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I know you want it all. So do I. But unless we win the lottery we have to acquire our "stuff" slowly. So here is a list of some things I think you really need. I mean REALLY need (I spell need, W-A-N-T). Buy the best you can afford and add to your supplies as your budget permits. You'll be much happier with good tools rather than inferior ones and you'll enjoy quilting so much more. The products I recommend by name are ones that I use and they work well for me but you should find what is comfortable for you. SOME NEW THREADS THAT I'M NOW USING AND LOVE ARE LISTED BELOW: Mako Aurifil. It is a 100% Egyptian long staple cotton thread in VARIEGATED colors. There are about 1400 yards on a spool at a very reasonable price. I find that it sews beautifully and doesn't produce an over abundance of lint. Wow! Check out: http://www.thatthreadshop.com Superior Threads: Wow is this stuff beautiful! They have so many to choose from that you'll want them all. Especially for you embellishers and dedicated machine quilters is a new line by Libby Lehman called "The Bottom Line" for your bobbin and it comes in twenty-five - yes you read that right, twenty-five colors! http://www.superiorthreads.com GREAT NEW RULERS! By Creative Grid! They have a half inch added to both the width and length and the best part is the rough circles on the bottom that every so slightly "grip" the fabric so your ruler won't slip all over the place! Sure you can use the sandpaper dots but then you can't easily slide the ruler off the fabric either. The Creative Grid gives you both features! While I don't have problems with the ruler slipping (I used to, believe me) I noticed that I didn't need to exert quite as much pressure holding the ruler down on the fabric due to the built in grips! I have arthritis and that a big difference in my hand and shoulder. Go try one and see what you know you must have! Roxanne's Glue Baste-It - this is the greatest thing since the rotary cutter. I bet you thought I was going to say "sliced bread". Who cares about sliced bread anyway. This glue comes in a nice little bottle with a cap and a fine tipped nozzle cap (the flower head Japanese pins fit perfectly into the nozzle to keep it from clogging up) It's completely safe for fabrics and washes out. I wouldn't use it if it didn't. I keep it by my sewing machine, at my cutting table and in my traveling tool box. A little dab will do you for those unruly places where pins won't make the block "behave" (you know what I mean) or where pins might distort the area you're trying to keep in place. It's great for appliqué too! STRAW NEEDLES from Foxglove Cottage by Jeana Kimball - these are also known as milliners needles. They're long, strong and have a slim "eye" and glide through fabric like a hot knife through butter. You can usually find a "sample card" at your quilt shop with 4 different sizes so you can decide which is best for you. I always use the size 10. Jeana Kimball quilts with these needles! And her stitches are incredibly tiny. I use them for sewing my binding on, appliqué work and for beading. Omnigrid brand rulers are great because they're very accurate and come in many sizes. To start:
You should be aware that the black lines on the rulers are part of the measurement. The black line needs to be on the edge of the fabric and is included in the measurement. "Measure twice and cut once!" This is true. Believe it!
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