my top five “little luxuries”
I’ve been quilting for over 20 years now (yikes!) and have bought my fair share of notions. And if I’m being completely honest, I have also wasted my fair share of money on doodads that have done nothing but gather dust. Sometimes I wish I could keep every gizmo and gadget, but living in an apartment in New York City makes that unrealistic: I only have room to keep the absolute necessities within reach.
So, some of those absolute necessities could easily be defined as not strictly necessary: they don’t make it on my “studio necessities” list because they aren’t, well, strictly “necessary.”
These are my “little luxuries.” They’re the items whose job could be done by another notion, but their extra special something makes the quilting process extra easy and enjoyable. So, if you’re looking for the perfect gift that’s both useful and a treat (for yourself or for your quilty BFF), here are my top five unnecessary-necessary buys:
Collapsible Design Wall: for years, I used a collection of batting covered foam boards as a makeshift design wall. They were a pain to use when it came time to lay out anything larger than a block or two, but they were more stable than taping batting to a wall and I didn’t have the option to instal a permanent wall in our rental. It took a lot of frustration to get me to buy a collapsible design wall. And, to be honest, when I pulled it out of the box, I wasn’t 100% convinced: it seemed whippy and it isn’t a breeze to put together (or take down). But, hands down, this is one of the best purchases I ever made. Sure, I rarely collapse it, but it’s lightweight enough to move from room to room as needed when we have guests. And it simply does it’s job: the flannel cover is sticky enough and large enough that I can have a couple projects going on (or I can lay out an entire large throw quilt).
Wool Pressing Mat: this is a totally luxury but also a total game changer in my book. I got a pressing mat a couple years ago and I wish my ironing board was one bit pressing mat because my seams have never been crisper! The wool retains the heat (so you have to be careful about scorching) which means you don’t have to iron as long to get a perfectly pressed seam (or iron on both sides). Yes, it smells a little like a wet sheep sometimes, but whatever, I’ll put up with that in order to get perfectly pressed seams.
Zirkel Magnetic Pin Holder: this is one of the most fun and most utilitarian items I own. It’s basically one big magnet, but because of its design, it automatically displays pins and needles in a “sunburst” pattern so they aren’t all clumped one on top of each other. It’s also strong enough to wave over the floor and pick up rogue pins and needles that you can’t see. And it’s strong enough to catch pins thrown at it from a surprising distance (it’s a horrible game I play and I do not recommend that you try it!).
Clover Wonderclips: these are pricey little clips and it took me finding a massive bag on sale to finally give them a try. But after one use, I totally understood what the hullabaloo is about. These little clips make binding a breeze! They’re just the right size to hold binding tape in place, they’re easy to maneuver, and they don’t leave marks.
Tiny Olfa Rotary Cutter: if you’re thinking about exploring the world of curves, the little 18mm rotary cutter is something you’ll want on hand. It’s smaller circumference makes cutting around templates less awkward, leaving you with a cleaner and more precise cut.
It was hard to pick my top five “unnecessary” little luxuries: a couple were obvious champions, some are so much part of my routine that I don’t think of them as luxuries any more, and some I only use at certain moments, but make that moment special! If you’re just starting out, these five probably aren’t on your radar yet, so I’ve put together my “must haves” when it comes to what’s on hand in my studio:
What little luxury do you love? I’d love to hear what tools and notions make your list! Is there something I should add to my line up? Email me any time at hello@broadclothstudio.com or send me a DM at @broadclothstudio: I always love to learn about new tools, tips, and or tricks!
