part of a hobby is purchasing all the materials that it is involved with. Tools and supplies can give anyone a real high. Of course, the quilting craft doesn’t require too much. Just a sewing machine, some needles, scissors and thread and there are enough supplies available in the market to make your quilting experience really enjoyable.

Lets take the sewing machine that is a basic part of your supplies. Though one can always sew a quilt without the help of a machine, and there are quite a few who do that, it is always convenient for the busy crafter to use one. You will definitely need it for piecing together the different blocks used on the quilt top. After that you might decide to quilt either by machine or hand. But for most, the sewing machine is one of the most essential supplies of all. The different brands you could select from are Pfaff, Bernina, Husqvarna Viking and Janome to name a few. Remember that most quilters use the machine to sew straight lines only so there is no necessity to buy a very fancy machine with a variety of stitches.

The cutting tool should be the next on the supply list. The good old-fashioned scissors are sufficient and you will require a pair for the fabric and one fore the paper only. This is because the paper scissors dull quickly. But for most quilters, the mat and rotary are their best friends. A rotary cutter when compared to the scissor is a far more efficient tool, and you can cut volumes of quilt blocks with it. The rotary mat is used to protect the working surface. The rotary cutter and the rotary mat are very important supplies that you must give high priority to, as they make your hobby easier and more enjoyable.
It goes without saying that you require fabric and most quilters prefer to always use 100% cotton fabric. It is staggering, the patterns and colours in which cotton fabrics are available. Thread is another item you should add to your list. Cotton thread is the best as it has long lasting strength and has a high luster. Usually quilters are very picky about the pins they sue and you might want to go for the good old straight pins that are made of steel, the T-pins or pins that have brightly colored heads. You could experiment with all these and then decide which one you would like to use. Seam ripper and needles are other items you must not forget.

Often, quilters make use of idea boards or bulletin boards. You can place this close to your sewing machine and can use it to place pin swatches or arrange different coloured fabric combinations and also to post ideas from magazines.

Now that you have your list, all you got to do is go purchase your supplies. Once done, you can go ahead and quilt all you want.



SANTIAGO

Sue Quillen asked:


Quilters absolutely love having a variety of fabrics on hand for those special quilting projects. However, it can be expensive if you have to buy yards of fabric just to get that one special piece.  Did you know that you can find a great variety of discount quilting fabric squares on ebay?  Buying pre-shrunk, precision cut cotton fabric squares online can not only save you money, but is a great way to accumulate a nice selection of fabrics without having to buy in bulk.

Here are 5 useful tips for buying discount quilting fabric on eBay:

You Get What You Pay For

You should always look for brand name fabrics.  If you are going to spend countless hours, creating a quilt, you only want to use quality fabric.  Alot of eBay sellers will feature cheap, chain store fabric that is poor quality.  Look for names like Timeless Treasures, Alexander Henry, Kona Bay, and Michael Miller, just to name a few.

Read The Item Description

Be sure to read the quilting fabric description carefully.  Oftentimes, a seller will not feature a picture of the fabric they are selling.  Some sellers don’t own high-quality cameras or scanners. If you don’t take this into consideration, you may be disappointed when the fabric will turn out to be a completely different shade or color than the picture that was featured in the auction. An honest, experienced seller will disclose this in the description but some do not.

Beware Of Stinky Fabric

The smell of the fabric is just as important as the appearance.  If you have allergies or are sensitive to odors, you should ask if the quilting fabric came from a smoke-free home.  Most sellers will disclose this information but as is the case with fabric descriptions, some do not.  There is nothing worse than opening up a package of quilting fabric and smelling stale cigarette smoke, mold, or other weird scents!

Check Quantity As Well As Quality

Be sure to check the quantity of the quilting fabric being offered for sale in the description.  If you’re searching for fat quarters and aren’t careful, you may end up bidding for yardage of fabric you don’t need! Fat quarters, btw, are the smaller ’sampler size pieces’ of fabric. They are generally around 18″ by 22″ in size.  Fat quarters are a nice size for smaller projects or for larger quilts that feature smaller pieces of fabric.

Shipping Costs Can Add Up

Always remember to figure shipping costs when calculating the price of the fabric.  Don’t forget that fabric shipped via Priority mail, international, as well as special shipping requests will all add to the shipping cost.  Not every seller charges ‘actual’ shipping costs, either.  Special ‘handling’ costs can include such items as tape, packing envelopes, time spent packing the quilting fabric, etc.

If you follow these five tips, buying discount quilting fabric on eBay will be a pleasant and rewarding experience!



AARON

stargurl78 asked:


I’m trying to figure out how big my pieces of fabric will be after I wash them. I know that I have heard cotton quilting fabric shrinks about 2-3%. Is this usually the standard?

GERRY

Indigo asked:


I know what cotton jersey, cotton poplin and cotton flannel is but what is cotton quilting fabric?

WENDELL

Tiffany W asked:


I have seen quilting fabric before. What’s the difference between that and any other cotton fabric? I know decorator fabric is wider than other fabrics, but what’s so unique about quilting fabric that makes it especially for quilts? Also what about quilting thread versus other threads? It it just thicker? Thanks!!!!!!!

KIETH