Want to quilt but not sure what you absolutely need? Are you interested in quilting but don’t want to spend a ton of money to get started? This is the article for you.
When you are a beginner you really don’t know what you need and don’t need in the quilting world. There are so many tools that if you bought everything everyone recommended you might not have a retirement.
We will go over the list of tools you absolutely need to dip your toe into the quilting waters. Here is my basic list of tools for someone that is trying to decide if quilting is for them.
These items are ones that I use and believe in (if the exact item is no longer available I have tracked down a similar item). There are some affiliate links in this post. If you decide to click one and make a purchase I might receive a small commission based on the purchase. This supports my corner of the inter web which will keep this blog ad-free. Thank you!
The Sewing machine is going to be your biggest expense to get into the quilting/sewing world. The machine that I have recommended for years is no longer available. I have done some reading and have found the closest machine to the one that I highly recommend for beginners. This new machine is the Brother CS 7000X.
This machine ticks off a lot of things that are so helpful for a beginner but don’t burn a big hole in your pocket. The number one benefit is that it is a computerized machine. This alone is helpful for so many reasons.
Beginners can have a hard time remembering to put the presser foot down before sewing. It won’t sew at all if the presser foot isn’t in the down position. It also comes with adjustable speed control so no matter how hard you push on the foot pedal it won’t go any faster than the speed you set it to.
These two features alone are invaluable for a beginner. It will take out a lot of the frustration that can happen when learning a new skill like sewing.
Self-Healing Cutting Mat
A cutting mat is an essential tool that you can’t live without if you plan on quilting. The cutting mat is what you will use to cut all of your fabric.
You can find cutting mats online however, a cutting mat needs to be left 100% flat during transport. Since this is not a guarantee I recommend purchasing a self-healing rotary mat at your local quilt shop.
The rotary cutter has changed the way we quilt. I can’t imagine having to go back and use scissors and cardboard templates in order to cut my fabric. Thankfully no more!
There are many types of rotary cutters and sizes of rotary cutters. The most common size is 45mm. Outside of this you just need to decide what fits comfortably in your hand. I recommend the Olfa Splash for all of my cutting needs.
Rotary Cutting Rulers
This is another must-have especially if you are also getting the mat and rotary to go with it. You will need just two sizes to get started. After that, you can purchase more rulers as needed. The 6” x 12” ruler and the 6” x 24” ruler with Omnigrid Brand.
There are also many types of rulers on the market. When I first started quilting I had purchased the Omni Grid rulers in the above sizes. I now have the Creative Grids rulers. This purchase all comes down to if you can easily read the rulers.
I have personally found that the yellow in the Omni Grid rulers was harder to see than the Creative Grids rulers. Plus the non-slip grips on the back of the Creative Grids rulers won me over. This is what I have now. I have linked the cheaper Omnigrid rulers above. Now I will link the Creative Grids 6 1/2″ x 12 1/2″ ruler and 8 1/2″ x 24 1/2″ ruler here.
Thread
The main point to remember on the thread is that you want a 100% cotton thread. Thread is what binds your entire quilt together. If you buy a cheaper thread that comes apart by a simple tug that is what will happen over time when the quilt gets sent through the washer and dryer.
The weight of the thread will determine how thick or thin the thread is. 50 weight is a good overall piecing weight.
My personal favorite is Aurifil thread. However, any thread will do as long as you keep the above-mentioned in mind. Again, I will list two thread options below for you to decide.
Pins are immensely helpful because they will help you while you sew your fabrics together. I can’t imagine not sewing with pins.
I could geek out about pins as well but I will save that for a later date. The basic pin recommendation is the glass head pins.
Pincushion
Pincushions are handy and this more comes down to your style of quilting. Although I guess I could geek out on that one too…. Anyway have a pincushion on hand so you don’t find those lovely straight pins you just purchased ending up in the bottom of your foot.
Your local quilt shop will have some cute selections on pincushions. I recommend heading there and picking out your favorite one.
Small Snips
A pair of small snips or scissors are great for snipping off the small threads from quilt blocks. These snips are only used to cut thread. I mainly use mine to snip apart the thread chain that is created when I sew one block after another.
The scissors need to be small and not used for anything other than thread. You want these snips to feel good in your hand. So take a look at your local quilt shop to know which one is best for you.
Marking Tool
Water and heat erasable pens are used when you have to draw a line on the back of the fabric and sew either on or a 1/4” away from the line. You do this more often than you would think in quilting so you need one sooner rather than later.
I personally love the heat-erasable Frixion Pen. It erases with just the heat of your iron and it is cheaper than the water-erasable pen. So this one is a win-win.
Basting Spray or Pins
The basting pins or spray is a must-have tool if you plan on doing the actual quilting of your quilt sandwich. The cost all depends on what you want to do. I highly recommend going to the local quilt shop to take a look at what you need.
The pins are great because they are reusable. However, they can be time-consuming to put in and take out. The basting spray is quick but you will be continually purchasing this item to make your quilt sandwich.
Talking to your local quilt shop might give you an idea of what you want. You also might entirely skip this purchase if you decide early that you want nothing to do with the quilting aspect of your quilt top.
If that is the case skip this step and take your finished quilt tops to a local longarm quilter who will give you an idea of the cost of their quilting services.
Fabric
The best part of quilting is the fabric. I have gone back and forth on the idea of starting out with cheap fabric versus quality quilting fabric. On one hand, with cheap fabric, you can work out the fact that your sewing isn’t perfect without stress or at least the stress of “wasting” fabric. On the other hand, your quilt project will wear out much faster.
As of the writing of this blog post, I still recommend beginner quilters to purchase the cheaper chain store fabric. I give this advice because you can make many mistakes with the least amount of financial consequences.
I personally will never go back to chain store quilting fabric ever again. However, for beginners, the cheaper fabric is one less stressful thing to worry about.
Now you are ready to purchase your supplies to start your quilting journey. Go slow and don’t worry. Your quilting and sewing skills will improve with time.
