Everyone has their favourite quilting supplies and notions. Here are Alvina’s current recommendations.
The Olfa Rotating Cutting Mat is so convenient for trimming blocks to size, trimming foundation piecing and more. Instead of repositioning your work to trim all the sides, you simply spin the mat. Eliminate the risk of moving the fabric out of square! A useful tool for $48.95
Some needle threaders are a frustration to use. Not the Bohin Easy Needle Threader. With two needle holes, it can thread all needles from #1 to #11. It really works … and almost restores your eyes to the good old days when it seemed you could thread a needle in the dark! A fabulous product at $20.95
Mary Ellen’s Best Press is a clear non-starch alternative for great pressing. It adds body to your fabric without leaving a residue. Makes fabric look and behave like new. It can take out even tough creases. Comes in various great smelling scents, too. $9.95 for 16 oz.
The Angler 2 is the ultimate quilter’s tool for angles. Some of my staff just can’t live without it. You lay it on your sewing machine bed so it surrounds your needle. (It can be easily lifted up and repositioned when needed.) The lines guide you to sew perfect angles and straight seams. A great buy at $10.95
I just can’t live without Chacopy by Clover. It’s the best tracing paper around. Just layer with your pattern and the fabric and trace along the pattern lines with a pen. You’ll have a clear fine coloured line on fabric. There are enough different colours so that you’ll find one that will show up on any colour of fabric. All for only $4.95
I love to machine applique so I am friends with fusible web and find Steam-a-Seam to be a great product. It comes in a 12″ width for $4.95/yard. Steam-a-Seam 2 is pressure sensitive on both sides, allowing for a temporary hold before permanently affixing to the fabric. It sells for $5.95/yard.
The Omnigrid Ruler Grip is a comfortable ruler grip that gives you a secure grasp on things while you rotary cut. It has two suction cups. We use it in the store and love it. You can get your own for $17.95
These two rulers by Deb Tucker are ones I want to try out. They are specifically designed for constructing and squaring up Square in a Square blocks and Flying Geese. They sell for $19.95 each.
I couldn’t be without my Applique Pressing Sheet. It keeps my iron clean and my ironing board free of little bits of fusible web. It’s 13″ x 17″ so it’s big enough for any project. We sell it for $14.95
