What to bring to a quilting group

The following equipment list is an idea of the sorts of things you might need. One good idea is to keep these in a bag or box that you can quickly grab as you run out the door to your quilting group or that you can carry around the house to where you need them.

Planning tools

• scrap paper

• notepad

• pencils (sharp)

• eraser

• grid paper

• paper scissors

• tape measure

• glue stick

• small zip-lock bags

Hand-sewing tools

• needles

• thread

• sewing pins (fine ones and preferably with coloured heads)

• fabric scissors

• thimble (if you like to use one)

• unpicker

• needle threader

Fabric cutting tools

• cutting mat

• rotary cutter

• plastic cutting ruler

Sewing machine and accessories

If your sewing machine is relatively easy to transport then bring it. You will also need your own:

• bobbins

• foot pedal 

• extra needles

• power board and extension cord

Fabric

Sometimes you need to try out a technique on some scrap fabric before you launch into your expensive or precious fabrics so bring along a few small pieces for testing.

 

If you have any spare cotton fabric you no longer need bring it to add to the group stash.

 

If you have ‘orphan’ blocks that you have made but no long want to use please donate them to the group for the next ‘orphan block quilt’.

Quilt finishing tools

Some tools that are useful in the finishing stages are:

• masking tape or blue painter's tape

• hair clips

• large bulldog clips

• labels or labelling pens

No quilt is complete until it has a label stating

• maker’s name

• date completed

• block name

• other design notes

• why it was made (for whom it was made).

It also needs a photo so make sure you have a camera available for that last step.

Journal or Portfolio

So many of your quilts will be made as gifts for others, or as donations for charity. It is fun to keep a small selection of the fabrics from the quilt to make a page in a journal or portfolio for each quilt. Add a picture of the finished quilt, the block design and any other design features or trial runs. This will make a great memory jogger and others will want to see it and discuss your ideas and trials.