Susan Carlson Fabric Collage Toolkit

SCISSORS

I prefer these "pelican" bladed applique scissors from Gingher. Honestly, I haven't tried other brands. These are the first scissors I turn to for cutting around the printed designs in fabric as I find them very maneuverable and they allow me to cut very fine and clean. For a demonstration of me using these scissors in three different ways, see my blog post "Running with Pelicans: Scissors for Fabric Collage."

Note: Unfortunately, last I checked, Gingher did not make a left-handed version of this model. At least one user has recommended Quilters Select Wave Appliqué Scissors, available here.

GLUE

For over 25 years now, I have used the Original Aleene's Tacky Glue for my fabric collage quilts. It's non-toxic and dries clear and flexible—not stiff as some other white glues are meant to do. I also feel is has the right consistency for fabric collage—not too runny, not too thick—just right. For more on glue read my blog post "Why Glue?"

PURPLE THANG

I use my fingers to apply glue—mostly 'cause I always know where they are. However, for those who prefer to keep their fingers clean—or may have trouble getting the glue to the right spot—my students have found Purple Thangs effective. Aside from their amusing name, this tool is meant to be a stiletto and a 1/4 inch measuring tool, but it also works great as a glue applicator. Of course, you can also use coffee stirrers, toothpicks, and so on.

TRACING PAPER (VELLUM)

Not all tracing paper is created equal. From way back in my college days, I've used tracing vellum for sketching and designing. It has a nicely textured yet smooth surface that takes a nice sharp pencil line, and erases easily too for those minor (or major) adjustments. I use vellum when I make tracings from photos which I then enlarge to my final image size. Read about creating your own traced design in this blog post "Making a Pattern for Fabric Collage."

MECHANICAL PENCIL

A nice sharp point on a plain ol' pencil gives the best line when tracing your image onto tracing paper—a mechanical pencil means you don't have to keep sharpening it. After using different brands of mechanical pencils through the years, I've settled on this maker as my favorite. You wouldn't think there'd be a difference, but somehow there is.

I much prefer a pencil line to an ultra-fine marker line. First of all, a pencil gives a thinner line than a marker does, creating a better and more accurate tracing, essential if you're dealing with details such as facial features on person or creature. Second, you can erase a pencil line to alter your drawing. And third, when the drawing is eventually enlarged, the thinner pencil line is more "readable" than an enlarged marker line is.

ERASER

Eventually, I wear out the erasers on the end of my pencils before the lead runs out. If you're the same, here's an eraser I particularly like—it does a nice and neat job.

LIGHT BOX

There are different options for tracing your image onto tracing paper—a glass tabletop with a lamp underneath or maybe a nice bright window—but nothing beats the convenience of a light box. I myself have a home-made light box from the last couple decades of the previous century—it does what I need it to do but it's a bit elephantine in both size and weight. I looked into the portable LED light boxes now available—it's a new world out there folks (they're more like a sheet of lit acrylic than a "box"), with many seemingly feather-weight choices available.

I picked this particular one to try because an electrical adapter is included in the package (a convenience, others have a USB plug only), plus it has a slide on clamp to keep the tracing paper aligned with the photo (another convenience, tape works too), and finally, it had good reviews for the bit of plug extension that comes off the light box itself (apparently it's a connection that can wear out easily on other models—I'll take their word for it). I gave it a try and it works for me. It's only a 9 x 13 inch surface, but it fits the size of the tracing paper I use. Some of you may find a larger size more convenient for what you do and how you work.

"SHARPIE" MARKER

Eventually in the design process there is a time and place for a nice permanent marker, and that's when you're ready to transfer your pattern onto your foundation fabric. I suggest a permanent marker to prevent unfortunate bleed-through incidents when water may be used to loosen errant glue or to smooth a piece of fabric. I also suggest the regular sized (but labeled as "fine-point"—which seems confusing to me) Sharpie marker to create a nice definitive line as a guide to work from.

BURNISHING TOOL (AKA Safety Pin Closer-Upper)

In my college days, a burnishing tool was a necessity in graphic design classes. Years later, in desperation to save wear and tear on my fingernails, I realized I could re-purpose it to close the safety pins I use to baste my quilts prior to quilting. I hook the curved point under the tips of the safety pins to pull them up into the socket. I demonstrate how I use this tool in my blog post "Free-Motion Quilting on Fabric Collage Quilts."

PROPORTION WHEEL

A proportion wheel is a tool to figure percentages in either enlarging or reducing something. In my case, I use it figure out what percentage is needed to enlarge my original traced image to create the final desired size of my pattern. My proportion wheel is yet another hold-over from my college years and I take pleasure in still using it. You can also figure out enlargement percentages using a math formula, but you'll have to look that one up yourself. Or, I'm told, there's an app for that. Or, you can just tell your copy center person what final size you need and let them figure it out. So, this tool is not necessary for most people, but students ask when they see me using it, so here it is. Besides, it is kind of fun to use.