Sunday, June 1, 2014

A Guide For Purchasing Quilting Supplies In Port Arthur TX

By Nora Jennings


The ancient Egyptians were among the first quilters on the planet. Quilting involves sewing multiple layers of fabric together to create a colorful blanket. Wealthy Americans during the Colonial era often participated in this leisure activity as a way to pass time. The craft has survived the test of time and today quilters create a variety of items, including clothing, bed coverings, and wall hangings with quilting supplies in Port Arthur TX.

Beginning quilters often find the vast amount of notions and supplies available to be overwhelming. Anyone who wants to learn how to quilt needs to know which items are mandatory to get started. Experienced quilters can add optional notions and tools to their basic sewing kit over time.

Among the required items in any quilter's kit are cutting tools. Most sewers recognize the importance of having separate scissors for use on paper and fabric. Using the fabric scissors for anything else will dull the blades and make it more difficult to achieve a clean cut. To distinguish between the two, purchase scissors with different colored handles or attach labels.

A seam ripper is another handy tool most people have used at one time or another. This tool has a forked head with a blade and a small point. With it, the user can quickly remove stitches.

Quilters will use lots of pins to hold pieces of fabric in place while sewing stitches. A pin cushion not only organizes pins by keeping them all in one place but the wool roving inside the cushion prevents pins from rusting. Abrasive material inside the small ball hanging off the top keeps pins sharp and clean. Quilters should avoid using dull pins, which can leave big holes in the fabric and ruin the aesthetics of the finished piece.

Whether pin or spray basting, users will find that basting pins are best for keeping fabrics together. These special pins look like typical safety pins but are curved. The curve in the pin holds layers of fabric firmly in place and eliminates any shifting while stitching.

Various marking tools are available to guide quilters when putting pieces together. These tools make temporary marks that are removed easily after serving their purpose. Some markers use air soluble ink that becomes invisible over time while others have water soluble ink that rinses out with water. Chalk is often preferable when the markings are only needed for a short period. For tracing intricate designs, quilters can use a blunt pencil or ballpoint pen and chalk transfer paper.

Quilters need a good iron to press fabrics while working on a project. An iron that is 1500 watts or higher is a good choice for this type of crafting. Other helpful features include steam and no steam options and an automatic shut off mechanism for safety. Adding spray starch to the fabric before pressing can improve accuracy when cutting and piecing fabrics together.

An ironing or pressing board provides a safe place to iron fabrics. Standalone boards require some floor space in the sewing room. A table top board will sit on any flat surface. Regardless of skill level, anyone can learn to quilt with these basic tools.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment