BIG LIST of Best Quilting Gadgets

My Favorite Quilting Supplies

One of the questions I get asked most often is which quilting gadgets I use. There’s so many different products on the market it can be so hard to figure out which work the best. So, I decided to put together a big list of all my favorite quilting gadgets and quilting notions that I love using in my sewing studio!

Here’s the Breakdown:

Best Designing Supplies
Best Marking Utensils
Best Cutting Gadgets
Best Stitching Notions
Best of the Extras

I just want to mention, while there are links to Amazon to find several of these items, ALL of the items listed are the actual items I personally use. You can see that in my Tutorial videos and Project Posts as well. In fact, many of these gadgets I can’t live without! 😀

Designing your quilt

While there are several light tables on the market, the one I personally use is the CutterPillar Glow Light Table. When I first bought it I wasn’t exactly sure how it would come in handy. I just knew I needed one. However, I love using this thing so much I actually wrote a blog post about all the different ways to use a Light Table for Quilting.

Electric Quilt Program

As a quilt pattern designer I get asked quite a bit about how I Design Quilts. Yes, that’s a link to another blog post link. 🙂 When I first started I used graph paper and a pencil. In fact, I still do from time to time. But most often I love using Electric Quilt 8. It’s super helpful for designers and every day quilters alike!

Marking utensils

I tend to do a ton of marking throughout my quilting process. From marking stitch lines, to linking up perfect points up to marking my sandwich for quilting. These are my top marking pens. The Chalk Pencil for dark color fabrics and the Blue Water Soluble Pen for light color fabrics.

PRO TIP: When marking your fabrics, no matter what pen/cil you use – always use a light touch! You want to just barely be able to see the line. If you press too hard or mark the fabric to heavily, it can bleed to much into the fibers and be much harder to wash out.

Cutting Gadgets

I am a huge fan of Karen Kay Buckley Scissors! I use them for just about everything. I love that each size has a uniquely serrated blade. These two are the ones I use nearly every day.

The Purple ones I use for cutting out applique pieces and fussy cutting. While the little Green ones I use as my thread snips.

I do love rulers. However, when push comes to shove, about 90 – 95% of all the cutting I do, only requires one of these three Squaring Rulers. I had these specific ones especially made for my shop. They’re incredibly versatile, easy to use and don’t you love the sayings!? They come in a set of 6 1/2, 9 1/2 and 12 1/2.

I’ve played around with all different types and sizes of rotary cutters. But, in the end, this is by far my favorite! This 60 mm Rotary Cutter fits so well into my hand and it automatically closes as soon as you set it down. I already have one scar from an old rotary cutter. Definitely don’t need another! 🙂

I haven’t really chosen one large cutting mat over another. HOWEVER, this Rotating Cutting mat goes EVERYWHERE with me! It’s portable enough to carry in my travel bags, fits perfectly on the motorhome table and comes in so handy when squaring up my blocks!

stitching notions

There’s a bit of a back and forth about which needle works best for which project. Honestly, you have to find what works best for you and your machine. As for me, I mostly use 2 types of quilting needles.

For piecing my quilt tops, believe it or not, I almost always use the Schmetz 80/12 Universal Needles. For my machines I find them incredibly versatile whether I’m just piecing or binding or even doing applique!

These 90/14 Quilting Needles are the ones I use for the actual quilting process. They work just a bit better than the 80’s in going through all the layers.

Now for the thread. When I’m piecing and quilting on my domestic machines, Aurifil is really my thread of choice. So much that I now buy this Grey Aurifil Thread in bulk! Unless I know the thread will show on the front of my quilt, I’m always using the grey thread. Grey is a background shade. Unless it’s up against a black or really dark color, it blends into the surrounding colors.

In 2021 I finally got into the world of hand stitching. And, while my skills are still somewhat limited, I found these Wonderfil Threads are amazing to work with! Not to mention the incredible varieties they come in!

I wish I could remember who first told me about the little Purple Thang. But let me tell you. I am NEVER without this thing. It’s so great for helping with pressing, turning, holding corners, the list just goes on and on! I really should make a tutorial video on all the ways to use this thing. 😉

Because raw edge applique is one of my favorite quilting techniques, I use a ton of Fray Check on my projects. It’s purpose is quite literally to prevent fraying on your fabric edges. So, I dab a little all along the edges of my applique pieces once their stitched in place. I also use it to help secure thread knots for binding, quilting, embroidery, hand stitching, etc.

The Extras

I mentioned a bit ago about my love of raw edge applique. For each piece I always use Wonder Under fusible web to hold the pieces in place before stitching. It’s so easy to use and doesn’t allow the pieces to shift even as I move the fabric through my machine.

Just like your quilting needles, your batting choices can also be very personal. Each type of batting creates a different finished look to your quilts. 100% cotton will shrink a bit in the wash giving your quilt a more ‘wrinkled’ old timey look to it.

Personally, I prefer using 80/20 Batting. It’s 80% Cotton and 20% polyester. I find the little bit of polyester helps give the cotton long term stability in holding up to washing and it allows the batting to shrink at just about the same ratio as my cotton fabrics. I just love the warm and comfy look the quilts get when they’re all finished and washed!

I am a baster. Personally, I find spray basting my quilt sandwiches much easier than pinning to prevent puckering. However, for smaller, hand stitched projects, I will use pins. That said, this is my #1 go to Basting Spray! Seriously, I order this one in bulk too. 😀

*Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links. When you click and purchase an item I earn a commission at NO additional cost to you. All the money raised helps to keep this blog up and running.

What are your favorite Quilting Gadgets and Notions?

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