Shopping

Quilting Kits

Kits are a wonderful way to introduce someone to the art of quilting, and perhaps patchwork and embroidery, as they provide the beginner with everything they need - usually pattern complete with instructions , and fabrics. The Kits that have been put together for workshops by the teachers here on the site will have been well tried and tested and not necessarily available through your local quilt shop; they tend to be sold by the teachers directly as a result of workshops and demonstrations, so make sure you catch their workshop here on the site. The kits would certainly include simple instructions, pattern and fabric; and for such kits as Sashiko or trapunto the thread and/or wool would also be included; as well as quilting thread for such items as wholecloth quilts and white-on-white items. The Embroidery kits on the site are unique designs,mostly by graduates of the Royal School of Needlework and again not readily available in other outlets. Quilting kits are also a great way for the patchworker to move into a whole new range of colours since the colour choice is made for them and they do not have to purchase unnecessary fabric . Kits appeal because they are a complete project in a bag and no additional shopping is necessary; the colours and the pattern are decided for you and your can just pick-it-up and go and sew.

Patchwork Books

Why would you buy a patchwork book? Well it will provide you with both stimulation through colours and design as well as technical knowledge on how to do the patchwork; whether a beginner, novice or an accomplished patchworker, books are always helpful. They are usually full of easy-to-follow instructions, diagrams and templates. Patchwork is a huge subject to cover and the books often cover just one particular design but in a variety of different colours and more recently people are discovering faster/simpler techniques to create the same design. If you are looking to cover a variety of patchwork techniques, then there are patchwork books that act more as a reference library, but low on patchwork projects. Patchworkers love to browse through books as bedtime reading and for ideas for their next project (or three). There is a growing trend for putting together more coffee-style books which are just full of lovely pictures of quilts both traditional in design as well as those of a more artistic nature – maybe mixed media and/or pictoral. There are thousands of patchwork books in the marketplace and many will be available through the usual on-line outlets and through your local quilt shop. However, the books here on the site are often self-published by the teachers who are giving the demonstrations and workshops. . The books, therefore, support and endorse the quilting and patchwork these workshops and demonstrations to enabled you to produce a good quality patchwork project at the end of it.

Patchwork Supplies

Supplies are the essential ingredient after fabric; this will include pins and needles, particularly machine needles, threads, and gadgets: the list is enormous and most of these supplies will be readily available from your local quilt shop. But some supplies will be specific to the workshop and demonstration that is being shown, and we will, therefore, include these if we feel they are unique enough. Some supplies will be used up (such as papers or tacks), needles and pins will need replacing from time to time, while others will continue to be part of your quilting tool supply, in the current patchwork age this will certainly include a set of rotary cutting equipment - rotary ruler, rotary cutter and board. Special patchwork rulers or other gadget are used from time to time for a specific pattern and make cutting out much quicker, easier and more accurate; if you want to use fancy threads on your sewing machine then you will need to match it up with the correct sewing machine needle – if it says quilting on the box, then that’s what its for. Other patchwork gadgets make the patchwork simpler, such as the Angler II for that particular pattern, while other gadgets, such as a bobbin keeper or the microtak gun for layering up your quilt, make life simpler for you and your sewing. Patchwork supplies can also include wadding, which again comes in a wide variety of sizes and choices – wool, cotton, cotton and polyester mix, polyester, bamboo, silk are a few. Various shops are advertising in the Small Ads section of the site, if you don’t have a quilt shop close to you to help.