Who are the
minimalists? No one I know! Everyone I know accumulates toys…and making quilts
requires LOTS of toys! I used to
think toys were a ‘guy thing’ but quilting brings out the women collectors.
First, there’s
the machine. I have three, but this is not unusual. Last summer, several women
I know got new machines, some of them running up into the five-figure mark –
and I am not counting places right of the decimal. Popular machines now include
the Bernina 830LE at $12,999 less $500 in their current promotion (not to be
confused with my Bernina 830 Record.) Its street price is about $10,000 so act
fast.
You might cheap
out and get a Husqvarna Viking Diamond at $9,500, a Janome MC11000
Special Edition or a Brother Innov-is Duetta 4500D at about $8,000, etc. Every brand has some machine in the stratosphere.
Practicality says you shouldn’t pay more for the machine than you will net in
sold goods in the first 12 months, but there’s always that big gun factor. If
you pay enough, you will be automatically good at quilting / embroidering /
sewing / tailoring / upholstering. This is a fallacy toward which I am definitely
inclined. I own an assault rifle, a utility rifle, and a good handgun, translating machinery into weapons for my quilting adventure.
 |
| Walking Foot |
Once you acquire
the machine that will make you a great fabric artist, and once you discover you
are NOT a great fabric artist, the explanation lies in the accessories.
Acquiring more accessories will make you great. Sewing machine manufacturers
are happy to oblige. Bernina managed to develop a proprietary system. Its
advantage is that Bernina feet help prevent mistakes by dictating thread
weight, fabric weight, tension settings, and limit you to appropriate stitch
patterns. All this (nonsense) cost big bucks. Bernina feet for an electronic
machine all run up from $50. A simple zipper foot costs $18. A walking foot,
which quilters really do need, is a mere $180+. Hey! It WALKS!
 |
| Rotary Cutter & Self-Healing Cutting Board |
Then you need
rulers. Not just any ruler! There are precision instruments and you’ll need
four or five, an investment of $100 or more. You need scissors and not just
cheap WallyWorld tools. These cost $30-$100. You need little ones, medium ones,
and big ones. Also, get rotary cutters costing about $35 a pop. Buy three sizes. Get
two cutting boards, large and small, for
the rotary cutters; $100+. Special sewing needles come in about 18 or 20 sizes
and configurations, including jeans, piercing, ball point, embroidery, #14,
#15, double, triple, etc., etc. Pressing cloths; special markers; pins in four
or five sizes and styles; special lighting if you need it; special irons and
ironing boards costing way more than you thought possible; sewing boxes and
storage; it all ads up. Go all the way and remodel that bonus room into an atelier studio.
Finding you are not
yet a world renowned fabric artist / quilter, (not even locally famous), despite owning several expensive
machines and every accessory you can cram into your house or apartment, the
blame clearly lies in your limited
fabric selection. If you have more fabric it will inspire you to greatness.
Fabric is a bottomless money pit. Buy only what you need for the quilt you are
working on. I have barely enough to fill two large size dressers. Well, you
never know when a particular orange batik print will be needed. And you thought
this was all about scraps of fabric? Where do you think scraps come from?
Half-yard pieces from the fabric shop at about $12/yard!
More delaying.
Must! Go! CUT! SEW!!
No comments:
Post a Comment