New to Quilting? Here’s a Helpful Guide for Beginner Quilters
If you’re new to quilting or curious to learn more about it, you’ve probably seen and heard about dozens and dozens of different quilting tools and wondered what you actually need to get started. I felt the same way when I first started and through trial and error and years of making quilts, I’ve learned which tools are actually necessary and which ones are just nice to have. For certain tools, I’ve also discovered some brand favorites over the years that I’ll share so you can start with the best tools from the beginning.
To help keep us organized, I’ve divided the tools into four groups, which also happen to correlate with the main steps involved in making a quilt:
Cutting
A self healing mat and rotary cutter are a must for accurate cutting. I recommend at least an 18″ x 24″ mat to easily cut yardage (keep in mind, it’s approximately 21″ tall when folded in half), but if you have the space, a 24″ x 36″ mat is even better. A reversible mat with a light side and dark side is also a major bonus. When cutting light fabrics, they show up really well on the dark side and the opposite is true when cutting dark fabrics.
The rotary cutter doesn’t need to be anything fancy, a 45mm blade and an easy to operate safety guard is all you need to get started. The smaller one pictured above is the very first one I got when I started quilting over 15 years ago and I still use it today! I added the larger 60mm one when I opened my fabric store because it could cut through more layers of fabric, but it isn’t necessary and I rarely use it when I’m cutting fabric for a quilt. As you can tell by the age of mine, this is a tool you’ll have forever and just need to buy replacement blades for as they dull. Olfa is a popular brand for the rotary cutter and blades, but I honestly think any will do as long as you’re comfortable operating the safety guard.
There are other styles of rotary cutters as well. For example, if you want to invest in something ergonomic, the Martelli is very popular. It might take some getting used to, but I’ve heard that once you do, you’ll never go back!
The other tool you’ll need for accurate cutting (and use alongside the rotary cutter and mat) is a ruler. My top three most used rulers (and must haves!) are the 8.5″ x 24″, 12.5″ square and 4.5 square. If I could only have three, these would be it. The 8.5″ x 24″ is the perfect size for cutting strips from yardage because it will extend over the folded edge and top selvedge so you can make one continuous cut. I use the 12.5″ square for squaring up larger quilt blocks, flying geese, and for sub-cutting WOF strips. The 4.5″ square is the perfect size for squaring up smaller quilt blocks like half square triangles or for smaller sub-cutting. I have used many different ruler brands over the years and found that I would reach for Creative Grids over anything else. I love that they have a bit of a grip on the backside to prevent sliding, have easy to see markings and I like the clean black and white color scheme. I have slowly replaced all my old rulers and buy only Creative Grids now. They also have a versatile selection of specialty rulers so there isn’t a block you can’t cut with one!
The last thing you’ll need for cutting fabric, is FABRIC! Selecting fabric is one of my favorite parts of quilting and one of the main reasons I opened a quilt shop. I love high quality, designer fabric and think it’s so important for quilting. It is generally easier to sew with and fabrics rarely bleed or fade wash after wash. Some of my favorite brands are Rifle Paper Co., Art Gallery Fabrics, and Ruby Star Society.
Nice to haves: Some additional tools that are helpful to have when cutting fabric are fabric scissors and a ruler grip. Fabric scissors won’t help with accurate cuts, but they are nice to have for making an initial cut in a large piece of fabric or cutting half yards into fat quarters. Smaller pieces are generally easier to cut and scissors are a quick way to get there. The ruler grip is also great when you’re making lots of cuts. It helps to quickly and easily move the ruler around for each cut while also keeping your fingers out of the way of your rotary blade. You can also move it from ruler to ruler so it can be very versatile.
Piecing
A sewing machine is an obvious one, but I wanted to share this particular machine because I think Juki is a great brand and comes with so many bells and whistles for the price point. You certainly don’t need a fancy machine to make beautiful quilts, but having a few nice features will help avoid frustration and keep you coming back to make more. Juki, in my opinion, nails this! Some of my favorite features of this machine include easy needle threading, independent bobbin winding and easy top loading, automatic thread cutting, ability to free motion quilt, and foot pedal controls. I’ve been sewing with a Juki for over 5 years now and have been so happy with it!
In order to use your sewing machine, you’ll of course you need needles and thread. A variety pack of needles is always a great idea if you plan to sew with different material, but my favorite for piecing are Microtex. They are very fine and sharp so they sew through most quilting material easily and without pulling. In terms of thread, I won’t use anything other than Aurifil. It’s the best quality so I would say grab a few neutral spools in 50wt and you’ll be able to use it for almost everything. I use this for bobbin thread and spool thread while piecing.
Unfortunately, mistakes happen with quilting and having a seam ripper is a necessity. They make many different kinds and it really is personal preference here, but most people like one that is sharp and easy to grip. I have always had a traditional one with an easy to hold handle until recently and it has worked great. Lately, I’ve been experimenting with a surgical style seam ripper and am starting to prefer it, but I think it might be best for more experienced quilters. It works best with well pressed seams and if you aren’t careful, you could accidentally cut your fabric instead of thread. But, I do find it to be much faster so would be great if you need to take apart a large amount of your quilt top.
Lastly, for piecing, it’s important to have a magnetic pin holder and sewing pins. I like that this pin holder is white and goes with anything, and the magnetic aspect makes it so easy to pick up and set down pins without worry since the magnet “grabs” them. But, if you want to add a pop of color to your sewing space, they come in every color you can imagine! I also love these magic pins for quilting because they are easy to grip and have an extra fine point, perfect for lining up seams and you can easily sew over them if you’re like me and don’t want to slow down to remove them as you go!
Nice to haves: Your sewing machine will come with a few basic feet and they will work great for piecing, however, I found having a quarter inch foot with a guide very helpful when I was starting out. The guide on the side helps achieve a more accurate seam allowance since you can run the edge of the fabric up against it and consistently feed the fabric pieces through. Another nice tool to have handy are small scissors for snipping threads. They aren’t necessary and fabric scissors or another sharp pair will do the trick, but these small ones are super convenient to leave near your machine and the small size makes it easier to snip those little bitty threads. They make many different types: pretty gold stork ones, small basic ones, or even spring loaded ones (my personal favorite!).
Pressing
I think starching fabric before cutting helps with more accurate piecing and my favorite combo to use is this fine mist spray bottle and best press! I usually dilute a third with water and lightly spray anytime I’m pressing. I find that this combo gets wrinkles out of yardage easily prior to cutting and creates flat seems when pressing during quilt top assembly.
Last, but not least, you need an iron and ironing board. You can use the same ones you already have for your clothes but, if you’re planning to make more than a few quilts, you’ll eventually want your very own dedicated quilting iron and ironing board. I started with a Rowenta iron and it worked so well for many years. I was eventually gifted one meant for quilters and have been spoiled by its auto lift feature, but it certainly isn’t necessary. I think important features to look for is one that heats up nice and hot, one that has a steam feature (also great for achieving super flat seams), and one with an auto off feature in case you get pulled away and forget to unplug it. Ma Tante quilting did a great review of two Reliable irons and the Maven, with its large capacity for steam, has me tempted, ha! In terms of an ironing board, a standard one is just fine but if you’re looking to get one dedicated to quilting, an extra wide one is super helpful or even a rectangular one would give more space for pressing since the pointed end isn’t necessary for quilting.
Nice to haves: A pressing mat that heats from both sides to help with flat seams and reduce time pressing. Wool mats are a popular choice for this. They work really well and come in a variety of sizes. I have a smaller, table top one I love and even had one custom made to fit on my ironing cabinet.
I have also recently discovered Miracle Ironing Board Cover and been testing it out. It works similarly to a wool mat but the material makes it possible to use steam, which I personally love for super flat seams. When you use steam with wool, it can eventually seep through so you’ll need to add something to protect the surface underneath (a silicone mat works great for this), and I find that it creates an odor I don’t love (think wet wool and you get the picture). Like wool, the Miracle Ironing Board Cover heats from both sides and helps the fabric get very hot, but doesn’t give you the wet wool odor.
Another tool that is nice to have for achieving flat seams is a tailors clapper. This is basically a piece of wood that you place on top of your seam after pressing and it helps trap the heat for a bit longer, essentially locking in that flat seam even after it cools. I find that a tailors clapper works great, but do add a little more time to the process so I don’t always use them (especially after discovering how effective the Miracle Ironing Board Cover is).
Quilting & Binding
If you plan to quilt your quilts yourself, a walking foot is a must! This one with a guide is even better so you can do less marking beforehand. A walking foot has feed dogs just like your sewing machine and they work together to evenly feed the layers of your quilt through the machine to prevent fabric shifting as you quilt. Your sewing machine might come with one, but they are often not the best quality. If you find it isn’t working well, you can easily swap it out for a better one, just make sure to get the correct shank (high or low) for your machine.
A Hera marker is so versatile for marking blocks or marking your quilting lines. It’s a plastic tool that you can use almost like a rotary cutter to create a subtle “dent” in your quilt top for creating quilting designs. Hera markers are great because they don’t require refills and won’t leave a permanent mark on your quilt. Every quilter needs one!
You’ll also need batting if you are quilting up your quilts at home. There are many different brands and types (cotton, wool, bamboo, etc.) so you’ll have to try a few and see what you like best. I’ve been working a lot with the 100% cotton from Warm and White and have really enjoyed it. I think it quilts up easily, drapes really well and the white color ensures it doesn’t distort the colors of your quilt top when you sandwich the layers together.
Nice to haves: I often use 50wt thread when I quilt because I have a lot of it and it’s already threaded, but if you want a more hand quilted look, I love to switch it out with 28wt thread so the stitches are more prominent. There are some tricks to this so I would say try it after you have a couple quilts under your belt.
Some other handy tools to have for binding are a ruler with a sliding marker and multipurpose sewing clips. The clips are great for folding over binding because they can fit more layers/hold thicker materials in place than a normal sewing pin. I use mine for so many other projects as well, so these are great to eventually have. The ruler is also a multipurpose tool to have but is especially handy for binding. You can set the slider to 1/4″ and mark your binding as you come to the corner of your quilt. Obviously, a ruler can do this as well which is why I say it’s “nice to have” but not a necessity.
If you’re new to quilting or interested in learning more about it, I hope you found this guide helpful and not overwhelming! I know it feels like a lot of tools to get started but I’m hoping that by breaking it down into the different phases of making a quilt, you can acquire the necessary tools as you get to each step. Please reach out with any questions or ways I can help you on your quilting journey and as always, happy creating!