Beginner Quilting Supplies

This is so exciting that you're reading this because that means you're looking to start quilting! My goal at Peach + Honey Stitchery is to build a helpful space where people can come and find advice and resources to start quilting. I want inspire the next generation of quilters who will carry this tradition on. I've compiled a list of what I've found really helpful as a new quilter and want to share it with you.

If you'd like a printable checklist, I'm working on this and will have it in PDF form soon. 

I've created this list with links to the products for easy ordering, photos, and the reasons why you will need these products as you get into your quilting journey. This page does contain affiliate links which means I will get a small amount of commission for purchases made through links in this post. 

1. Seam Ripper: This will be your new best friend as you're learning how to quilt. Take the time and fix your mistakes as it's always worth it for the end result. This nifty little kit comes with a steam ripper and a small pair of scissors to trim any extra thread. 

Why you need this: You're going to make mistakes. Even experts do. This nifty tool will help you correct those mistakes by ripping the seams out of your sewing project so you can go back and restitch it correctly. I can't tell you how many times I've sewn blocks together in the wrong order and this always saves the day! 



2. Embroidery Scissors: Okay, I know the seam ripper combo I posed above does come with scissors but I just couldn't resist these. They are so pretty and I use them so often and throughought my whole quilting process. 

Why you need this: Your sewing machine may or may not come with a thread cutter. Either way, I love using these to cut my thread when I'm done sewing. I can use these to get close to the end of my stitch allowing me to save thread. You can also use these to clean up any extra threads (which you'll want to do so they don't show through on the top of your quilt) when you're finishing up your quilt top. 

3. High Quality Fabric Scissors: Holy moly, I have these and LOVE them so much. They are by far the best fabric scissors I've used so far. They are very well made and they do have some weight to them. They stay consistently sharp and work great when I'm cutting fabric. 

Why you need this: You will need to cut large sections of fabric, especially when it comes to your backing fabric. Your rotary cutter just won't cut it or work well when needing to do larger sections. Trust me, you will love these! I never reach for any of my other scissors. 



4. Rotary Cutter with Mat and Ruler Set: The rotary cutter makes it so easy to cut squares and triangles. Invest in a nice set like this, keep your safety closed on your blade when you're not using it, and make sure to replace the blade every so often. The mat and ruler are also a must which makes this a great set! 

Why you need this: You are going to be cutting many squares and triangles throughout your quilting journey. This will make the process so much faster and more accurate once you start using the acrylic ruler to measure out specific sizes. The mat will protect any working surface and also increase the longevity of your rotary blade. 

5. 100% Cotton Thread: There's a ton of different options when it comes to thread but I like to stick with 100% cotton to match my quilting fabric. 

Why you need this: This one may be a little bit more self explanatory when it comes to why this is needed. You're going to need this for sewing to actually stitch your fabric together. I'm linking the standard size in white but there are plenty of colors and they also come in a larger size cone. If you think you're going to take to quilting well, I would suggest getting the larger cone thread and stand. My sewing machine doesn't naturally fit the larger cone size so I stopped by my local quilt shop and picked up a stand but you can find one similar here. 

6. Quilting Machine Needles: It's super easy to swap out your sewing machine needles and I highly recommend getting these. These are sharp, reliable and can also be used for free range motion quilting too. These little needles hold up well over time! 

Why you need this: Schmetz quilting needles are specially designed for piecing and machine quilting. These needles have a special tapered point to penetrate multiple layers of fabric while preventing damage to the sensitive (and expensive!) fabrics used in quilting.

7. Embroidery Needles: I love this set because it comes in a range of difference sizes. These needles have a larger loop at the top which means you can use a thicker thread which comes in handy for embroidery but also specifically for hand binding your quilt.

Why you need this: You may have better luck than me, but you're most likely going to have to bury some threads on your quilt top as you're doing your top stitching. This will be needed to bury those threads in your quilt and also great to have on hand. 


8. Wool Pressing Mat: This is a small 100% wool mat for pressing seams and other fabric. 

Why you need this: You're going to be ironing a bunch of small blocks of fabric. You not only need should have a full sized ironing board but this is perfect for ironing your pieces as you are sewing along. I love setting this up with my iron right next to my sewing machine that way I'm not having to get up every 5 minutes to press seams. This is not only needed for ease of access but it's also a huge time saver if you have space in your sewing area. 

9. Curved Satfey Pins: These are high quality pins that will hold up over the course of time. They do not bend and they keep your fabric in place. 

Why you need this: You will need to attach the three layers of your quilt together before you start top stitching. During this basting process, you will use these curved safety pins to hold those layers together. This ensures that the fabric is not moving around when you start sewing. The curve in the pin makes it easy for the pin to come back up through the top fabric. You need a pin about every 4 inches on your quilt. If you are making a queen size quilt, you will need about 200 of these pins. I recommend getting at least 2-5 of these pin sets. 

10. Quarter-Inch Quilting Machine Presser Foot: Your sewing machine may already come with one of these so please check before purchasing! This is also only compatible with the listed machines in the description. Please confirm this will work with the brand of your sewing machine. 

Why you need this: The concept of seam allowance was terrifying at first! How am I supposed to perfectly sew the same amount on each square and have a consistent seam allowance? THIS! This is a a presser foot you can attach to your machine and there is a small metal lip that allows you to sew at a quarter inch consistently. You will most likely need this as you start piecing your fabric together to create your quilt blocks. 

11. Shout Color Catcher Sheets: You can throw these dye trapping sheets in the washer with your quilt. 

Why you need this: Once your quilt is complete, you're going to need to wash it. This will help protect your fabric colors from bleeding or discoloring. You've put a lot of time into your quilt and this is the last step. Don't risk it! Buy the sheets! 

12. Pins: You should ideally get two different sizes of pins. The first ones I recommend are the extra fine patchwork pins. The second set are more of a regular sized pin. 

Why you need this: As your cutting fabric and piecing it together, you will need these pins to hold it together. The extra fine pins are great for smaller amounts of fabric while the larger pins are better used when you need to hold multiple layers together. The extra fine pins are great as they do not create a large hole in your fabric so use those when you can. 

13. Zirkel Magnetic Block: I love this magnetic block so much and it comes in really pretty colors. 

Why you need this: You are going to be using so many pins and it's going to be a challenge to keep track of them. Save yourself the pain of stepping on a pin and get a magnetic block so you can keep them all safely together. 

 

14. Acrylic Quilting Rulers: These come as a set with the most common sizes. The sizes are 4.5 x 4.5, 6 x 6, 9.5 x 9.5, and 12.5 x 12.5. They no longer make the exact set I use but this is very, very similar. 

Why you need this: Having these rulers allows you to make accurate cuts with your fabric. This set covers any size you would need to cut and I use mine constantly. These are great for making squares and triangle cuts for your quilt top. 

15. Quilting Clips: These are a great alternative to using pins. I love using these for holding multiple layers of fabric together when sewing and also use them to hold smaller stacks of cut fabric together. 

Why you need this: There are a ton of reasons why these are useful for general crafting and I often use them around the house for non-quilting related tasks. When it comes to terms of using these for quilting, they are great for holding your fabric together as you are sewing. They are much easier and safer then pins and also will not damage your fabric since you're not actually poking a hole though your fabric. 



16. Irons: If you already own an iron, great! You don't really need anything special here but I'll share the ones that I've used and loved so far. 

Mini Iron: This is really great for traveling or keeping next to you as you sew and press your seams on your wool mat.  

Full Size Iron: I've been using this for the past few months and I love it so much! I love the precision tip for pressing seams and the steam function works great helping to get rid of those pesky wrinkles. 

Why you need this: Pressing your fabric in general is a very important step for quilting. You want to do this to ensure your fabric is totally flat so it's not getting bunched up as you sew and also helps to make sure everything is very even. The other important step you will need an iron for is pressing your seams. You want your seams to be as flat as possible so your quilt doesn't look lumpy or like there is fabric bunched up. 

 

17. Painters Tape: I use this larger sized painters tape to help hold down the layers of my quilt while I'm basting. 

Why you need this: When you're putting your quilt layers together, you're going to want to tape your fabric (to the table or floor) to hold it in place. Once the fabric starts shifting or bunching up on you it becomes really frustrating and time consuming. Tape your corners and sides down with small pieces of painters tape before you start basting the 3 layers together. 

18. Sewing Machine: It's really, really tough to recommend a sewing machine. I think this really depends on your budget and how much you think you're going to like sewing/quilting. You really don't need anything super high tech when you first start quilting, As you get more into quilting, it's great to purchase something more advanced. Sewing machines can start under $200 dollars and go all the way up to $7,000+. 

Here's my suggestions on some starter machines:  

- Brother Quilting Machine
- Brother Strong & Touch Sewing Machine  (This is what I have currently) 
- Bernette B35 Sewing Machine with Bundle
- Janome Sewing Machine with Bundle

Why you need this: This might be one of the most important parts of quilting. You can certainly hand stitch but having a sewing machine makes the process fly by. 

19. Fabric, Batting, and a Quilt Pattern: This may be one of the most fun parts of quilting. Do some internet searching for quilt patterns and head to your local fabric shop to pick up some fabric bundles. Etsy is also a really great resource for finding fabric bundles. Always start with picking out your quilt pattern first to make sure you get the right amount of fabric and batting. More to come on this subject. :) 
I wanted to add some optional purchases to the list. This list is already pretty lengthy as it is to get started so these are some options you can pick up a long the way. 

1. Full Sized Ironing Board: Just your standard ironing board. 

Why you might need this: I linked the small wool mat above but this is also a great option to be able to iron larger amounts of fabric. 



2. Walking Foot: Your sewing machine may already come with a walking foot so check your supplies first. I'm going to link one here, but please confirm it's compatible with your sewing machine first before purchasing. 

Why you might need this: A walking foot holds and moves multiple layers at the same pace to prevent misalignment, shifting and puckering. This is great to have if you are going to do the top stitching on your quilt. 



3. Hera Marker: This will leave a light colored line on your fabric. 

Why you might need this: You can use this to create lines for top stitching to follow as you are sewing or you can use this when cutting fabric.

4. Adjustable Bias Binder Foot: The binder foot is used to apply pre-folded bias binding tape or bias tape you have cut yourself to the edge of fabric in one easy step. Please make sure this is compatible with your sewing machine before purchasing. 

Why you might need this: One of the last steps in quilting is attaching your binding. You can use this to help with that process and keep your binding size consistent. 

5. LED Sewing Machine Light: This is a small adhesive LED light you can attach to your sewing machine.

Why you might need this: If you're really struggling with lighting, this will 100% help. It is BRIGHT and will light up the whole neck of your sewing machine all the way to your needle. 



6. OttLite Desk Lamp: I have this and use it every time I sit down to sew. It helps provide direct light and has three different brightness settings. 

Why you might need this: If you're struggling with getting enough light in your sewing area, this light is great option to illuminate a specific spot as you're working. 



7. Mary Ellen's Best Press: Use a very light coat on your quilting fabric to iron out all the wrinkles. It's a more modern take to using a starch spray when ironing. 

Why you might need this: If you're struggling with ironing your fabric and getting all of the wrinkles out you can use this to help. 



8. Odif Basting Spray: A great fabric stabilizer option. 

Why you might need this: You can use this instead of pins when you are basting your quilt. This will hold your layers together as you sew. 


I know this was a lot to process and read though but getting these items will really set you up for success once you start quilting. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below and I will get back to you or you can use my contact page to reach out to me.

Thank you for reading and happy quilting!