Basic Supplies

I use the little hangers that come with socks to hang my wallhangings. I just hand tack them to the back of the wallhanging (use what you need to securely hang it) and viola! a inexpensive way to hang them.

While I am piecing a quilt top, I put my blocks up on a design wall and then look at them through a mirror before I sew them together.  By looking at a reflection of the quilt layout, I often see something that I didn't see before and make changes.  Having your design wall opposite a window and viewing the quilt's reflection in the window also works well.

Use those slacks hangers you get when you buy new slacks (the hangers have the spring clips on the ends) to hang cuts of fabrics.  I have a small wire shelf on the wall near my ironing board and I hang my newly pressed pieces of fabric on it with these hangers.  The hangers will allow you to organize your fabrics in a closet by color, too.

Every quilter understands the importance of laying out blocks to check for accuracy and simply to make sure that the overall look is pleasing.  A design wall makes this a snap.  I have two types of design walls that I use.  First, my portable design wall (one I take to classes or use when I travel), is a piece of vinyl table covering fabric with flannel on the back.  I went to a local fabric shop and purchased 2 yards of 60" vinyl fabric.  The backing holds the blocks securely, while the vinyl front allows for the "wall" to be rolled/folded up for transporting without disturbing the block placements.  The "wall" can be attached to a real wall or it can lay on the ground.  (I used to simply buy a vinyl table cloth, but it seems that the flannel on the back has become very thin and does not hold the blocks securely.)

My second design wall is smaller, but works very well.  First, my husband took a piece of thin plywood (48" square) and drilled 3 small holes in the top, about 1 inch down.  While I covered the plywood with a piece of batting (flannel can be used) and made slits corresponding to the drilled holes, my husband put 3 "L" hooks into the top wooden part of a window.  The design wall can easily be put up or taken down as needed, and the curtains and valance cover the "L" hooks. 

When pinning quilts, either to the leaders on my quilting rollers, or just for piecing, I hate little pin cushions or pins in a box, so I use a 12" - 16" throw pillow. I never loose it, and its easy to toss on top of the quilt or on my sewing table.  I never get poked by pins and there's plenty of room to get the pins easily, with my older fingers.

Weights are helpful in so many ways.  I find placing weights on my rotary ruler will hold it in place and I will not have any slippage resulting in inaccurate cutting.

Weights are a tool I learned about almost by accident.  They are not listed in most required tools.  As a beginner, they have certainly helped me produce more accurately cut pieces.

Since we live in a 14X70 trailer there's no room for a design wall, so I made a portable one. I took two pieces of wall paneling and cut them down to 3'X6'. Then I fastened them together with a piano hinge, layered flannel and batting, stapled them to the paneling, and VOILA, I have a "wall" which can be folded to slip under the bed when not in use. I lean it up against the TV (my sewing is done in the living room) to use. You could use any dimensions to fit your particular situation.

I have a small sewing room with not a lot of space to display my different color of threads.  I separated all spools into goups of similar shades of the same color of thread and placed each shades of the same colored spools into a zip lock bag. (All shades of green, red, etc).  Then, I placed all the ziplock bags of each colored spools in a vegetable bin.  Now, when I am looking for a certain color, to match the item that I am sewing, I just pull out the zip lock bag of the color that I need and am able to quickly pick the shade that matches the best.

My friend gave me a gift basket full of coffee mugs and coffee samples.  The basket was too beautiful to get rid of but, I hate too much clutter around my house, so I carried the basket into my sewing room and sat it on the cutting table until I could figure out what to do with the basket.  Well, a few days later I was cutting out a dress for my niece and I started throwing the small cotton scraps into the basket and it was perfect!  I throw all my cotton scraps into this basket and now when I need a small scrap, it's right by the cutting table.  I also grab these scraps to 'test' a stitch or as a starter piece when piecing quilt pieces.  A friend commented on how 'cute' it looked!  So, it's functinal and decorative!

Organize all supplies used during quilting around the main work area (sewing machine,cutting and ironing tables) based on how often you use them.  For instance, scissors, thread, rotary cutter, marking tools and rulers are at an arms reach. Within a few steps from the main work area other materials not as frequently used but needed just the same are kept like extra needles, books, and fabric. Items used only occassional (batting, quilting stencils, etc.) could be kept at the furthest point from the main work area.