Seven Important Tips for Beginner Quilters

Quilting can seem like a daunting task, but the end result makes it well worth it. Whether you’ve been a crafter for a while or is this your first step into the crafting world, take a look at these tips for beginner quilters. You’ll be on your way to a quilted masterpiece in no time!

Buy Enough Fabric (and Don’t Mix!)

One of the biggest mistakes new quilters make is to run short on fabric. When you start your first project, too much fabric is better than not enough. You don’t want to have to run back to the store or order more online. Most quilting books estimate how much fabric you’ll need for a certain project, but when it comes to fabric amounts, it’s still better safe than sorry. You also need to make sure you don’t mix and match fabrics for your first quilt—it will add more stress than you need!

Start Small

Our most important tip for beginner quilters is to start small. Don’t try to make a queen-size quilt on your first go-around, and don’t make your first quilt as a gift. You’ll inevitably make mistakes along the way, so you don’t want to take on too big of a project to start. We suggest beginning with something sized around 40”x60” for your first project.

Make Some Space

Having enough space is essential to creating a successful quilt. The more space you have, the less you’ll stress about shifting pieces around and keeping your lines straight. That said, you don’t need a whole floor, especially since your first project should be smaller. You need at least a tabletop to fit your cutting mat and some floor space to lay out the quilt.

Prewash Your Fabric

Another error a lot of beginner quilters tend to make is not prewashing the fabric. It’s tempting to just get started right away on your product, but if you don’t prewash, you risk the colors running together. This is one of the most important steps to take before beginning a new quilt, unless you’re using fabrics such as silk.

Measure Twice, Cut Once

If you have the right Canada quilting tools, you’ll be that much closer to a stress-free quilting session. That said, you may still make mistakes even with the right tools, so make sure to measure fabrics at least twice before cutting them. This will keep you from having to start over and cut fabric out more than once.

Use a Consistent Seam Allowance

The seam allowance is the area between the fabric edge and the line of stitches. It can range from 1/4” to several inches wide. When you’re taking on your first quilting project, make sure you stay consistent with the seam allowance; otherwise, you’ll have an uneven quilt pattern.

Take Your Time

Finally, make sure to take your time! If you rush through a quilt, you’ll notice it. Quilting isn’t a race, so don’t put yourself under any pressure to complete your quilt by a specific date. When you’re first starting out, quilting will be time-consuming, but in the best way possible. Take your time and enjoy the relaxing experience.