The 2022 Quilt-Finishing Gift Guide!
Another holiday season is upon us, and with it often comes a slew of gift guides for quilters. This is another one, with an important exception: Everything on this guide is geared toward helping you (or your favorite quilter!) finish their projects - or at the very least, not contributing another project to the Works in Progress (WIP) list!
All of the products mentioned here are either things I have purchased for myself and love or have come very highly recommended by current WIP Lounge members.
Note: This post may contain some affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Wild Plum Lane!
Thread is a requirement for finishing quilt projects and yet one of the things that gets overlooked the most (at least by me!) when planning a quilt project. Having plenty of high-quality thread on hand in neutral colors is always a welcome gift for a quilter.
Customized labels from Ever Emblem can help give your finished quilt that personal (and professional!) touch.
These large, flat, and stackable storage bins from Target are a fantastic way to store Works in Progress (WIPs) in an orderly and space-saving fashion. You can easily stack while still seeing which project is which. Cut pieces for a project store nicely side-by-side in this bin to keep everything you need together to help make progress at a moment’s notice.
Get organized and prepare to reach your quilty goals in 2023 with the ever-fabulous Quilter’s Planner. Keep track of daily life and your quilting projects all in one place!
This is hands-down my favorite thing in my quilt room. The Stripology Ruler makes fabric-cutting go super-fast and easy so you can quickly get to the fun part - piecing all that beautiful fabric together!
Along those same lines, every quilter needs a good rotary cutter and sharp new blades! I have arthritis in my thumbs, so I really appreciate the Martelli. Many people also love Olfa rotary cutters, and I have several of these on hand for quick cuts, too. I just tend to use the Martelli more often because it doesn’t hurt my hands as much. (Keep in mind that the Martelli rotary cutters are made specifically for right-handed or left-handed people - be sure to purchase according to your needs!)
These Tulip pins are not only cute, but they move like buttah through fabric and are so lovely to use! All Tulip products that I’ve used have been fabulous, including the hand sewing needles.
These super-strong magnetic trays are fabulous for keeping all those lovely Tulip pins together…and also for picking up stray pins that may have fallen on the floor!
This tailor’s clapper from Rosie Girl Quilting is not only gorgeous, but it is well-made and weighted to help you ensure your seams are as flat as they can be. I love mine!
Another great item for getting those seams super-flat is the Oliso Mini Iron.
Mine is purple, but they come in several fun colors and are super handy right next to the sewing machine (maybe with a wool pressing mat!) or on the go at a quilting retreat.
While there are several tutorials out there to make your own design wall with batting and a giant piece of styrofoam from a building supply store, make life easy with this quilt design wall from Fons and Porter. This tool makes it super-easy to lay out your blocks and create the design for your quilt top. It can also easily be taken down and folded for storage, making it ideal for tight spaces.
Every quilter has their own preference, but items to help basting go quicker are always welcome! I love basting spray since I don’t have to stop to take pins out along the way, but if you prefer not to use an adhesive product on your quilt top (especially if it’s for a baby or child), basting pins are the way to go!
Sometimes, one of the hardest parts of finishing a quilt top is deciding how to quilt it! I took a class a couple years ago from Jacquie Gehring, whose books Walk and Walk 2.0 changed my quilty life. Using straight stitches only, this book teaches exactly how to create a variety of quilting patterns that go with any quilt style!
Longarm Quilting
The other option if you don’t want to baste or quilt your own quilt top but still want it finished? A gift card for longarm quilting, of course!
My current favorite is over at Quilting is My Therapy in Liberty, MO (Angela Walter’s shop). I also know from a member of the WIP Lounge that Missouri Star Quilt Company does a fabulous job as well!
Your favorite local quilter might offer gift cards too.
Pre-made binding is a fabulous gift for a quilter. No more folding, matching seams, and getting burnt with a hot iron! Simply Mackbeth offers a wonderful variety of options to help finish your quilt beautifully.
When it comes to attaching binding - that final finishing step! - Wonder Clips come in super-handy to help hold binding in place as you sew. Mini Wonder Clips can also be used as a quick alternative to pins when piecing.
Every quilter needs more backing fabric to finish their projects, and 5+ yards at a time for each quilt starts to get expensive. A gift card is always welcome!
Happy holidays to you and yours!
