2019 31 Day Blog Writing Challenge-Day 3

Christmas decorations have been up in the shops for several weeks now.  Personally, I do not like to start thinking about Christmas until the first Sunday of Advent which was Dec. 1st this year.  The invitations for parties have started to arrive and all I want to do is keep it simple and hope for a white Christmas.  That by the way is my favorite Christmas movie.  My parents both served in World War II and White Christmas was a movie our family enjoyed together year after year.  They did not often talk about that time in their lives, but Bing Crosby et al. were a part of making life a little brighter during the time they served.

Do you remember making out your Christmas Wish List as a child?  My brothers and I would pour over the Sears Catalog making note of what we dreamed of finding under the tree Christmas morning.  Today I want to serve as your Wish Book and share some of my favorite quilting supplies  .  
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Debra's Favorite Quilting Items

Light Box.  I use this a lot in my studio when doing applique.  It comes in very handy for both tracing and for laying the pieces out on my background fabric as I can have the pattern underneath and still see the lines for placement even on some darker fabrics.  The light goes from just barely on to quite bright and easily adjusted with just a touch of a button.  The longer you hold the button the brighter or darker the light becomes.


Sewline Mechanical Pencil.  They have updated the look of this pencil but not it's wonderful functionality.  There are several colors of "lead" though I find I use black most of the time.  The ability to switch to a white lead on dark fabrics is quite handy.  It gives me a sharp thin line to work with that always comes out in the end.

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Sewline Glue Pen.  This pen uses watersoluble glue, it comes out blue and dries clear, and best of all it is refillable.  I use this not only in applique but for holding tricky seams together when piecing.




Bloc Loc Flying Geese Rulers.  If you have done any sewing with me you know how much I love these rulers.  They have Set #1 which contains all of the rulers I use most often when making my blocks.  Though the ones that get the most use are the 1.5" x 3" and the
​2" x 4".


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​Bloc Loc Half Square Triangle Ruler.  This is another that see sees a lot of use.  It really simplifies trimming those HST's to size and getting them squared up correctly.






​Purple Thang.  This little tool is great for holding down those bulky seams as you feed them under your sewing machine foot.  Unlike the sharper stilettos it does not poke through your fabric.




Wool Pressing Mat.  I ordered this set a few months ago.  I used to just place a towel down on my ironing board and found that it improved the way my pieces laid after pressing, but this is a whole new level.  After pressing the pieces lay much flatter and the seam sets really well with the way the wool holds the heat and so you get heat, not just from the top with your iron, but the back side of your work as well.  I have always used a dry iron when pressing as I piece quilts and these wool mats have impressed me with how well the dry pressing works now.  And because the wool kind of grabs the fabric there is no stretching out of shape as you press.


Superior Threads.  These are my go to threads and I do all of my piecing with their Masterpiece line. I really think their threads just cannot be beat-my machine loves them as much as I do which is evidenced by the lower amount of lint I need to clean out of my machine.  (I will be giving away several thread sets in the coming weeks during my Little Bo Peep Sew Along.)  
For those who might want a gift that keeps on giving I recommend a subscription to one of Superior Threads clubs.  I just finished up collecting all of the Magnifico threads in their line and have also done the King Tut and Masterpiece clubs as well over the years.  Having all the colors on hand saves me the time of having to go out and find matching threads for quilting and machine applique work.  (Superior Threads states that their threads are still good 40-50 years out so I do not worry about them getting too old to use.) 


Karen Kay Buckley's Perfect Scissors.  Once I found these scisoors I always have a pair near at hand for my sewing.  These are very sharp scissors and I love that they come with a plastic sheath to protect them and me.  The handles are large enough to comfotably fit my fingers for greater control and are made from a soft, flexible matterial.  They come in a range of sizes too.


​Panasonic Cordless Iron.  I have had this iron for over 5 years now and it has not let me down.  It is much lighter than the old Black and Decker basic model I had which I appreciate more and more as the years go by.  I always use it dry, but I do like that the water resevoir is removable for easy filling.  The best part?  There is no cord to deal with when pressing.  The high heat setting gives me plenty of heat and I have not had any issues with it cooling down before I set it back onto the charging base, which has a very long cord.  It also comes with a cover that acts as a carrying case as well.

There you have it; a list of some of my favorite things.  What is on your list?  Feel free to share in the comments as I would love to hear.