SCISSORS:
     Gingher™ 8” Featherweight Dressmaker’s Shears (G-NS-2) - They weigh only two ounces, yet cut with the famed Gingher ease. Much easier on the hands!

      Second Favorite – Fiskars® Softouch® 8 inch Dressmaker’sShears. I love the reverse handle action, though it takes some getting used to. Sure saves hand fatigue!

      Best Fine Point or Thread Snips - Fiskars® Softouch® Microtip® Scissors – These scissors have the finest, most accurate tip I’ve ever found. I have several pair, and love the reverse handle action. It took a while to get used to, but was worth it. These are my favorite thread nips, though you can snip your quilt if you’re not careful, they are so sharp. Plus, they have a lifetime warranty, so if the spring ever gets sprung, or anything else goes wrong with them, they are replaced! I purchase when the chain stores have half off scissors, but have also gotten them at Wal-Mart in a pinch.

       Second favorite – Dritz® Glass Head Pins – slightly lesser in quality, but I get them at half off notion or quilt notion sales, which makes them a great deal.

       The fatter shaft of "Quilter's Pins" are good to use when you are trying to ease in fabric to make seams match.

THREAD:
      Bottom Line® Thread – made by Superior, a 60 weight thread that is wonderful for hand appliqué and for machine quilting. Although it is a polyester thread, I love working with it. My favorite source is http://www.sewthankful.com

      Cast Iron Cone Thread Stand – from Clotilde. This is such a nice, heavy, stable stand. I use a lot of cone thread, and this stand doesn’t tip over or tumble over like the plastic ones tend to do. (http://www.clotilde.com, item #287925).

      Cone Threads – I like Maxi-Lock and Venus cone threads best, but am starting to get more and more hooked on the Bottom Line® thread. These three are the least lint producing cone threads of all the ones I’ve tried. Maxi-Lock is a good deal when Joann Fabrics has half off all threads, or Hancocks has half off notions.

ROTARY TOOLS:
      Martelli® Rotary Cutter – very hand, wrist and ergo-friendly. The 60mm is my favorite.

      Second favorite - Fiskar's® Rotary Cutters - I find these much easier on my hand and wrist than the straight shaped cutters.

      June Tailor® Cutting Mats – (Grey with white lines) I prefer these over the green brand mats as it seems my rotary blades don’t dull as quickly, and if they get warped in storage or heat, they flatten out much easier with just a bit of books stacked on it. (Or put it between the mattress and box springs and sleep on it). Another great deal when quilt notions are half off at Joann Fabrics or notions are half off at Hancock Fabrics.

ROTARY BLADES: – buy these in bulk!
(Be aware the large Fiskar cutter is 65mm, not 60mm)
       http://www.sewingpalace.com/blades/(45mm)
      http://www.stitchncraftsupply.com/
      http://www.houseofhanson.com/lpsharp.html exchange/new blades. Good explanation, generic blades.
      http://www.martellinotions.com/ (show special pricing available).

MISCELLANEOUS:
      Dritz® Heavy Duty Template Plastic – a heavy clear frosted plastic you can cut with scissors. Comes in 12x18 sheets at chain fabric stores, and is also half off when quilt notions or notions are. You can trace around cut shapes repeatedly without affecting the edge of your template.

      Nimble Thimble® - a leather thimble with a metal coin type tip beneath the leather. The first thimble I can actually wear! Another quilt notion at Joann Fabrics or notion at Hancock Fabrics that is a super deal when they are half off.

      Clover® flat Seam Ripper – won’t roll off the table, and the nice flat handle holds nicely in the hand. It is also easy to drill a small hole in the end to put string or ball-chain through to attach it to your sewing table or hang around your neck.

SEWING MACHINE NEEDLES: – buy these in bulk! I use Schmetz® in most of my machines, and Orange® or Organ® in two older machines. You can get great prices on bulk needles at the following sites:
      http://www.discountembroiderysupp.com/best prices and variety; free shipping.
      http://www.ruthiesnotions.com/notionsmenu.htm
      http://www.sewingsupplywarehouse.com
      http://www.kapres.com/($2 shipping, and packaged for sharing)
      http://www.denverfabrics.com/
      http://www.southstarsupply.com(no Schmetz® $25 min. order or small additional fee)
      http://sewingmachinestore.com/products/abc0610.html
      http://www.sewingmachineoutlet.com/organ.htm(free shipping).

BATTING: Possible sources for batting include:
      Hancock's of Paducah - great prices on cases of batting.
      Connecting Threads.
      Batt Mart.
      Hickory Hill Quilts/Quilt Bus

I tend to use all cotton batting or wool batting. The wool batting (Hobbs) I get at half off at either Hobby Lobby or Joann Fabrics when they have the half off sale.

One other note - I have noticed that http://www.joann.com has warm & natural by the roll for less than in their stores, so when it is half off online you save even more than you do when it is half off in the stores (It is approx.$40 in additional savings as of 7/05).

SALES:
I wait for half off sales on notions, thread, etc. to buy locally and support local merchants. I shop on-line for the best prices on battings and other high dollar items as well so my dollars will go further. I firmly believe in supporting local quilt shops if your budget allows it. Hancock Fabrics chain store and Joann Fabrics chain stores have regular sales several times a year (usually around holidays). At Hancock Fabrics half off notions includes thread, quilting tools, zippers, rotary tools, velcro, buttons, and many other items they lump in to their notions category. Joann Fabrics tends to separate things much more, so being signed up for on-line or snail mail notices is more important, as they divide things into thread, bindings/tapes, quilt notions, regular notions, rotary blades, scissors, etc. Also, each of these chains carry some items the other does not. (For instance Hancocks carries the circle cutter that holds the fabric flat, Joann's carries an Olfa version that is used differently).