To get started you will need:
A needle for each person (size 9 "betweens" are a good place to start
but "sharps" will do).
The smaller the needle the finer you'll be able to make you
stitches. A size 9 is a good average length to start with whilst still being
fairly fine.
A piece of sandpaper (fine, not coarse) either for each person or 1
between 2.
You'll be using the sandpaper to rest your fabric on as you trace
your sewing and cutting lines. This stops the fabric from moving around.
Fabric Scissors
You could share one pair between all of you but 2 would be better
unless the kids won't be doing any of the cutting. Don't ever let anyone use
your fabric scissors to cut anything else with. Anything else will blunt them
quickly, they need to be really sharp to cut clean lines through the fabric.
Gutterman Quilting Thread (Choose a very light grey/gray. This thread
is 100% cotton and it's pre-waxed. Check that it says the word "quilting"
somewhere on the bobbin as they do non quilting threads too)
Once your quilt top is completely pieced, we'll work out what
colour you'd like to quilt in.
Templates for tracing pieces for the blocks
Use the paper printout (pdf) to make your templates for tracing
either from template plastic or from cardboard. I usually write the size
(in inches), pattern name and "with" or "without seam allowance on each
template. It helps me avoid making some potential mistakes.
HB grey lead pencil and a chalk quilting pencil
(if you are having any dark fabrics)
For tracing around templates onto fabric. The chalk pencil will
be needed if you are using dark fabrics that have a back that doesn't show up
grey lead well. We may use one or both of these later on as well for the
quilting patterns
Glass head pins (plastic will do!) Like these ones here, the
shape is the important part.....
They will be a lot easier on your fingers than the steel headed
variety and easier to spot if they escape! They need
to be fine enough not to leave holes in your fabric too.
Pin Cushion!
You can be creative with a small, smooth (as opposed to
furry), unused soft toys if you can bring yourself to stick pins in dolls!
Little teddies that rapidly become clutter because they're too small to cuddle
could work well :o)
Fabric of choice. Washed , dried and ironed. n.b. please be cautious about stretchy fabrics. Ideally I'd recommend avoiding them regardless of how gorgeous or "perfect" they are. They can spoil a quilt top with distortion.
A Tub or Box for
Storage
Have a smaller box/sewing basket inside for the needles,
threads, pins etc. several Snap lock bags (baggies) for separating cut up pieces
of fabric and finished blocks. Some sandwich size and some large size.
Now onto preparation for piecing
We will need 3 by 2 sets of templates for this block. One set of templates will be the match the solid lines on the pdf printout. These give you your sewing lines when traced onto the fabric. The second set will match the dotted lines on the printout. These give you your cutting lines. The quarter inch difference left between them that you see on the printout is called a "seam allowance". Consider it a safety net between your stitches and any fraying that may occur. It's a fairly universal measurement with quilting so wherever you read those words "seam allowance", it will usually mean 1/4 of an inch.
Take your fabric and lay it upside down on the sandpaper. You will be tracing all your sewing and cutting lines on the back of the fabric. Place you "cutting line" template on the fabric in the position you want it in (i.e. with the square templates: this would be the 3.5 inch one) Trace closely around the edge of it, keeping the pencil line as light as you are comfortable with. Take great care with the corners and make them as precise and sharp as possible. Next, place the sewing line template and place it inside your drawn "cutting line" square ( see figure A).
Figure A
Figure B
Figure C
Trace a new line closely around your "sewing "template (I call this my Finished
size template - see Figure B) Once I have done all drawing of my "bits" on the
piece of fabric, I use my fabric scissors to cut around the outer "cutting
lines" of each square, triangle or rectangle (See figure C).
Your square should now measure 3 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches and your rectangles 6 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches.
Over the next few weeks I'll begin to add details of how to piece the blocks!