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Every quilter has their ‘must have’ tools, their iron, their scissors, rulers and such. However for me it doesn’t just stop there.

Over my years of quilting, I’ve also come across a number of little accessories and tools that would just make quilting so much tougher without them. The funny part is that they are not even big things, just small things here and there that save me a couple of minutes at a time.

Chaco Liners

Chaco liners look a lot like permanent markers, however they are very different. Instead of permanently marking your fabric, these liners contain a powder type tip that is meant to leave a mark, although not permanently.

The basic idea behind these is that you can mark out the measurements as needed and then when its no longer needed, clean it off quickly and easily. Good for anybody working on a custom quilt pattern or patchwork quilt.

They are also refillable, so when you finish one, you can just unscrew the cartridge and replace it with a fresh one.

Thread Rack

This is a superb simple to use device that has saved me numerous minutes searching for the right thread. This is a rack divided up into a grid. Where each grid meets is a little dowl that sticks out, which you can put a spool of thread on.

I have organized mine in a rainbow color order so I will quickly locate the color thread I need and begin sewing. No more rumaging around your sewing box for the right color spool.

You can get ones that stand vertically and have a roatating base to help you choose your threads, similar to a greeting card rack.

5 in 1 Sliding Gauge

This looks similar to one of those T-squares your teacher used in maths class. The difference is this one has an adjustable slider.

It’s a real wonder tool and is perfect for marking out button holes, seam allowances and hem length, just to name a couple!

Its these little things that help me save minutes here and there. These minutes then start turning into hours and shortly you’ll find you can’t live without them either!

To get more nice advice about how to make a patchwork quilt, check out Jane Green’s how to make a patchwork quilt internet site now!

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