RGA DESIGN QUILTS

Gift Guide for Machine Quilters 2019

11/16/2019

Are you looking for great gift ideas for a machine quilter? You have come to the right place! I have made a list of 16 of my top gift picks for 2019 which would be welcome gifts for a machine quilter! Most of these are available at your local quilt store or online. I didn't include rulers because they deserve a dedicated post.

Keep reading because at the end of the list is a special gift tip from a grandma (me) for a child in your life.

Top 15 Gift Ideas for Machine Quilters

1. Heat Press Batting Together
2. Quilting Paper - Golden Thread
3. Machinger Gloves
4. Mechanical Chalk Pencil
5. Washable Wonder Marker
6. Choco Liner
7. Frixion Pen
8. Quilters Delight
9. Basting Clips for Lifetime tables
10. Stabilo Pencil
11. Kwik Clip
12. Sit Upon
13. Extension Table
14. Super Slider
15. Practice Panels

Click picture for product links

1. Heat Press Batting Together

This is a great way to avoid waste and use extra and odd size batting. It is a cloth tape which allows batting edges to be fused together with a soft fuse that stretches.

No more stitching batting together for me!

2. Quilting Paper - Golden Threads

I use this paper when I can't trace a design onto a quilt. I just trace the design on the paper, secure it to the quilt, stitch through it and tear the paper off.

It is also great for creating needle punched stencils to use with a Pounce Pad.

3. Machinger Gloves by Quilters Touch

There are lots of gloves out there but these are still my favorite. I use them when I am free motion quilting, rulers quilting, and on my left hand when I am sewing on bindings.

Machingers have soft flexible fingertip grip and are made of a breathable fabric.

4. Mechnical Chalk Pencil

This mechanical chalk pencil is ideal for marking on fabrics and also works great when tracing and outlining stencils with the to extra fine lead.

It stays on long enough to quilt the design and then rubs off easily.

5. Washable Wonder Marker

This marker makes a bright blue mark which removes easily with plain water. It works well to trace designs or mark registration lines. (Warning: It can be permanently set with heat!)

6. Chaco Liner

One of my favorites, I use this often. It is perfect for drawing a nice, neat, thin line. Chalk washes or brushes away. Chalk powder refills make this a valuable tool.

7. Frixion Pen

This gel pen ink can be removed with heat or friction. I like to trace designs with it and then hold the iron over it with some steam and it disappears. Of course it is important to test it on a specific fabric.

8. Quilters Delight Safety Pin Clips

These clips attach to #1 or #2 safety pins to make it easier to pin baste and to handle, find, and pick up pins.

9. Basting Clips for Lifetime tables

These basting clips work great for pin basting quilts on molded plastic tables up to 2" thick.

10. Stabilo Pencil

This is a art pencil that works well for marking designs on quilts. It removes with water but stays on until the quilting is done.

I also use it to mark lines on rulers. As always, I recommend testing on the fabric in the quilt.

11. Kwik Clip

Kwik Klip is a helpful tool for pin basting quilts which prevents sore fingers, broken nails, and reduces basting time.

12.. Sit Upon

I use this softly inflated flexible disc when I am at the sewing machine so I sit higher. It also acts like an exercise ball - preventing fatigue and reducing pressure on the tailbone.

13. Sew Steady Extension Table

A Sew Steady® sewing table expands the work area and is extremely helpful, if not essential, for machine quilters who do not have a sewing machine cabinet.

14. Super Slider

Used on the sewing machine base and table to help fabric and quilts glide smoothly while quilting. It comes in different sizes to it different extension tables or cabinets.

15. Skillbuilder Filler Finese Practice Panels

Printed with 27 colorful designs for free motion quilting practice. Includes hooks, lines, swirls, arcs, s-curves, loops, and feathers in a variety of patterns suitable for quilting fills. Panel includes subtle directional arrows.

Filler Finesse is an excellent tool to develop muscle memory and fill skills using a home machine or long arm system.

Other practice panels - Skillbuilders #1 and Skillbuilder #2

A Special Gift for a Child in Your Life

We discovered Find Me Friends Playful Puppies and Magical Unicorns. They are a talking and interactive play game set. One child holds the Mommy as she counts out loud (1,2,3...) while the other kids hide the babies (or hide with the babies). When they are hidden, the babies call out clues every 30 seconds to help you find them.

We have a set of each and the grandchildren ages 4 to 11 hide them all over our house. You would think three animals would be enough but not when you have a party or several children playing. We need the add on twins, too!

.When our grand kids aren't playing Hide 'N Seek, they are cuddling and snuggling the puppies and unicorns. Our little ones push the button over and over to hear the cute voices.

We gave our youngest grandson Playful Puppies for his two year old birthday, We knew he was a little young to get the Hide 'N Seek part but we thought he would still like them. Check out the candid video below to see how he played with them. (Aren't smart phones wonderful?!)

You can find these fun Find Me Friends at both PlayFindMeFriends.com and Amazon.

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Quilter's Gift Guide - 2019

11/13/2019

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Are you looking for great gift ideas for a quilter? I am always on the look out for notions that are not only creative and clever but that are also useful or solve a problem. Here is a list of my top picks for 2019. Some are new and some a little older but all would be welcome gifts for a quilter. You can find these at your local quilt store, the linked websites or on-line sellers like Amazon.

Keep reading because at the end of the list is a special gift tip from a grandma (me) for a child in your life.

My Top Sixteen Notions Gift Picks for Quilters
1. Karen Kay Buckley"s Perfect Scissors
2. Binding Babies & Flower Spindle
3. Stiletto & Pressing Tool - By Annie
4. The Strip Stick
5. Puffin & Company Scissor Sitter and Micro Magnetic Needle Threader
6. Wonderclips
7. Pleasant Home Magnetic Travel Pin Tin
8. True Grips, Grippy Coating, Grip Strips
9. Sand Paper Board - Sue Daley
10. Martelli Pin Point Tweezers
11. Quilters Select Rulers with non-slip coating
12. Quilters Reference Tool - C & T Publishing
13. Rotating Cutting Mat by Sue Daley
14. Stash and Store or Quilter's Reference Tool
15. Silicone Iron Rest
16. Skillbuilder Packet

1. Perfect Scissors - Karen Buckley

These amazing scissors became my instant favorite after Karen gave me some at a Bernina Ambassador reunion.

I like how these scissors have cushioned handles and the blades are sharp to the very tip. The micro serrated edges help to prevent fabric from fraying and they cut through several layers easily. They are easy to use for right or left handed quilters.
https://www.karenkaybuckley.com/store.php

2. Binding Babies and Flower Spindle by Shari Butler

This is a unique, decorative, and clever way to store and sew on bindings. The binding slips into the slot and wraps around the body. The Binding Babies® are placed on the flower stand and keep binding tidy as it is sewn on.

The babies are available in a variety of designs. Shari's babies have a vintage look and a modern twist.
https://doohikeydesigns.com/collections/binding-babies

3. Stiletto & Pressing Tool - By Annie

I am not sure how I ever survived without this tool. The stiletto point enables holding pieces in place easily and is especially helpful when piecing or attaching bindings. Keeping the tip of the stiletto in place on the fabric until the needle almost reaches the point works much better than fingers!

The other end of the tool is angled at just the right degree to make a surface for pressing seams open.

https://www.byannie.com/byannie-stiletto-pressing-tool

4. The Strip Stick - Babb Enterprises

This tool is named for pressing seams when strip quilting but also makes ironing seams a snap without distorting previously pressed seams. It also prevents seam pressing lines on the front of the quilt.

The strip Stick reminds me of the sleeve roll I use for sewing and tailoring but on a smaller scale.
http://thestripstick.com

5. Puffin and Company Scissor Sitter and Magnetic Needle Threader

These accessories are unique, beautiful, and useful! They are hand crafted from copper, brass and nickel.
http://www.puffinco.com/

6. Wonderclips by Clover

An absolute necessity and definitely a wonder. No more injuries from pins while sewing bindings and they are great for securing bulky seams for sewing. I used Wonder Clips when I re-upholstered my sofa.

Clips come in multiple sizes. It's not possible to have too many!

7. Pleasant Home Magnetic Travel Pin Tin from Riley Blake

Fun way to store pins, small scissor, or needles. Could even store a small travel sewing kit.

8. Two products to solve the slipping problem!

Odif Grippy Non-slip Coating creates a non-slip surface on rulers, templates, and stencils.

True Grip Non-slip Adhesive Rings are applied to the back of any ruler to increase safety and cutting accuracy by preventing slipping.
https://truecut.graceframe.com/cart/true-grips.html

9. Sand Paper Board by Sue Daley

A great tool to stop fabric from moving when tracing applique shapes or marking lines on pieces. The sandpaper grips the fabric allowing quick and easy tracing.

https://www.suedaleydesigns.com

10. Martelli Pin Point Tweezers

Super fine points that are great for manipulating individual threads, seam edges and other tiny components.

https://www.martellinotions.com/pin-point-tweezers.html

11. Quilters Select Rulers with non-slip coating by Quilters Select

A great solution for the sliding rulers problem. These rulers feature easy-to-read lines for marking and measuring fabric, as well as multiple angles. Each ruler has a unique non-slip coating that makes for more accurate cutting! Available in multiple sizes.

http://store.thequiltshow.com/category-s/340.htm

12.Quilters Reference Tool C&T Publishing

I keep this tool at my finger tips! The Quilter's Reference Tool gives fast answers to dozens of quilting questions. It is full of great short-cuts and does a lot of math for you for upsizing and downsizing blocks and quilts.

This is a must-have answer book for quilters everywhere.

13. Rotating Cutting Mat by Sue Daley

This 10" Rotating cutting mat is great for everyone especially those of us who are not ambidextrous!

It is helpful for glueing English Paper Piecing shapes and is nice for trimming up blocks and half square triangles,

https://www.suedaleydesigns.com/

.14. Stash and Store by It's Sew Emma

No more searching for tools near the sewing or cutting station.

This is the perfect device to keep quilting and sewing notions within arm's reach and ready to go! It easily stores marking tools, scissors, stilettos, rulers, and small rotary cutters, in an easy-to-grab upright position.

https://www.itssewemma.com/

15. Silicone Iron Rest by The Gypsy Quilter

This iron rest makes a great place to rest the iron for short periods of time. It is made with silicone so it resists heat. The raised round dots also help the iron to cool down faster.

No more knocking the iron over while adjusting the quilt!

https://www.gypsyquilter.com/

16. Bonus - Skillbuilder Package by RGA Design LLC

Skillbuilder Package is the perfect gift for the quilter who wants to begin machine quilting or improve skills. Skillbuilder Companion Book, Skillbuilder 1 and Skillbuilder 2 practice panels are a great way to learn to finish quilts.

https://www.rgadesignquilts.com/

Special Gift Tip for a Child in Your Life

We discovered Find Me Friends Playful Puppies and Magical Unicorns. They are a talking and interactive play game set. One child holds the Mommy as she counts out loud (1,2,3...) while the other kids hide the babies (or hide with the babies). When they are hidden, the babies call out clues every 30 seconds to help you find them.

We have several sets at our house and the grandchildren ages 4 to 11 hide them all over our house.

When our grand kids aren't playing Hide 'N Seek, they are cuddling and snuggling the puppies and unicorns. Our little ones push the button over and over to hear the cute voices.

You would think three animals would be enough but not when you have a party or several children playing. We need the add on twin puppy and unicorn sets at our house! They are available both on playfindmefriends.com and Amazon.

We gave our youngest grandson Playful Puppies for his two year old birthday, We knew he was a little young to get the Hide 'N Seek part but we thought he would still like them. Check out the candid video below to see how he played with them. (Aren't smart phones wonderful?!)

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"Running" with Traditional Printed Blocks

5/7/2019

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Pattern for Traditional Blocks

Free Projects & PatternsBlocks - Pattern - Assembly
This post is one idea of what to do with our printed traditional blocks. I chose to use Janet's Star, Jack in the Pulpit, and Hope of Hartford and a gray tiny patterned print for the background. The pattern is under the free projects and patterns tab or click here.

I cut out all the pieces and then placed the pieces in order. This helped to sew the correct triangle to the correct side of each block. It's easy to get confused even when some pieces are already assembled!

I stitched a needle width on the inside of the printed line so you can't see the printed line on the front.

The triangles are cut larger than needed but that makes it much easier to sew. The outside seam allowance is bigger than 1/4" and is trimmed down after the quilt is sewn together.

Layer - Pin Baste
My favorite way to anchor layers is to use the tried and true pin basting method. Here I have attached the quilt back, right side down, to a Lifetime table using Super Multi Basting Clips and masking tape. Having the back taut prevents pleats on the back of the quilt.

I use #1 safety pins with Quilters Delight Pin Clips and the Kwik Klip tool to secure the pins.

I usually place pins about 4 or 5 inches apart. The pins sometimes get in the way of rulers but they can be moved easily. After I stitch in the ditch, I remove a lot of the pins.

Quilt as Desired
Rulers - Rulers - Rulers
Now for the fun part - - - deciding what to quilt where. I used my Nested Circles Quilters Rule Nested Circle Set and my Quilters Groove Pro Mini for quilting the blocks. Each block and the background will be on the next few blogs and I will post video tutorials on our Quilting Traditional Blocks with Rulers page and our RGA Design Quilts You Tube channel.

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New Home for RGA Design LLC

4/5/2019

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We have a new home and a new look for our RGA Design LLC website and blog. We have added some new products, free projects, and video tutorials.
Our old website served us well but as we often say in our family, "It was good but it is gone." (That quote works great for old cars, apartments, toys,
and even for our kids' old girl or boy friends.)
The old blog rgadesignquilts.blogspot.com is still active with older posts.

New Products

Skillbuilder Filler Finesse (36" x 43") is our new panel designed to develop and hone free motion quilting skills. The panel has hooks, loops, straight lines, s-curves, arcs, pebbles and feathers. The lines are wide giving some wiggle room for some wobbly quilting and it even has some subtle arrows to give direction. We can brag that it was eco-friendly digitally printed in the USA. Price $15.00 Introductory Sale $13.50

Traditional 16" Blocks
Another new product we are introducing is six different printed blocks. These blocks are the perfect project to practice using rulers and templates or free motion quilting. They may be purchased individually or all six as a packet.
Watch for videos tutorials which we will post on our website with ruler, design,
and pattern suggestions.
These blocks are also digitally printed in the United States with an eco-friendly process
and without harmful chemicals.