10 Hacks That Make a Quilting Journey Easier From the Start

10 Tips That Make Quilting More Productive

Quilting can be a long, arduous process even though the final product is totally worth it. Beginning quilters need all the help they can get, so here are some hacks, tips and tricks to make your quilting journey easier from the get-go.

Chopsticks

Polished wood chopsticks easily slip around fabric without poking holes in anything. Use chopsticks to guide fabric under a presser foot and poke out any wayward corners.

Quilting Foot

Add a quilting foot to your sewing machine so you can see exactly where your 1/4-inch stitch goes. This tool keeps your patchwork pieces aligned properly.

LED Light

A clip-on LED light works wonders if you can’t see your sewing machine.

Sandpaper

Adhesive-backed sandpaper keeps your templates from slipping while you design them. This way, you don’t have to keep one hand on a corner to keep your material from sliding.

Fabric Cores

Get some fabric cores from your favorite quilt shop or fabric store. Fold up your quilt, and sandwich it between two of the cores. Keep the cores together with thick rubber bands as a way to transport your quilts safely in your vehicle.

Sharpen Your Pencils

Keep plenty of sharp pencils on hand for marking fabric. Once you get in a groove, you may not want to get up to sharpen the one pencil you have on hand. A sharp pencil line is much more accurate than a dull one.

Large Spools

Purchase large spools for your sewing machine. Quilting takes a lot of thread, and you don’t want to stop in the middle to switch out spools. Invest in larger spools so you can keep working.

Toe Separators

Toe separators used for pedicures also keep your bobbins separate. The form-fitting foam keeps them from unwinding.

Floor Tiles

Floor tiles make fantastic templates. Once you have everything in place, simply cut out your template and you’re ready for the next step.

Find Some Videos

If you have questions about a technique, there are plenty of how-to videos and tutorials on the internet. See [this page] to get some more beginner tips as you start your quilting journey.