2023 Favorite Quilting Tools

Hard to believe that I’m publishing this episode of A Quilter’s Life on the first day of 2024.  I had a wonderful 2023 and I hope you did also.  Of course, one of the blessings I had over the past year was getting to visit with so many of you wonderful quilters.  And I’m heading into 2024 with great expectations of visiting with more of you.

In each episode of A Quilter’s Life I always ask, “What is your favorite quilting tool?”  Sometimes I phrase it like, “What quilting tool are you so happy that you have or couldn’t do without?”  Many of us love our tools so much that it’s hard to choose just one.

So here’s the top 23 tools that quilters have listed on A Quilter’s Life in 2023.  Do you remember hearing some of these tools? The first 16 items were mentioned once during the year.  Then I’ll move on to the items that more people mentioned until I get to tell you the tool that was the most favorite in 2023.

1. Needle and thread
2. Diagnaly seam tape
3. Software to design quilt
4. #2 mechanical pencil – doesn’t get wider
5. Custom thimble
6. Freezer Paper
7. Sandpaper work board – YouTube videos
8. Iron
9. Quilting Frame
10. 1/4 inch foot
11. Glue
12. Needle Nose Pliers – especially when changing blades on rotary cutter
13. Seam roller – can use at machine so don’t have to get up to the ironing board with each seam
14. Lint roller to clean around sewing space
15. Accuquilt – saves so much time and is more accurate
16. Measuring Tape
17. Marking tools 
    1. Hera marker 
    2. Bohin Retractable chalk marker
18. Stiletto
    1. ByAnnie Stiletto – the tip is a little rough to keep your place, but not too rough to hurt the material
    2. Purple Thang
19. Scissors
    1. Kai Scissors
    2. Karen Kay Buckley Scissors
    3. Fiskar Spring Action Scissors
    4. Snippers
20. Sewing machines
    1. Best machine you can (sewing machine)
    2. *Gammill longarm machine
    3. Embroidery machine
    4. Vintage sewing machine
    5. Straight stitch only machine
21. Rulers
    1. 2.5 inch ruler
    2. Stripology Ruler
    3. Quarter inch ruler
    4. Square ruler
    5. Angle Play Templates
    6. Susan Cleveland’s Piping hot binding
    7. Simple Folded Corner Ruler by Doug Leko of Antler Quilt Design – found a YouTube video put out by the Fat Quarter Shop 
    8. Ruler handle
22. *Rotary cutters
    1. Martelli Cutter
23. *Seam Ripper