Margaret Ashby 
Quilting statistics get passed around quilt guilds, blogs, and shop newsletters, often years after the survey behind them was taken. Some are fifteen years old, and some count every kind of sewing, not just quilting. This page collects the quilting numbers that trace back to a primary source, with the year each one covers. Every ... Read more
Picking the best needles for quilting comes down to matching the needle to what you are actually stitching through, not grabbing whatever is already loaded in the machine. A needle built for lightweight piecing struggles the moment it hits batting and backing, and a needle sized for heavy work can leave visible holes in a ... Read more
The best seam ripper for quilting takes out the wrong stitches fast without tearing the fabric underneath. Every quilter rips out a seam sooner or later, and the tool you reach for decides whether that five minutes feels routine or turns into a patch job on a nicked block. A sharp blade and a well-shaped ... Read more
The best fabric glue for quilting holds pieces in place for stitching without leaving a stiff patch, gumming up your needle, or damaging the fabric over time. Glue basting is a quiet, no-pin alternative for English paper piecing, appliqué, and binding, and a small dot of the right glue can replace a whole row of ... Read more
Longarm quilting explained: how the frame and machine work, the three ways to guide it, what it costs to have a quilt finished, and whether learning it yourself is worth it.
A few drops of sewing machine oil are the cheapest insurance a quilter can buy. Quilting is hard on a machine. Long seams, thick layers, and batting lint add friction, and friction wears metal parts, loosens stitches, and makes a machine clatter. The right oil in the right spots keeps it quiet, smooth, and sewing ... Read more
The best basting spray for quilting holds the top, batting, and backing together so nothing shifts while you quilt, then washes out without a trace. Spray basting is faster than pinning a whole quilt, and you don't have to stop to remove pins as you sew. But not every spray adhesive is made for fabric. ... Read more
The best fabric marking pen for quilting is the one that shows up while you sew and then disappears for good. That sounds simple, but every marking tool comes out of fabric differently. Some wash out with water, some fade on their own, some brush off, and some vanish with heat and can come back ... Read more
The best iron for quilting is not the one with the most buttons. It is the one that sets a seam flat in one press, keeps its water inside the tank, and does not shut off every time you stop to trim a dog-ear. A regular laundry iron can do the job, but quilting asks ... Read more
If you have looked into full-featured computerized sewing machines for quilting, the Singer Quantum Stylist 9960 has probably come up. It shows up in our best sewing machine for quilting beginners guide as one of the higher-end picks. This Singer Quantum Stylist 9960 review looks at what the machine offers, where it falls short, and ... Read more