Quilting gloves have evolved over the past couple of years. It you've used them before and stopped, it's worth another try if you need some extra help gripping the quilt.
Machingers
This is my well-used pair of Machingers. They do get dingy looking with use.
If you're going to use gloves, these are my favorites at about $8.00 a pair.
The gloves are thin, light weight and they breathe. No more sweaty hands. The finger tips have been dipped in a substance that helps grab the quilt sandwich but doesn't stick to your thread tails. This is a vast improvement over previous quilting gloves.
As you use these gloves, they tend to get dingy looking. I've never seen a pair stay bright white after use. However, Machingers can be hand washed in cool water with a mild detergent.
General Quilting or Garden Gloves
The first version of quilting gloves I ever used were thicker and coarser than the Machingers. You'll find these gloves in the quilt stores for up to about $8.00 a pair. Cheap garden gloves go for as little as $1.00 in the drug store, but you get what you pay for.
The palms and undersides of the fingers are covered with small plastic-like dots to help grip the fabric.
The problem is thread tails tend to stick to these dots. It's annoying when you are in the middle of quilting. (Think toilet-paper-on-your-shoe annoying.) If you change threads or have lots of starts and stops, and want to use gloves, try Machingers first.
Now if gloves aren't your thing, may we suggest...
The Quilt Halo is an red, weighted, slightly tacky, PVC-coated metal ring designed by Sharon Schamber, an award winning quilter.
Place it on top of your quilt sandwich, and slide both underneath the needle of your machine. The coating on the ring will help to grip the quilt sandwich making it easier to control as you move the quilt sandwich.
At $24.95 retail, the Halo is the most expensive of the alternatives to help you control the quilt.
While in Paducah, we watched several demonstrations with the Halo and noticed an interesting thing. Several of the demonstrators were using two Halos stacked together to quilt. (The coating has enough stick to keep the two hoops together by friction.)
We asked why and were told they liked it better with two.
Because of the price, if you are considering the Halo, see if you can borrow someone's and try it out for yourself.
Our recommendations...
Try the Neutrogena first, then Machingers, common garden or quilting gloves and finally the Halo in that order.
