Quilting for Beginners

GO! Smart Start Dies are 11 essential AccuQuilt dies chosen for everyday value - the best way to start cutting fabric with GO!. Squares, strips, circles, hexagons and more.

Quilting is an art form passed down for generations, combining creativity, skill and patience to create stunning works of fabric art. If you're new to quilting, it can feel a little overwhelming at first; there are so many tools, techniques and fabrics to choose from! But don’t worry. With the right tools and a bit of guidance, you’ll be on your way to stitching up beautiful quilts in no time.

You have likely had a lot of questions throughout your learning process as a beginner quilter. Now that you have finished sewing your project together, you have more questions about what type of batting you should get to give your work that polished look.

In case you don’t know, batting is the layer of material between your completed quilt top and backing. Selecting the right batting has major effects on the way your finished quilt looks, feels and ages. Let’s look at the features of batting to simplify your shopping trip and help you get the confidence to finish that project!

Have you ever wondered why some quilts come out so beautifully? Why some seams are perfectly aligned, and all pieces match up, while others are puckered or just seem…off? Chances are it’s all in the pressing. AccuQuilt has some tips to help you, after you've cut all those perfectly accurate pieces with your AccuQuilt Fabric Cutter.

A sewing machine is an essential part of the quilting process, so you’ll need to know the types of things to look for when purchasing a sewing machine as well as how to thread it and wind a bobbin properly. But the important thing to know as it relates to quilting is how to sew a perfect ¼” seam. Sewing a consistent ¼” seam is the most critical element in making sure your quilt top comes together nicely because if that seam is off, your entire quilt will be crooked.

As you begin your quilting journey using AccuQuilt fabric cutters and fabric-cutting dies, you’ll need a few classic shapes to get you started. In addition, a Block on Board™ (BOB™) and appliqué die are also must-have dies as you build your collection.

Quilting for beginners will be much more joyful if adding a fabric cutter to your growing quilting supplies. Cutting fabric is typically the least favorite part of quilting, so the amount of time you’ll save on cutting it with our fabric cutters is significant. Our fabric cutters are 90 percent faster than rotary cutters and scissors, thereby reducing hand and arm strain. So, we mean it when we say, “Cut time, so you can quilt more.” It really is just that simple.

Whether you’re in the “quilting for beginners” category or a more advanced one, it is important to know how to use a rotary fabric cutter. Even if you have an AccuQuilt fabric cutter, you will occasionally use a rotary cutter to pre-cut larger pieces of fabric to fit onto your dies. To see how much fabric you'll need to pre-cut for each die shape, check out our handy downloadable GO! Fabric Reference Chart.

Quilting for beginners doesn’t have to be overwhelming, especially when it comes to selecting fabric. Part of the fun in making a quilt is shopping for fabric, so enjoy yourself and your first fabric purchase. If you’ve never been in a quilt shop, we suggest you get acquainted with the store first. Perhaps just look at the fabric the first time you go. Then you should feel the good quality fabric and compare it to fabric with a lower thread count. It’s really the same concept when it comes to your bed sheets or clothes. More expensive clothes tend to not only look better, but they feel better to the touch. As for sheets, well we all know what a thrill it is to sleep in wonderful, high quality cotton sheets. If you don’t, you’re missing out!

Hi everyone, my name is Connie Kresin Campbell, from the blog Freemotion by the River and I am back again as a guest blogger on the AccuQuilt blog. I have this cute little pillow to share with you.

Hello quilters and fellow sewing enthusiasts! My name is Belinda and I am back as guest writer on the AccuQuilt Blog. For those of you that are unfamiliar with my work,  I'm a quilting and needlework designer, creator, finisher, and teacher (and the author of the Samplings from a Blue Ribbon Girl blog)...and lucky enough to design projects and create quilt samples for AccuQuilt.