Do you have a quilter on your list? If they are just starting out, there are plenty of things you could add to their toolkit! Having a few good-quality notions at their fingertips will help build their confidence and make the learning curve a little smoother!
A comprehensive book is a great place to start- as a beginner, there is a lot to learn! From techniques to tools, The Quilting Book by Christina West and Kacey Crutchfield is an invaluable reference for every quilter! We also have plenty of other books for instruction and inspiration.
Before they even start sewing, a quilter has a lot of cutting to do! Accurate, straight cuts are essential, and the tools of the trade are a combination of a cutting mat, rotary blade, and a long ruler:
A cutting mat protects your table and is marked with in/cm for easy measurements. They come in several sizes; we would recommend the 18x24" size at minimum so you can fit and cut the folded width of your fabric. The 24x36" is a great choice if you have the budget and space to store it.
A sharp rotary blade makes cutting a stack of blocks much faster and more efficient than using a pair of scissors.
Acrylic rulers come in a variety of sizes and shapes, but we find the most useful one for a beginner is a 6.5" x 24.5" as it it's long enough to cut the full width of quilting cotton when it's folded in half.
Straight pins are always useful and can be picked up in different styles and colours. We have pins with flat or round heads, heat-resistant ones (in case they get ironed!) or pins with a comfort grip tip that are easy to remove.
Other types of pins and needles that quilters would use? Sewing machine needles (the quilting set has different sizes for piecing and then quilting multiple layers), curved safety pins (for basting a quilt top together) and hand-quilting needles for stitching on the binding.
Pressing spray is one of those nice-to-have items; once you start using it, you'll love how quickly your seams press flat! There are scented and unscented options for every quilter.
Of course fabric always makes a lovely gift too! A fat quarter bundle or a pre-cut kit is a great option for those who appreciate a curated stack of fabric that is ready to sew with! Plus they are already wrapped up like a gift!
When in doubt, we're always happy to help you pick a gift for your loved one. Come see us and we can show you around the shop!
