The Modern Makers Foolproof Quilty Gift Guide*

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* or everything you ever wanted to know about pleasing the quilter in your life but were afraid to ask.

Quilters are easy to please when it comes to gifts – there’s a never-ending and ever-growing list of things we would love to own – but it’s a minefield out there for anyone who knows nothing about the craft.  For all they know, Friedlander is a car, Tula Pink is a shade of nail polish and Lizzy House is where the Queen lives.  Frankly, they don’t know their Alison Glass from their elbow.

So Modern Makers have decided to put together the ultimate gift guide to help family and friends choose the perfect gift for their quilty recipient.

If you ARE the aforementioned quilty recipient, share this blog post on your Facebook page, your Instagram account, and anywhere else your Kris Kringlers may be lurking, looking for clues!  Your Christmas stocking is going to be stuffed with goodies so fabulous the merry-making will last all year!

If you’re the uninitiated gift-giver directed to this page by a quilter, do not be afraid.  We’re here to help.  And so we present….

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Quilt Patterns

Price Guide: $4-$25

If you need to post your gift, quilt patterns are an excellent choice as they are small and light.  Some are even downloadable, so can be sent via email.  Click on any of the logos below to see and buy quilt patterns from some of our favourite Aussie designers.  Just pick one you like the look of.  We guarantee you can’t go wrong with this lot!

          

          

 

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Stocking Fillers

 

Naughty and nice, we all want one of these gorgeous enamel badges!

Ric Rac Enamel Badge
$12

 

 

Yes it’s not quilting, but these mini hoops kits are so much fun to dabble in a little embroidery!

Dandelyne mini embroidery kits
$6.95 to $35.95

 

 

 

Trust us, you could buy anything from The Crafty Squirrel and your crafty friend will love it!

The Crafty Squirrel

 

 

Yes, we’re all about showcasing Aussie talent, and yes, this t-shirt is from a US supplier, but that gorgeous design on the front?  That’s by our very own local designer, Alyce from Blossom Heart Quilts!

Bright Sky quilt block t-shirt
$15

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The Quilters Toolbox

Okay, so we know these things may not look that exciting to you, but trust us, your quilty friend will squeal with delight when they unwrap these goodies!

 

I know, I know… what the flip is it?  Look, I don’t even really know myself.  All I know is that we all go crazy for it.

Flatter starch-free smoothing spray
$14.49

 

 

Have you heard your quilter talk about foundation paper piecing?  If not, then you haven’t been listening because he/she has, I guarantee it.  This unassuming looking ruler will light up their little face on Christmas day!

Add-a-quarter ruler
$14.85

 

My husband has a chisel for every occasion.  I never understood this until I started quilting and built up my ruler collection.  And any good ruler collection needs a good rack.

Omnigrid Wooden Quilt Ruler Rack
$30

 

Once you’ve bloc_locked you never go back.  These rulers are adored by quilters!  There’s a whole range of them so if you’re not sure if your quilter already has one, choose something obscure like a Bloomin’ Cogwheel (quilt pattern designers and and real ale brewers could go head to head in a naming competition).

Bloc_loc rulers
Various types, sizes and packs
$20-$140

Bloc_loc rulers and rotating cutting mats are a match made in quilty heaven!  But actually the rotating cutting mat on its own is a godsend.  Any quilter would love to own one.

Matilda’s Own rotating cutting mat 
$59.30

 

Quilters like to gather together in groups.  Sewing days and retreats are our happy places, where we can speak our special quilty language all day with no fear of eye-rolling.  This portable cutting and pressing station is perfect for such away days!

Omnigrid foldaway cutting and pressing station   $79

Husbands… I know what you’re thinking.  “If I give her an iron she’ll leave me.”  But this is no ordinary iron.  This iron has the ability to leave quilters breathless with passion.  Don’t you want to see your wife breathless with passion?

Oliso Iron
$185

 

Accuquilt fabric cutters are another one of those tools that you wonder how you ever managed without.  As their slogan goes, “Cutting is work.  Quilting is creating.”  Give your quilter more time to create with an Accuquilt.  Available in three sizes, the Go! Baby is intended for beginner or occasional quilters, while the Go! has many more die options and the Go! Big is an electric version.

Although the starter kits come with one or two cutting dies, your quilter will probably want more in the future.   Or, to put it another way, if you buy this for them then you already know what you can buy them for the next few birthday and Christmas presents!

Accuquilt Go! Baby fabric cutter starter set $199
Accuquilt Go! Fabric cutter starter set  $399
Accuquilt Go! Big Electric cutter starter set $699 

 

Look, I appreciate that you’ve no idea what these are or why they are so useful.  But here’s the thing…. WE ALL WANT ONE!

Design Walls 
Various sizes
$170-$240

 

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Hey, you’ve got fat quarters!

To anyone else this would sound like an insult, but to a quilter… *sigh!*

Quick and dirty lesson: a fat quarter is a large square of fabric.  They’re usually sold in bundles.  You could get a bundle of four for around $20 or a huge bundle of an entire fabric range for around $150.   Unless you know your quilter’s taste in fabric, it’s easy to make a wrong choice, but here are some safe (yet tasty!) options.

Solids

Your local fabric store may not be quite as large and fabulous as GJs Discount Fabrics here in Melbourne, but it will have at least a small range of solid colour fabrics, and you simply can’t go wrong with solids.  They’re like the spice market of the quilt fabric world!  Tell the staff your price range and ask them to put together a bundle of solids for you.

Low volume and text

I know you’re not going to have a clue what we’re on about here, but text and low volume fabric are big in the quilty world.  And, like solids, you can’t go wrong.  If solids are the spice, think of text and low volume as the salt and pepper!  Cotton Factory are known for their bundles of low volume and text fabrics – another fail-safe option that’ll bring a huge smile to your quilter’s face.

Prints

If you want something a little more exciting…

Clair is a whizz at putting together bundles of different fabrics.  Pick any one of her curated bundles and your quilty friend will think you’re a fabric genius!

Thread

And don’t even get us started on thread!  Close your eyes and point to any of the Aurifil thread options from Ms Midge, then sit back to enjoy the “ooooh”s and “ahhhh”s from your quilty friend.

Handmade fabric

Find out if there are any local makers who screen print fabric.  We’re lucky enough to have three right on our doorstep!  A little bundle of fabric from any of these makers would bring out all the squeals.

                      

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Read All About It!

Any one of the books on our Reading List blog post would make your quilter happy, but hands down our favourite book this year has to be Emma Jean Jansen’s By The Bundle.  Not only does it contain the most gorgeous patterns, but the photography is stunning!

 

By The Bundle 
Emma Jean Jansen
$44.95

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or for something a little different, we can’t recommend Blossom Heart Quilts DIY Block Design ebook enough!  It’s a godsend for those of us for whom maths is a challenge, and a huge inspiration for any quilter who would like to dabble in design.

 

 

 

Blossom Heart Quilts
DIY Block Design ebook
$20

 

 

 

 

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The gift that keeps on giving!

There’s nothing more exciting than receiving a package in the post!   A subscription is like giving your quilty pal lots of presents throughout the year!

 

 

It’s no secret we LOVE Make Modern magazine!  The beauty of a digital magazine is that, no matter where in the world your quilty friend is, this magazine will reach them.

6 month subscription $18
12 month subscription $35

 

 

 

Quilters can never have enough low volume or text fabric!  Cotton Factory have two subscription clubs that will deliver different text or low volume fabric to your quilty friend 6 times a year.

Cotton Factory Low Volume Fabric Club subscription 
$24 six times a year 

Cotton Factory Text Fabric Club subscription
$24 six times a year

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Give them the gift of another quilter! 

Every single quilter would love to send a quilt off to a longarm quilter at least once in their quilting lifetime.  Google longarm quilters to find one in your area and have a chat with them about getting a voucher.

Some of our favourite Aussie longarm quilters are…

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Support local makers!

There’s nothing that makers appreciate more than a handmade gift.  So why not support your local makers?  We’ve listed a few of our favourite Aussie ones below to inspire you, but you can find your own local makers at makers markets or online at Etsy or Made It.

 

 

Google or ask around to see if there is a local store that sells handmade items.  This is our local makers store, Far Fetched Designs, where we buy lots of gifts (including ones for ourselves!).

 

 

As well as Etsy and Made It, a lot of makers sell their handmade items via Facebook or Instagram.  These are beautifully made, often one-of-a-kind gifts.  Some of our favourites…

Gorgeous handmade wallets by Sherbet Stitches

One-of-a-kind vintage tin sewing kits by Ancienne Creations

Beautiful custom made bags by Twirl Girl Boutique

Sew together bags (every quilter wants at least one!) by Little Dot Dots

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Time to checkout

Hopefully that’s given you some good inspiration, and your credit card has already taken a battering with ordering lots of lovely goodies for the quilty person in your life.  But if not, there is one last, guaranteed failsafe option….

It may seem a little boring to give a gift card, but there’s always something we want or need from Spotlight!

Spotlight Gift Card
$10-$500

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All prices AUD.

We’re all about showcasing and supporting Australian designers and businesses here at Modern Makers.  Some of these stockists post internationally, but if not, simply Google the product name to find a local stockist.