PART ONE - Tools
Time was when all the tools needed to be a quilt maker were scissors, a ruler, a pencil, and some cardboard. The piecing process took months. Nowadays we are in too much of a hurry to have the finished product to take that long. Working women especially have few extra hours to waste on such a slow process. With the tools and methods we have today a quilt top can be pieced in a much shorter time. One series of books claims it can be done in a day.
The basic tools needed for a beginner using today's methods are a straight plastic rule, a cutting mat and a rotary cutter. Good tools are the best investment not only in money but in time. It would seem a small ruler, a small mat and an inexpensive cutter would do fine for the first small projects, but the success of your first efforts will determine if you enjoy quilt making and want to continue, or if you lay everything aside and go on to other pursuits. So I hope you will be able to purchase a large mat, a good ruler and cutter.
I am still using a mat 18 x 24 that I purchased in 1984. It is marked with a grid of inches, has angles and arcs marked on one smooth side, and a slightly rough surface on the other side. The rough surface helps hold fabric from sliding away as I cut.
Although I have several rulers, the one I use most is 6 1/2 inches wide, 24 inches long and about 1/4 inch thick. It is marked for 1/4 inch increments, has angles marked at one end, and raised markings on one surface. I find that rulers smooth on both sides are apt to slide when I am cutting fabric. Although this ruler was more expensive in the beginning, I have used it for many years. If such a ruler cannot be found, there is a product called "Fab Grab" (much like sandpaper) that will stick to the surface of the ruler to help grip the fabric. Find a ruler that has a little thickness so that the cutter will not slide up over it and give you a nasty cut.
Look at the rotary cutters that are available in fabric stores. Choose one that has a safety guard when it is cutting and when it is stored. Those cutters are SHARP! Also choose one that has replacement blades available, and buy extra blades at the time you buy the cutter. I had a favorite cutter and a few years after purchase, I could no longer find the blades. The blades do last awhile but they will get dull and need to be replaced. The fabric dept. may have cutters that they use and you can actually hold one. Cutting fabric for a large project can take some time and the handle of the cutter should fit comfortably in your hand.
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