Quilting Supply

Probably more than for any other crafters, the quilting supply amassed by a quilter (also known as a "stash") is a source of great pride, and often envy for those who have smaller stashes. If you're new to quilting, you might just buy the quilting supply you need for a particular project, use it and move on.

But most quilters are very passionate about fabrics and notions and love to buy things they have no particular use for at the time. Finding a fabric beautiful is certainly reason enough to add it to your quilting supply. Here are some tips for building your stash, whether you're starting from scratch or an old pro.

The main rule for fabrics in your quilting supply stash is that you pick things you like and think you might someday get around to using in a project. Some people build their stash with particular projects in mind, buying the perfect fabric for the meditation pillow she always wanted or something that would be great in the baby quilt for the child that hasn't been conceived yet.

Others take a less practical approach and simply buy things that strike them. For people who make very artistic, free-form quilts, this sort of buying does have a useful purpose because the fabrics are like paints and the artist may really need 20 different kinds of blue. Other quilters simply store their quilting supply until they come across a project they want to make and start shopping in their own home.

No matter your approach to buying fabric, it is important that you store your fabric properly to prevent damage from stains, the sun, insects, even folds in the fabric itself. Each crafter seems to come up with her or his own solution for storage, but some of the popular ones include:

• a dresser dedicated to fabric
• a bookshelf
• a closet where large pieces of fabric can be hung on or over hangers
• storage cubes
• under bed storage boxes
• zip backs for small pieces, scraps, or fat quarters grouped by color

To prevent sun damage, keep your fabrics out of direct sunlight. If you're worried about folds in your fabric becoming permanent, hang them from hangers using pant-hanging clips, or slip an empty paper towel roll (cut horizontally along one side) onto your hanger to make a less obvious fold.

There's more to quilting than just fabrics, though of course most quilters will tell you the reason they quilt is to get to play with fabric. Other things you will want to add to your quilting supply include thread, scissors, measuring devices, and other sundry "notions." Let's discuss each briefly.

Thread is one of the most important additions to your quilting supply. If you have all this beautiful fabric but don't have the right thread to sew it together, what good is it? Both the color and the composition of thread you need will vary depending on the type of fabric you are using, but it's a good idea to purchase a wide variety of 100 percent cotton thread spools to have on hand. These are useful for any mending that might need to be done as well as machine quilting most quilt tops.

If you finish your quilt tops by hand, you'll probably want a supply of fancier threads, and you will find a dizzying variety at your local craft or fabric store. There are metallic threads, silk threads, even shiny cotton threads that look beautiful on a quilt top, even if you aren't doing any fancy embroidery. Many stores sell thread collections, which are an easy way to build up your quilting supply quickly.

You need a good pair of fabric scissors in order to be a good quilter. There's no question about it. Good cutting implements allow you to cut more accurately and quickly, which means your finished quilt will come out looking better in less time. Be prepared to spend around $20 (or more) for a good pair of sheers, but know that they will last you a long time and you can get them professionally sharpened if they get dull.

While on the subject of cutting, most quilters would not consider their quilting supply complete without a rotary cutter and a cutting mat. These nifty little devices look like small pizza cutters and have very sharp blades that can cut through several layers of fabric at a time. Rotary cutters are ideal when you are piecing a quilt made of squares or strips. A plastic ruler with a lip that slides over the edge of your mat will help you measure and cut more evenly. This is a huge timesaver if you can cut accurately with it.

I already mentioned the plastic ruler that is a necessity for using a rotary cutter. Other measuring devices you might want to have in your quilting supply include a yard stick, a flexible measuring tape (they're usually made of plastic these days but used to be made of fabric) and maybe a ruler.

If you make a lot of quilts with the same shapes, you can buy templates that can be used over and over to cut out the same shape, usually with a rotary cutter. These are useful if, say, you're always making quilts with two-inch squares.

The word notions is kind of a catch-all for all the other quilting supply needs you might have. Most of the other things you would need would be specific to a particular project, such as buttons or a zipper if you are quilting clothing.

Binding for your quilt could also be considered a notion, but you probably wouldn't want to build up your quilting supply with a bunch of binding you may never use. Instead, focus your attention on fabric and thread and let your imagination run wild.

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