What Do You Get A Quilter For Christmas or Chanukah?
Choosing quilt-related gifts for the quilter in your life can seem daunting. Perhaps the sewing room is already chock full o' stuff (what else could she possibly need or want?!?), or the quilter is new to the art and it's not clear what might be most useful.
This lens provides some gift suggestions and source information along with a range of prices to suit every budget.
Color, Give Her Color
Playing with crayons
Every quilter needs more fabric. We tend to collect fabric in sizes called "Fat Quarters." These are pre-cut and folded pieces of fabric found in every quilt shop and many regular fabric shops. Quilters lover Fat Quarters (often called "FQ's) -- and quilt shop owners will gladly assist you in choosing a nice selection.To decide what kind of Fat Quarters to get, go take a look at your quilter's stash. Think of it as a big box of crayons -- you're looking at color, not pattern. What colors are missing from the palette, or low on stock? Unless it's a color she hates, these colors are a good bet.
Next look at patterns - pick a fabric that is representative of what she collects and bring it to the store with you. This will give the quilt shop staff an idea of what style of print to recommend -- and you won't have to figure out the difference between a Bali fabric and a feedsack reproduction.
Prices for Fat Quarters average around $2.50 each, and often sell in coordinated groups of 6-8 for about $15. Whether you buy one or a basket-full, she'll appreciate the personal effort.
If you can't get to a local quilt shop, try the online quilt shops listed below. For example, Hancock Fabrics offers a 41-shade fat quarter bundle with great colors and filler patterns, packaged in a tote bag (also linked below).
For The Quilter Who Has Everything
Quilt and Textile Art Items Off The Beaten Path
- 72 Ways Not To Stipple Or Meander
- Created by Australian textile artist Dijanne Cevaal, this book offers 72 patterns for machine quilting that go well beyond traditional stippling and meandering. The book is $23 USD and the CD (same content as the book) is $15 USD. The prices INCLUDE postage!
This book/CD would be a terrific surprise and an inspiring introduction to a great textile artist. - Seastrands Studio
- This site is the gallery of Newfoundland textile artist Vicky Taylor-Hood. Her work is luminous and inspiring to an aspiring landscape quilter. Prices vary.
- Aurifil Thread at Red Rock Thread
- Aurifil 50wt is a very fine Italian thread that creates less bulk in a quilt seam, which contributes to the level of accuracy in piecing. It also means that more thread can go onto a bobbin, which means fewer bobbin changes. Black, grey, and white are good all-purpose choices, but thread is much like fabric -- one can never have enough! Spools are $8.95 USD.
- In A Minute Ago
- Notecards, mugs, and journals with a crazy quilt theme.
Gifts under $20
Easy on the budget, big on a quilter's wish list.
Restoration Clean Your Vintage Antique and delicate Linens Safely 32 Oz Unscented Hypoallergenic Powder
A safe, gentle cleaner for old linens and quilts.
Amazon Price: (as of 10/06/2008)
Flower Head Pins -Fine-20/Pkg
excellent for applique and working with silk. The small diameter of the pin means that it makes smaller holes in the fabric. The longer length combined with the flat flower shaped head makes them easy to control and position.
Amazon Price: $5.99 (as of 10/06/2008)
Fiskars 95217097 45-Millimeter Rotary Cutter
My personal preference in rotary cutters is the Fiskars brand. If your quilter has an old rotary cutter, it might be good to purchase one of the newer models with safety features. It's also always good to have more than one -- I'm always misplacing mine. Replacement blades are always welcome stocking stuffers, too.
Amazon Price: $17.00 (as of 10/06/2008)
Quilt Books
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
Amazon Price: $9.00 (as of 10/06/2008)
The War Within: A Secret White House History 2006-2008
Amazon Price: $19.20 (as of 10/06/2008)
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association
Amazon Price: $15.37 (as of 10/06/2008)
Boys Will Be Boys: The Glory Days and Party Nights of the Dallas Cowboys Dynasty
Amazon Price: $15.57 (as of 10/06/2008)
Watchmen
Amazon Price: $11.99 (as of 10/06/2008)
Quilt Shop Links
- Keepsake Quilting
- Offers a variety of popular fabrics and patterns. Select "fabric collections" from the left column to view available fabrics.
- Hickory Hill Quilts (aka The Quilt Bus)
- Click on "fat quarters" on the menu at the top of the page to view a nice selection of collections.
- Quilt Web
- A great selection of quilt calendars
- Hancock Fabrics Fat Quarter Bundle
- Hancock Fabrics offers a stunning (even overwhelming) array of fabrics. This link takes you directly to a collection of fabrics that most any quilter will love.
Got Your Own Gift Ideas?
Submit your gift ideas here!
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Quilteralice
Hi - Nice Lens! We have gift ideas too at Alice in Stitches Quilting, Knitting and Needlework Store. Posted July 01, 2007 |
Force Majeure Farm
Diary of a quilt restoration artist
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