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I started quilting in 2007 / 2008. My sisters bought me a small Singer Promise they found listed as a Black Friday deal from Target one year. That tiny little sewing machine was when much of my love for patchwork and quilting (and fabric!) started.
Since there wasn’t a heritage of quilting passed down in my family, I learned everything through reading blogs and sewing books. The blog world was definitely picking up speed around the time I was learning to quilt. I read EVERY SINGLE post by Allison of Cluck Cluck Sew and Camille from Thimble Blossoms.
As I kind of self taught myself to quilt, I gleaned so many bits and pieces from so many talented quilters. I talked with women who had quilted for many years. I browsed through fabrics online figuring out what was good quilting fabric and how much to pay for good fabric.
But I had never sat down at a sewing machine with someone who had quilted. I never had someone standing by my side showing me this and that as I maneuvered my way through each step of creating a quilt.
Looking back at the almost ten years I’ve been sewing, I think it would be have been helpful to have a bit of first hand instruction. Maybe a sewing class could have been good for me. Learning by myself is probably my favorite way to learn, but it definitely came with some frustrations and inadequacies that could have been avoided.
If a someone came to me and asked me some basic tips to start quilting, I believe these four are at the top of my list.
1. Learn to sew a perfect quarter inch seam allowance.
Almost all quilt patterns are written with a quarter of an inch seam allowance in mind. When you take two pieces of fabric and get ready to sew them together, you must sew them exactly a quarter of an inch away from the edge of the fabric.
For a long time, I thought that a quarter of an inch was the side of my presser foot. I used a standard presser foot that came with my sewing machine. (I use a Singer Quantum 9960.)
After attributing many many sloppy corners to my own imperfections, I finally threw aside my laziness and measured my seam allowance. Low and behold, it was bigger than a quarter of an inch.
I happily invested in a very inexpensive quarter inch foot for my sewing machine, and my life is forever changed.
Learning to nest my seams was another tip I wish I’d known long ago. For someone like me who really enjoys basic patchwork…just sewing with simple squares or other classic shapes…nesting my seams was essential.
I had seen the terminology of nesting seams thrown around in the quilting world, but I never understood what it mean. I figured it was some complicated trick I didn’t need to know since I was an elementary quilter.
The basic principle of ironing my seams one way for one row and then ironing them the opposite way for the next row forever changed my corners. When I go to sew my rows together, the corners nest or almost lock in with each other creating near perfect corners.
3. Buy high quality fabric.
I teach piano lessons a couple days a week. One tip I’ve always recommended to parents is to find a used piano for their children instead of buying a small keyboard. Keyboards are really hard to use for practicing piano. The keys are usually way too sensitive to the touch and it’s hard to make a keyboard sound as beautiful as a piano.
It’s going to be hard for the child to enjoy learning on a keyboard because it is so much more difficult to play than a piano.
I say the same for quilting fabric. It’s so much more difficult to sew a great quilt with fabric that has been poorly made. If I want to avoid puckers at the seams and bunches in the fabric and fraying edges, I need to invest in high quality fabric.
High quality quilting fabric, from my experience, is going to run at least $9.00 a yard unless it’s on sale.
Some of my favorite fabric shops to browse are:
Peony Pedal Quilts – great small shop with a bit of everything.
Fresh Modern Fabrics – large variety of fabrics with many prints.
Morgan Kelly Quilts – a great place for fabric bundles. Since she doesn’t carry a high selection of fabric, it’s a good shop to browse if you’re overwhelmed easily.
Sew Organic – excellent experience with customer service & all organic fabrics.
Kiwi Fabric – wide variety of many fabrics. Fast shipping.
Polka Dot Secrets – lots of florals and real pictures of the fabrics.
Take note that there are many great quilting shops where you can buy fabric by the fat quarter. This is a great size to buy when learning and figuring out what kinds of fabrics and prints you love most.
4. Cut your fabric accurately.
The more I quilt and the more I sew, the less lazy I am about the process. I’ve learned the consequences over and over again when I’m lazy. For example…a seam ripper is your best friend…not your enemy. You know what I mean? If I sew a sloppy seam and I know it, it’s best to rip it out immediately and do it again. If I try to just adjust here and there for a sloppy seam, soon I’m looking at larger imperfections in a quilt as a result of not ripping out that seam.
The same goes for cutting fabric. I need to press my fabric before cutting. I need to clear my sewing space before laying out my fabric for cutting the blocks. If I see my fabric growing less square, I need to re-square it. If I cut a wonky square, the best thing it so just re-square it or cut another.
I have learned that sewing with squares when my pattern calls for squares is better than sewing with wonky four sided figures. 🙂
Maybe you’ll chuckle at some of these tips that I didn’t learn until eight or nine years into my sewing career, but alas, I learned a few things the hard way. Maybe these tips can point you in the right direction if your are finding some inadequacies you’re wanting to correct in your quilts as well.
And if you have a tip that has forever changed your quilting for the better, please enlighten me in the comments!
Love all these comments. Learning more each day from experience of others and mistakes of my own making. Have made many tee-shirt quilts for grandchildren and always use iron- on pellon for stabilizer. If design on tee-shirt is larger than my 10” square, I let design flow onto adjacent squares. Makes an interesting visual point. Using QAYG for large quilts.
Your tips are absolutely accurate!
I am fortunate to sit next to my mom for her great quilting experience.
I’d like to add what I’ve learned.
A new fresh needle for every new quilt.
Sharp cutters when cutting material for a precise cut.
Quality thread!
😁
There was one thing that you guys didn’t address in all of your comments and that was thread. I have been using old or cheap thread, and the dust and the lint make me sneeze and cough. Also, the thread lint builds up and makes a knot and keeps breaking the thread, So, weight and quality of the thread is as important as the quality of the fabric. This print is so small and light colored!
Such great insight, Ruth. Thank you for thinking of that.
I’m just starting. Made my first gift baby quilt recently and still perfecting my technique. Great suggestions. Fortunately, I learned these pointers RIGHT AWAY!
After years of sewing and wondering why I struggled with rulers…..I discovered that there are left handed rulers!! If you’re left handed, invest in them!! It was a game changer!!!
So good to know!
Dang, I wish I had known that! I also struggle with rulers and I am left handed. Your post made me feel so much better. I’m not incompetent; I’m left handed! I just invested in a bunch of rulers for quilting wish I had known about left handed rulers. Thank you so much for posting this.
I’m left.handed and did not know that there are left handed rulers out there
Where would I look for them?
Hi Maryann, I only found one on Amazon … https://amzn.to/42cOANU … but I wonder if JoAnn Fabrics could be a better resource.
We’re did you find them, I am a lefty
Hi Kelli! Great tips, and I also learned the had way! I have a tip that took me a while to learn that I’d like to share: I was using my clear ruler to cut fabric, and even though I was (or so I thought) exact by cutting on the lines, some of my squares were still slightly off. As you know, this adds up and causes problems later. What I didn’t know was that you have to decide which part of the ruler “lines” you are going to use to measure since the lines on the ruler themselves are about 1/16 of an inch (side of line or middle). One I did this It helped my squares match up perfectly as I consistently measured from the same point. I didn’t think something so small could matter but it did!
I bought a sizzix (cuts fabric with different forms) and the different size square forms. Cuts perfect squares all the same size and you can cut squares in half the time.
That’s a great idea, which one did you get?
I learned somewhere to iron with a dry iron during the quilting process and high steam to block it when I’m done till it’s wet. Kay out flat to dry. It really helps to have a nice flat quilt.
I am just seeing this via pinterest. I have been quilting for over 50 years and I don’t bother with most of this. I saw an exhibit of African American quilts in the Studio Museum in Harlem in the 80s and seeing those beautiful exuberant quilts gave me permission to not be perfect about cutting and piecing. I use the best fabric I can, but I keep costs down because lots of it is reclaimed from worn out clothes or things from the thrift store. If nesting seams works out, I’ll do it, but I’m not really obsessive about it. If the corners don’t match exactly, bulkiness is a bit less of a problem. Some people may really get satisfaction from their seams and corners being perfect, but if it a stressor and not a joy, it is not important. The important thing is to enjoy creating.
Great insight Christine. Thanks for sharing some experienced thoughts!
Wow Christine! You have shared a great experience of yours which is precious I hope! Enjoying the craft work is the motto! I love your thought!
I absolutely love this comment & totally agree. I love quilting but only use fabric from charity stores – usually old duvet covers, sheets or curtains. Sometimes items of clothing if they have great colours or patterns. I cut my pieces as accurately as possible without getting stressed, I also sew my Seams as accurately as possible. I’m using a vintage hand crank Singer sewing machine which regularly has temper tantrums & decides to change the tension/stich length on a whim. It’s challenging but fun – I’m not too worried if the squares don’t quite match up perfectly or the corners are a bit vague – that’s what makes each quilt unique & made with more love than skill.
I totally agree ! Once I start getting frustrated it makes working on the quilt a chore not a joy. Then I always have a bad taste about that quilt and Don like the one hilt!
I have just started quilting and am making a set of patchwork, quilted placemats. I have already quilted them but need to cut them to size before adding the border edging. My worry is, will the quilting stitching unravel when I trim the mat as I will be cutting off the bits where I have backwards and forwards a few stitches to secure the ends. Any advice appreciated
Hi Linda, in my experience, the quilting won’t unravel right away. I’ve left many a project sitting and trimmed, and I come back to it later to add the border. Many sewing machines’ basic stitch is a lock stitch. This isn’t with all machines, but maybe it is with your’s. It prevents the stitch from unraveling. You could also consider running a stitch around the perimeter prior to trimming to secure the quilting too.
Thank you so much. The idea of stitching around the perimeter before trimming is a great one. I will definitely give that a go
No it won’t. If you’re worried about it, cut with pinking shears.
I love my pinking shears
Hi Linda,
I just made four placemats for my sisters for Christmas – two each.
I made a center block and added to borders on the sides. I did trim off 1″ on the ends so the placemats would not be too wide.
I found no problem with the stitching unraveling. I added a sheet for batting and then added a 3″ binding, just enough to show about a 1/4″ on the perimeter each side for color.
Good luck with your projects. Joanne from RI
Just found your site and love all the info! Do you need a walking foot for quilting ? I’ve been using a regular foot, but sometimes I do have a problem with the thick layers.
Hi Nancy. Good question. This ultimately depends on the machine, but I believe it is very common to use a walking foot when quilting. I used to sew on a Singer Quantum 9960, and I had to use a walking foot. It helped immensely. If you are experiencing trouble quilting through multiple layers…or especially seeing the machine pull the bottom fabric through much quicker, I think it’d be best for you to consider using a walking foot.
I recently bought a new Juki, and customer support specifically told me not to use a walking foot with this machine for quilting. I was surprised, but the gentleman was indeed correct that the quilting went much better without a walking foot.
I hope that is a bit helpful.
SUPER helpful writing—thanks! I’m self-taught and make basic 6-8” square quilts. My question has to do with lining up the rows—I have NEVER been able to match the squares perfectly and I’m very careful with my seam allowance. You mentioned buying a 1/4” foot, but I don’t understand what difference the seam allowance makes as long as it’s uniform. (Plus I make sure the “stretch” of the fabric is all going the same way when I sew squares together—I sew along the “unstretchy” side of the fabric.) Any pointers you can give would be appreciated! Thanks.
Hi Lorie, I have lots of thoughts. You are correct, though, that a quarter inch foot will not make a difference on quilts where ALL the blocks are the exact same size. If you are ever making a quilt using blocks of different sizes, you need a perfect quarter inch seam allowance. (as long as that’s what the pattern calls for…some, on rare occasions, will call for a different size allowance.)
One other advantage of a quarter inch foot is that some of them have a guide on the side that can increase accuracy too. Like I mentioned above, if you are, for example, sewing a quilt with ALL five inch squares, a uniform seam allowance is all that matters. But if you are, for example, sewing a quilt with 6 inch squares and 3 1/4 inch squares, you must use a 1/4 inch foot…otherwise your seams will not line up.
On that note, I would encourage you to embrace the imperfections in your quilts. No matter what you see on my blog or someone else’s blog, our quilts are not perfect. I lose the joy of quilting when I stress about every point lining up exactly right.
You will get better as you continue quilting, but you will never sew the “perfect” quilt.
You mentioned, though, that you’ve never been able to match the squares. Are the seams just a tad off…like a 16th of an inch? Or like a whole quarter inch off? If your seams are often more than an eighth of an inch off, maybe double check your math. Maybe there is a flaw in the pattern you are reading. Or maybe there is something that is missing. Because I agree…when NOTHING lines up, I’d be frustrated too.
They’re usually about a quarter inch off. And I’m not using any kind of pattern, I’m just making squares and sewing them together. Very basic. I really appreciate your answer!
And all your squares are the same size?
They are—I use a 6” wide cutting ruler after tearing them into 6” wide strips.
Hhhmmm Lorie. I’m just surprised your intersections are sometimes a whole quarter of an inch off. I truly hope over time you start to see the squares come together perfectly. Other things to consider is the quality of your fabric. Maybe consider using a ruler instead or tearing the first strip?? Could some of the fray be adding a variable? I’m just thinking out loud. I’m glad you are sticking with it and trying to learn!
Some people find it helpful to sew with a scant 1/4″ seam allowance. It’s just a thread width narrower than 1/4″. Pressing, not ironing also can make a big difference, and pinning your intersections together keeps seam allowances from sliding apart. one last thought; check the where you end your seam allowance. It’s easy to go a little narrower or wider as we approach the end, and this can change your seam allowance. Oh, one more suggestion. If one of your blocks or rows is slightly longer than the piece you’re attaching to it, keep the longer one on the bottom. When sewing, it’s typical for many machines to push the upper layer/piece as you’re stitching
I was having this trouble as well until I started doing two different things.
1) I started to press my seams open on my row before I would sew two rows together. I found this to cause less thickness and slide as it would go through my machine. Preventing skipping over those seam areas and making everything not line up.
2) When pinning my rows together to sew, I really found pinning all my seams together from row A and B first, and then pinning the rest helped alot. As you start the pin the rest you start to see where it puckers a bit and where you would have sewn it and caused that not to line up well. So i keep moving the fabric and pins until those seams are pinned together and all the fabric inbetween is smooth and set in place. I usually start in the middle when I do this.
And a sidenote, it could also be you are removing your pins too quick. Leaving too much leeway for your material to shift as it gets fed through.
It’s not the size of the seam, but the size of the finished square that has to line up. I found this tutorial helpful:
https://pin.it/1IRnKxe
I just found you as browning Pinterest. I enjoyed the article and the comments. I think I am doing ok as a new quilter in that I am reading, watching videos, and taking classes. All are worth the time investment.
Good to hear Nancy! I completely agree…all worth the time investment. It’s a joy!
I am also self-taught, but 20 years later I feel I have really nailed down some of those beginner errors (all of which I have made!). Here are a couple more that I think would be helpful:
– practice does make perfect, so if your square doesn’t square up do rip it out or make another. You can often incorporate these unused squares in the backing
– I always make my 1/2 squares larger than called for and trim them down after sewing – then they are perfect
– when using applique, make sure your background is at least 1/2″ larger than the finished size
– perfection isn’t necessary, but it is worth it for the sense of accomplishment when it all fits together!
– there are wonky quilt patterns out there and they are fabulous for playing with fabric
Wonderful tips. Thanks Judy!
Love your adventure … I just started quilting, even though I hate sewing. I was making masks from fabric donated by my community and could not get myself to throw away the little scraps. So saw a few You Tube video on how to make string squares … and I’m hooked … I use tissue paper to sew the strips but now found a 100% cotton bed sheet that I’ll try using instead of the tissue. Happy quilting.
Sounds like you’ve been inspired Marie! I’m glad you’re making use of those scraps. I hope the process is a joy to you!
Marie, can you please tell us what you mean by using tissue paper to sew strips of fabric? That’s new to me! Thanks.
I wish I could explain it better but you take a square of tissue paper and strips of different fabrics one strip at a time slightly longer than the area of the square you are sewing it to. I guess the easiest thing for you to do would be to go to Missouri Star Quilting and watch their video on Strip Quilting. Sorry wanted to help.
Belinda Brown, framing some scraps would be perfect for a bit of crazy quilting. Especially if you have any hair items or jewelry you could see onto it.
So sorry for your tragedy.
Enjoy this process.
Thanks, Penny, for offering another sweet suggestion.
Hi! My story is exactly the same, with the exception of buying my own sewing machine from Walmart! I started teaching myself through blogs and books about 10 yrs ago as well. I loved reading your post!
Hi Chris! Isn’t quilting such a blessing in our lives!? I’m so glad I learned how. 🙂
One thing that has helped me so much is a wool pressing mat and a tiny iron. I do love piecework and keeping the mat beside me so I press as I go. It’s faster and easier than constantly getting up and getting the ironing board and the big iron to iron little pieces. Hope this helps!
Good to know BJ! I’m sewing lots of triangles these days, and I get up and head to the ironing board after every seam. I’ve seen the wool pressing mats and small irons but have never looked into them. Since you’ve enjoyed the ease of them, I should consider one!
If you can’t afford the wool mat, I made a small ironing board using a wooden TV tray. Just cut a piece of batting along with any cotton fabric you have, use upholstery nailers to secure it. It fits perfectly beside your sewing table and perfect for small pieces. Not to mention, it folds right up to stash away when you’re finished.
Spot on!!! I would add that a good HOT iron is essential and that does NOT mean the most expensive! The Black n Decker basic iron (auto shut off!) is a Great little iron! As for quality fabric?…Pet the fabric…you can FEEL the difference! Plus, many local quilt shops like mine, give a discount (20%) on fabric & notions if you have purchased any machine from them!! That makes that $12 yd. fabric only $10!! Especially Great deal on licensed fabric such as collegiate themed…Marshall Univ. & Alabama Roll Tide,!!
Good Post, Kelli!
Jane Ellen
Great insight! Thank you Gmama Jane!
I’m kind of stuck. I’m new to quilting and it’s kind of a therapy for me.
I have made 100+ 6” blocks and like your articles some are wonky. Actually a lot are wonky! Lol! OMG! 🥲They are pieced 6” blocks. Any ideas on how to put them together?
I’m glad you are giving it a try Sherry! Embrace the imperfections and keep going. You’ll learn SO MUCH this time. The next quilt you make will go together so much better. For a bit of help, maybe read through the below posts:
https://www.thewillowmarket.com/a-throw-sized-quilt-made-with-five-inch-squares/
https://www.thewillowmarket.com/how-to-square-up-your-fabric-and-cut-perfect-patchwork-squares/
Could you make them 5.5 inch blocks? (just a thought …)
A tip I would add, from time to time diehard piecing quilters who strive for perfectly matched seams should improvise a quilt for the sheer joy of sewing and playing with colour
Great insight and inspiration Corrina! I bet I could learn a lot from creating an improvised quilt. It’s something I’ve never done before.
This was so much fun to read – I am exactly the same with self-taught sewing and love of squares and patchwork. And I just joined a quilting group and have learned amazing tips by sewing with other people. Thank you so much! And you have beautiful photos too.
Hi D! It’s inspiring to hear you’ve learned so much from sewing with other people. I really should seek out a group so I can learn from others who have experienced so much more than I have!
Loved the post but had a very hard time reading such light colored text. Perhaps, you might consider using black text font for those of us with older eyes. Thank you
Oh dear! Thanks for letting me know Esther! We didn’t intend it to be difficult to read.
Darker text would be so much better!
Thanks Mary! I just talked with my husband, and we are going to try to change it all to make it darker. I appreciate your feedback!
I definitely agree that you should use a darker font, I could barely read it. Other than that, your hints/ suggestions were very helpful.
Great tips! I just finished my first quilt through a Beginners Quilting class. I learned many things, but my favorite was probably chain piecing. I had started a quilt before this class and if I had been using that, I would’ve saved lots of time & thread!
Hi Kelly,
Great tips! I began my quilting journey in 1998. My first project – never one to shy away from a challenge – was an appliqué butterfly quilt and took me 6 months! I gifted it to my mother, and she puts it on her bed every winter. Since then I have made many, many quilts. I learned from a book. I’ve never had a quilting class or instruction from ANYONE (but I highly recommend taking one or more). I like to think I’m fairly accomplished but can always learn more. Thank you everyone for the great tips!!
Hi Cheryl, your butterfly quilt sounds beautiful…a labor of love and joy. 🙂 I agree with you. Even though I may feel ‘accomplished’ at times, I can always learn more. It’s a good encouragement for me to hear.
I am new to quilting and I am guilty of every single one of those mistakes. Thank you so much for the tips. I love your choice of fabric! Good article and very well written 🙂
Thanks Selina! I’m glad it was helpful for you. I feel like it’s taken me a long time to learn some simple things about quilting, but I’m enjoying the process. 🙂
Thank you for your tips , agree with all of them. I worked in a sewing factory for about ten years and it is so much different than sewing at home . I have been wanting to sew again but find it difficult to even get motivated. I’m not a young chicken either but I really want to sew. I figured something small like a wall hanging or maybe pot holders. Any suggestions you might have on getting motivated would be appreciated. Have a Blessed weekend.
Hi Miss Daisy! I can imagine that sewing in a career capacity for ten years could somewhat drain my desire to sew too. How would I suggest getting motivated? Yes, start small. Find a mini quilt pattern. Maybe something like one of these:
House by Thimble Blossoms
Stars by Woodberry Way
Apple by Pen and Paper Patterns
Maybe find a bit of new and fresh fabric. Browse through a smaller quilt shop so you aren’t overwhelmed at the endless options of fabric these days. Here are three of my favorite places to shop for fabric:
Sew Organic
Kiwi Fabric
Morgan Kelly Quilts
Maybe some of those suggestions will help. Keep your eyes on the end. Much of quilt making is a bit like running for me. Sometimes I have to push myself through the process, but boy does it feel good to finish a project!
Place mats are another small project to get you started. You can make one, two, or a whole set depending on your desire, or your table size. Since they are small you can do them all at the same time, doing one step for all, then moving on to the next step. Enjoy!
Wonderful idea Jan!
Table runners are another small project that I enjoy working on. You can make a table runner for every holiday. Also I keep a few made ahead hanging in my closet. I use them as gifts.
I’ve only ever made one table running in my entire sewing career! 🙂 Maybe it is time for another one! I love that you keep a few back to give as gifts.
Another small project is a quilt sq.,designed for a pillow project,
All you’d have to concentrate on is quilt block for front,
Stuffing and a plain back of material.
Hope this helps❤️
This is a great idea…making a few table runners ahead of time as gifts. Since tables vary in size, do you have a standard size you make for the gift table runners?
My first quilt was a ‘ split rail fence’ for my Dad. Dusty calicos, easy design and taught me how a bigger picture is formed from laying the block out. Advice? Dont get too wrapped up in PERFECTION unless you plan on being juried, it takes the fun out of quilting real quick.
I never thought to consider that I should be nesting my seams. I just barely started getting into sewing and quilting, so I was looking up some tips. I still need to find a good place to buy fabric. I’ll keep this tip in mind for the future.
Hi Skylar, nesting helped me so much with my alignment at the corners. Good job looking up some tips…I probably should have looked up more before I dived in to quilting. I had to learn a lot from my mistakes. Two of my favorite fabric shops are Kiwi Fabrics and Field and Cloth.
Good information for a beginner! I can relate to a few of them from back in the 70’s when I made my first quilt. Never use poor quality along with good quality fabric,as the poor will shrink and fade over time, Never use a sheet for the backing! Guilty! I didn’t know then about the nesting seams either, which is very helpful. But as far as the size of the seam, I always use Mary Ellen Hopkins saying of “use your own PPM’s”. That means Personal Private Measurements! In other words, if you use a 3/8″ foot that came with your machine (like I did!) or you use the 1/4″ foot that you can buy, use the same foot throughout your project and it will be fine!
Great reminder on the quilting foot Pixie! Consistency is key. 🙂
I would advise laying out all of your squares in the rows and columns until you get the look you want. Then pick them up left to right with the squares going on top of each other. Pin them together and Label the “pile” with Row 1, then go to the next row and label Row 2, etc. That way if you have to move it or put it away (like I do because I don’t have a dedicated sewing room) you can pick up right where you left off. Keep the labels on them until you start putting the rows together, then remove the label.
Love this Cathy! I have been known to leave my blocks arranged on the floor for an extended time. It does get cumbersome walking around them all the time and attempting to keep the children off the blocks. Thanks for the tip!
I started quilting two years ago – so still consider myself a beginner. I make patchwork lap quilts for the local VA hospital with my church sewing group. I design by laying my cut squares on my guest room bed as I choose and cut fabric for the quilt. Then – I take a picture with my phone of the completed layout design. Next, I stack the squares left to right, row by row. Pin and Label each row’s stack. Print the photo you took and label the rows on it. I refer to the photo as I sew my squares together, row by row. It’s easy and prevents any confusion!
Thanks, Carol, for your insight! It is stressful for me to stack rows together so I tend to leave them on our bedroom floor for weeks while I slowly make time to sew them together. Taking a picture is a great solution!
Hi Kelli. I am also a self taught quilter and one of the things that I found that helped me the most was using the right ruler. At the time I didn’t have all of the fancy quilting rulers and used only a regular 12in school ruler. But now that I do have and use all of my fancy quilting rulers I don’t know how I ever got along without them.
Great insight Jamie! I don’t have too many rulers yet. Maybe I should start researching a bit more to see if some additional ones would simplifying some parts of the process.
One of the best rulers I had discovered is by Quilters Select. They never slip or slide. Check out quiltersselect.com.
Great to know! I’ll have to look that one up.
I am very much a beginner and currently working on a tshirt quilt. Unfortunately my seams vary in size on the pieces front. My question is should I trim these seams? Should they be about the same size?
Thank you for this useful information. Nesting would have definitely been helpful.
Hi Leah, I’m a bit unsure what you mean by asking, ‘Should I trim the seams?’ If all your squares are the same size, you can choose the seam allowance as long as it’s the same through your entire quilt. Maybe ask your question a bit differently, and I’ll try to understand what you’re asking.
My tips are from many a skewed cut. Place the pinky of your non cutting hand over the edge of the ruler to hold it in place. Only cut a half to 3/4 yard, move up the hand holding the ruler by walking up the ruler with your fingers, and keep rotary cutter in place. Put your non cutting hand up the ruler with the pinky off the edge and continue the cut or step until you have reached your desired cut length. Secondly, I use a scrap piece of folded fabric about an inch square after folding, as a starter when sewing fabric pieces together. This prevents points or the beginning of your seam from being drawn into the needle hole. As I use my sewing machine for more than just piecing, I do not change the cover plate to a single hole. Lastly, have fun. Every mistake is an opportunity to learn, design or cover up with an appliqué. 🙂
Wonderful insight, Vicky! I didn’t know it was just more than me whose fabric would get pulled into the needle hole when sewing pieces together. I really thought it was a reflection of a lower grade sewing machine. Thanks for sharing a tip to rectify that for me! 🙂
Very good tips!!! I do the same things!!!!
Thank you for your tips. I just started quilting myself. I don’t have anyone to question regarding quilting so Pinterest is my go to for tips.
You’re very welcome Lisa! I learned how to sew off of Pinterest tutorials and quilt books too!
My husband just bought me the sewing machine I have been wanting for 2 years. My 30 year old machine gave up the ghost a few years ago. I have not sewn in several years but want to quilt. He got me a Brothers quilting sewing machine and I’m so very excited.
My delema is that I have never made a quilt before and the first one I want to make is really special so I just cant mess it up. We have a grand daughter that was kidnapped 5 years ago and I kept all of her clothes. She was nine so they are not baby clothes. I want to make a quilt out of her clothes. Having never made a quilt before I am so afraid of messing up the clothes. I dont know where to begin. I am finding lots of tips online and all of the ideas in these comments are really helping.
Do any of you have any ideas on what I need to do to get started with this quilt out of her clothes. I kind of dont want to cut them up but when I lay them out whole they just look a mess. I so badly want this to turn out nice. I have never made a quilt before and am lost. Any help would be so appreciated.
Hi Belinda, what a tragic story. 🙁 My goodness…that’s heart breaking.
As far as her clothes, I assume you will be using many different types of fabric. Some jersey, some t-shirts, some denim maybe. I’d ensure everything has been washed and dried since all the different mediums with shrink at different rates. Some of the fabrics, like t-shirt material, is really hard to sew with because it changes shape so easily. I’d recommend using interfacing on any fabrics that are slippery or shiny or silky. The interfacing with stabilize the fabric so it’s easier to work with.
Those would be my best tips. Good job reading around looking for expertise from others too!
The iron on paper backed interfacing is great for stabilizing fabric. I suggest you buy some cheap fabric at Walmart or the clearance aisle at JoAnns and do a test run start to finish to practice on before cutting up something so precious as clothes. Also, always have a sharp blade on your rotary cutter and a sharp needle in your machine. I use the discount coupons from JoAnns to stock up. And lastly, Missouri Star/Jenny Doan has lots of free videos for quilt ideas!
Belinda Brown~ Perhaps make a practice “lap quilt” out of some of your own clothes or kids clothes from a thrift store. Then you will get a feel for the best way to cut an item of clothing apart to get the most amount of fabric to use and sew together with out ruining your precious grand-daughter’s clothing. As Kelli noted some fabrics like t-shirts stretch and need to be stabilized. Take pictures of the clothing before cutting and during the process.
You could even take the scraps left over and sew strips together and frame it. Do several for other family members that would treasure it?
Good Luck! You can do it!
Great insight Debbe!
Belinda Brown, framing some scraps would be perfect for a bit of crazy quilting. Especially if you have any hair items or jewelry you could see onto it.
So sorry for your tragedy.
Enjoy this process.
I would NOT advise learning to quilt with those precious clothes. Start with a basic brick patchwork- a nice throw size for your couch. Once you get your confidence, be sure you read a lot on t-shirt quilts. Another approach if find an experience quilter and ask if you can apprentice with them. Best wishes. May you find some comfort in this journey.
Thanks for your insight Rebecca!
I’ve quilted for many years
I was also a member of a group that made teddy bears out of the clothes of deceased hospice patients. If I was going to make a quilt with clothes from your precious granddaughter I would not cut the clothes into pieces. I would make a basic quilt out of colors that go with the clothes. Then I would cut the front off of the clothing adding interfacing as needed. Applique the pieces to the quilt top. Quilt around them. There is no way you can mess up the clothes with this method. Sending prayers your way. Hope this suggestion helps.
Your idea for applique sounds beautiful! Thanks for your insight and tips Claudia!
I have been sewing for 70 years and just learned the proper way to use a seam ripper — with the ball end on the right side of fabric and seam. I was putting the sharp point down & would occasionally poke a hole in the fabric. Check out this tutorial — it makes the seam ripper work so much better. We are always learning new things. Love your web site. https://sewlicioushomedecor.com/using-a-seam-ripper-what-is-the-little-ball-for/
You didn’t mention pressing. I think it helps tremendously to press all the way through the process, it really compliments your attention to accurate seam widths and cutting accurately. Because even if you do cut accurate and you sew a perfect quarter inch, if you press wonky, it will shift everything and be just as frustrating and you will beat yourself up why it didn’t come out better when you did this two things well. Just my 2 cents.
Thanks, Cindy, for your insight! I agree that pressing is an essential part of quilting. I’ve had plenty of instances (learning the hard way!) where my pressing stretches my fabric, and knowing how to press well makes a huge difference.
I would like to add that changing your sewing machine needle regularly is also something new quilters should know. That and regular cleaning to keep the lint from building up and oiling will keep you machine running well.
Thank you, Lorelie, for your tip! So enlighten me! How often should I be changing my sewing needle? I usually change it before I start quilting on a new quilt. But I change it almost never in between. What are your thoughts?
Change your needle each time you start a new project. That way you won’t take a chance of messing up your fabric. Also, another tip I learned from a quilting friend is to starch before even cutting your fabric. If your fabric is already cut, then starch each piece. The benefit is your fabric won’t stretch as you sew and your seams are easier to nest together.
Jan, oh needles. I need to learn a lot more about needles. Thanks for the reminder! I change mine (usually) before a new big project, but I haven’t done enough research to know which needles are best for which project I’m doing. That’s something I should put on my list to learn more about!
I love to buy from QuiltedTwins.com. They have an enormous selection of name brands fabrics at amazing prices!
Take care of your machine! It’s what does your work for you. Every time I put in a new bobbin, I clean out all the fuzz and lint from inside. I retread the top as well. It has led to so many fewer jams and tension issues.
Shelly! Thanks for the reminder about taking care of our machines. I admit that I don’t know everything I should about taking care of my machine. I need to get through my owners manual to understand as much as I can!
I’ve been quilting for a while, but still learn new and important tips from others. Yours about quality fabrics is timely, as I’m sharing the joys of quilting with a dear friend with a multitude of questions. So thank you for putting into words what I have known, but couldn’t explain well. What line of fabrics is the strawberry collection at the start of your tips? And the line with the chicken wire and beautiful blues in the pillow? Thank you again.
Hi Jacki, I’m thankful the post was helpful. 🙂
The strawberries at the very top are from the Yours Truly line by Cotton and Steel. I found a few yards on Etsy: http://tidd.ly/3527695e
The chicken wire is a Bee Background by Lori Holt in honeycomb: http://tidd.ly/d1932ff5
The blues in the pillow were from a Dear Stella line called Positive: http://tidd.ly/eb7c5a82
Hopefully you can find some yardage you enjoy!
Loved your tips. I’m a new quilter and just said to myself yesterday “This little seam ripper is my new best friend.” I laughed when I read that here.
Hoping from reading your tips I won’t need it as much in the future!!
Ha Sherry! That seam ripper. It’s such a great little that I dislike so much! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, and I, too, hope to be using my seam ripper less and less as the days go by.
I have been sewing for 70 years and just learned the proper way to use a seam ripper — with the ball end on the right side of fabric and seam. I was putting the sharp point down & would occasionally poke a hole in the fabric. Check out this tutorial — it makes the seam ripper work so much better. We are always learning new things. Love your web site. https://sewlicioushomedecor.com/using-a-seam-ripper-what-is-the-little-ball-for/
Thanks, Patricia, for your tip! That seam ripper….I call it my enemy, but really, it should be my best friend. It allows me to un-do my mistakes! 🙂
Love your message, I have been a seamstress since age of 7, started on my neighbor’s pedal machine, however, have only done a few quilts. Had experienced quilters tell me too, early on, to only use good quality fabrics, as quilting is way too much of an investment in time not to come out with a top quality result. I would like input on two questions from more experience quilters : 1. To surge or not to surge? Do experienced quilters also pre wash & dry to pre-shrink?
Hi Bonnie! I completely agree about using high quality fabrics. The lower quality fabrics can get frustrating fast. Surge or not to surge? Since I don’t have a surger, I have never used one. Sometimes I wish I had one to finish the inside edges of my pillow covers, but I have managed just fine without one. Maybe get a second opinion on that since I don’t have insight.
Pre-wash? When I started quilting, I always pre-washed. I thought it was the right thing to do. Since then, I’ve drifted away from prewashing for the most part. I’ve only faced the consequences once with bleeding fabrics. Once learning that it wasn’t overly necessary, I started quilting without prewashing. I haven’t turned back.
I’m not sure if pre-washing affects how the fibers of a quilt draw close together after drying. I like a crinkly quilt. When all the fibers shrink together, is the quilt softer? Maybe. If everything is pre-shrunk and then sewn together, is the texture different? …just something I think about too regarding pre-washing / pre-shrinking.
For he sake of your sewing machine you should wash all fabrics before using(except dry clean only). The factories put a finish on the fabric so it looks fresh on the bolt. The finish puts ‘dust’ inside of your machine.
I had no idea! Thanks for the insight, Jean!
I am a mostly self taught quilter with some amazing tips from my husbands Grandmother who is incredibly skilled and experienced…I never pre wash my fabrics NEVER, to avoid bleeding Grandmama taught me to throw in a “Shout” color catcher and always wash on cold. Whenever I gift a quilt I typically gift a small box of these as well! Happy quilting everyone!
Gifting the color catchers is a great addition to a quilt! Maybe I should even consider including them with my pillow covers I sell from my Etsy Shop!
I agree with Erin, my Mother taught me at the age of 11 on her sewing machine which was a New Home brand of SewingMachines. I dont know if this brand is still available. The way she taught me was never prewash your expensive material. She was old fashioned and diluted vinegar on her old Maytag washer on delicate setting after her quilts, curtains, dresses, even my Bridesmaid Gowns, just everything she would sew. I middle her dearly.
I continue her way to this day with my quilts and other sewn projects that are not a stuffed toy or a thing of that nature.
I enjoy your Pinterest site and have learned so much for this 62 year old Grandmother.
Hi Jackie!
Yes, New Home/Janome is still being made! I have a New Home that I bought in 1992, one a few years old and computerized that my boyfriend bought me for my birthday and one little one I just got off facebook Marketplace, perfect for teaching a young person! I figure the original is so good, stick with what works! And the feet and bobbins are interchangeable!
I agree. I made two baby quilts in the past 4 months.
The first one I made was ok, but the second one was so much better. I took my time, cut out every 5” square correctly and let me tell you it made such a difference.
Also I agree with the fabric, you need good quality fabric. I usually buy mine at Shabby Fabric.
They come packaged so nicely in individual cellophane bags, so when you have a bit extra you can reuse the bage to store your fabric.
I’ll have to check out Shabby Fabric! I’ve never shopped with them before, and I’m always a fan of good customer service. Thanks for leaving your additional insight Rose!
I agree. I made two baby quilts in the past 4 months.
The first one I made was ok, but the second one was so much better. I took my time, cut out every 5” square correctly and let me tell you it made such a difference.
Also I agree with the fabric, you need good quality fabric. I usually buy mine at Shabby Fabric.
They come packaged so nicely in individual cellophane bags, so when you have a bit extra you can reuse the bage to store your fabric.
I am a beginning quilter and was hoping you could give me some tips on cutting straight. I have the little grippers on my ruler I am a fanatic about having the ruler straight, but it always seems to slid when I get toward or I seem to arch. Do you have any tips for me? Thanks
Carol
Hi Carol! I still have that same trouble sometimes! I have to remind myself to think, ‘push DOWN on the rotary cutter, not toward my ruler.’ If it’s any encouragement, I don’t have the trouble near as often now as I did when I was starting out. So I do believe it will get better with time and practice.
Carol, I used to have the same problem until watching the videos from Jordan Fabrics. She uses a barbell placed on the end of her ruler! While I haven’t done that, I discovered, I discovered that my large squirt bottle full of water achieves the same thing & finally my ruler no longer moves while I’m cutting! Has saved wasting my precious fabric & am a much happier quilter.
When I am cutting longer strips, I place a 5 pound weight at the far end of my ruler to keep it from slipping.
These are great points, but I think #3 is the most important. We put so much effort into our quilts; by using quality fabrics, our work will last much longer. I was in our new JoAnn store today and was sorry to see what poor quality most of their cottons are. Thank God I built up my stash over the past 30 years; I wasn’t always able to use it back in the day because I was busy homeschooling my four kids. But now that they’re on their own, I’m quilting up a storm using beautiful high-quality fabrics that are a joy to work with. Quilt-shop fabrics and quality vintage fabrics are the only way to go!
Thanks for sharing your insight Barbara! I’d agree that sewing with poor quality fabrics is so frustrating. It’s definitely worth the investment for me to purchase high quality quilting fabrics! 🙂
Love your articles! Silly question…how do you know if it’s high quality? Is it just the feel or you look for cotton /polyester? I have seen the section “quilting fabric” at Joann’s but don’t really know the difference?
Also what size needles do most of you use for quilting? I am putting together a flannel square quilt out of the flannel receiving blankets I made. I use a size 14 but that’s because I don’t know any different! Any suggestions?
And last question…why not use a bed sheet for the backing? Seems like it would make it super easy 😁. Thank you everyone for the great suggestions too!
Lisa
Hi Lisa, great questions. How do you know it’s high quality? The simplest answer is you’ll know once you start sewing with it. But I know that’s not helpful. High quality quilting fabric will not bunch as much when sewing. It will handle well and not feel like it’s hard to maneuver or slip around. Unless I find a great sale or am buying scraps, I expect to pay at least $9 per yard for good fabric. Much less than that, and I’d double check the quality.
You asked about the needles too. Is this for hand quilting or for your sewing machine?
Bed sheets, I think, are wonderful for backing quilts. I’d double check the fibers to ensure the backing will have a similar shrinkage rate as the cotton quilting fabric on the front. That’d be my only caution.
I hope some of those thoughts are helpful!
I tried to quilt with a cotton/polyester fabric years ago. Polyester slips and slides! I was very surprised at this and it turned out awful. Cotton is so much easier to use. I only know this now because I’m trying to learn quilting again at the age of 73. Age seems to be irrelevant as I quilted for the very first time last year. And it worked! I was quite shocked. And pleased.
On justgetitdonequilts on you tube there is an entire episode about needles. So many different types. The larger numbers are bigger needles,and each type of fabric and thread does best with a certain needle
So helpful to know. Thanks Kay!
Hobby Lobby have nice quality quilting fabrics. Connecting Threads, Crafty and Missouri Star Quilt Company are some of the online shops I buy from. All have nice fabrics.
Thanks Barbara for your recommendations! I’ve just recently been browsing the fabrics at Hobby Lobby more than usual. I agree they have some really nice ones there. I haven’t shopped the other stores, but I will have to check them out!