• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Polka Dot Chair logo

  • SEWING
    • Free Sewing Patterns
    • Bag Patterns
    • Costumes
    • Apparel
    • Learn to Sew
    • Beginner Friendly
    • Embroidery Projects
    • Tips & Techniques
    • All Sewing
  • QUILTING
    • Quilt Blocks
    • Learn to Quilt
    • Free Patterns
    • Quilt Patterns
    • All Quilting
  • CRAFTS
    • Disney
    • Cricut
    • Printables
    • All Crafts
  • HOLIDAYS
    • Seasonal Projects
    • Valentine’s Day
    • Easter
    • 4th of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
    • All Holidays
  • TUTORIALS
  • ABOUT
    • About Me
    • My Fabric Collections
    • Published Books
    • Press
    • FAQ’s
    • Contact
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • SHOP
menu icon
go to homepage
  • SHOP
  • TUTORIALS
  • SEWING
  • QUILTING
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • CRAFTS
  • HOLIDAY PROJECTS
  • ABOUT
    • Published Books
    • My Fabric Collections
  • CONTACT
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • SHOP
    • TUTORIALS
    • SEWING
    • QUILTING
    • SUBSCRIBE
    • CRAFTS
    • HOLIDAY PROJECTS
    • ABOUT
      • Published Books
      • My Fabric Collections
    • CONTACT
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Quilts

    3 Must-Know Tips for Beginner Quilters

    Updated: Apr 2, 2022 by Melissa Mortenson · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · 30 Comments

    Since I’m a self-taught quilter, there are a lot of things that I learned the “hard way” (i.e., doing it wrong a million times, then finally sitting down to learn the right way to do it).  I thought it would be fun to share a few of those things with you so that hopefully, you won’t make the same mistakes that I have.

    3 Tips for Beginning Quilters on polkadotchair.com

    3 Tips for Beginning Quilters

    I’ve narrowed it down to 3, but there are probably more things I’ve done wrong in the past. For the sake of time, we’ll just talk about 3 today.  If you’re new to quilting or even if you’re not, maybe I can help you avoid some simple mistakes.

    Table of Contents
    • 3 Tips for Beginning Quilters
    • Tip One: Check your seam allowance
    • Tip Two:  Learn the correct way to press
    • Tip Three: Use a design wall

    Tip One: Check your seam allowance

    3 Tips for Beginning Quilters on polkadotchair.com

    The majority of quilting patterns are based on a ¼” seam allowance. If this is off by even a 1/16″ of an inch, it can mess up your quilt.  Quilts fit together like puzzles; think of what would happen if just one puzzle piece in a puzzle was the wrong size.. the same thing happens with a quilt.  Every sewing machine is different in how it handles sewing a ¼” seam allowance. (btw, a seam allowance is a space between the stitching line and the edge of the fabric).

    My older machine had a ¼″ needle position setting that I used a standard foot. My current machine has a ¼″ foot with a guide; I noticed, though, even with the ¼″ foot, it’s off a smidge.

    I use my ¼″ foot and adjust the needle one step to the right. I figured out it was off by testing my seam with a seam gauge. Get a seam gauge and test yours. Learn the best setting for your machine and use it consistently.  PICK UP A SEAM GAUGE HERE

    Tip Two:  Learn the correct way to press

    (FYI: This is my favorite Iron)

    3 Tips for Beginning Quilters on polkadotchair.com

    I messed up BIG TIME with this one when I first started. You do NOT iron a quilt. You press it. Don’t make large back and forth motions like you do when ironing clothes. Lift the iron up and down and press the seams of the quilt.

    Move the iron back and forth as little as possible. I can’t tell you how many seams I distorted when I first started.

    3 Tips for Beginning Quilters on polkadotchair.com

    To press a quilt. Start on the wrong side and press the seam once. This sets the stitches.

    3 Tips for Beginning Quilters on polkadotchair.com

    Flip the quilt to the right side and use the nose of your iron to wiggle into the seam to get it flat (A tip I learned from Amy!). Keeping thinking in your head “flat,” you want your seams to be straight and flat.

    3 Tips for Beginning Quilters on polkadotchair.com

    Press all of your seams to one side. Then alternate to the other side for the next row. This will allow your rows to fit together nicely.  I press even rows towards me and odd rows away from me.

    Tip Three: Use a design wall

    (I picked up mine here, and I LOVE IT)

    quilt layout

    (Large Hexagon Quilt blogged here) When I first started quilting, I just thought, “I just want a random mix, and it will all work out.”

    However,  I would finish a quilt and realize that I had too much dark in one section of the quilt or too much of a certain color in another part.  A design wall allows you to layout your quilt before you sew it to check for the balance in your design. It’s crazy what you WON’T pick up on until you see it all laid out (or photographed).

    3 Tips for Beginning Quilters on polkadotchair.com

    (This quilt is being pieced together after first having the layout worked on my design wall)

    About the Fabulously Fast Quilts Book

    Fabulously Fast Quilts by Amy Smart
    Fabulously Fast Quilts by Amy Smart


    I am so excited to be participating in the Fabulously Fast Quilts Book Tour! Amy Smart, from Diary of a Quilter,  is one of the VERY FIRST bloggers I met many years ago. Since then, I’ve had the privilege to spend a lot of time with her and can truly call her one of my friends. She is just as creative and nice in “real life” as she seems on her blog. I am so excited for her and her fabulous book!!! I love it when wonderful things happen for my friends.

    Fabulously Fast Quilts by Amy Smart

    Now let’s talk about Amy’s fantastic book, Fabulously Fast Quilts.  The book is all quilts that piece together quickly but don’t look like they were pieced quickly. I did a couple of double takes with how clever she is with her piecing strategies.  I could have sworn some of the quilts would be much more complicated to piece.   Amy shares tips for piecing in bulk and some great ways to use your quilt ruler that I had never thought of before.

    The first chapter is all “how to’s” she shares lots of great quilting tips and tricks (like how to piece long strips together and keep your seams straight). Then she moves onto the quilt patterns which are all fabulous.

    Fabulously Fast Quilts by Amy Smart

    I think this is my favorite quilt in the book.  I love the quick and clever way that Amy’s pieces these blocks, plus I think it looks so good in the monochromatic solids.

    Here are a few more shots of the quilts in the book:

    Fabulously Fast Quilts by Amy Smart
    Fabulously Fast Quilts by Amy Smart
    Fabulously Fast Quilts by Amy Smart
    screenshot of instagram profile

    Looking for more fun QUILTING IDEAS? Follow me on Instagram! 

    Fabulously Fast Quilts by Amy Smart

    More Projects You May Enjoy

    • 25 Free Patchwork Quilted Pillow Patterns
    • The Heart of Hearts Quilt Along
    • Fabric Flash Mug Rug Pattern
    • Meet My Valentine’s Day Fabric Collection

    • Share
    • Email

    About Author

    Melissa Mortenson

    Melissa Mortenson is a blogger, designer, and content creator. She is the Polka Dot Chair blog founder and has been sharing fresh and creative ideas with readers since 2008. She is the author of “Project Teen, Handmade Gifts your Teen will Actually Love.” Her work and designs have been featured on HuffPost, TODAY, Pioneer Woman, HGTV, BuzzFeed, Better Homes & Gardens, and many other established publications. Her first fabric line, “Derby Style,” debuted in January 2015 through Riley Blake Designs.  Additional fabric collections have followed it in subsequent years. A mom of 3, she considers herself lucky to be living in Kentucky.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mimi @Luvly says

      April 30, 2014 at 9:34 am

      Some great tips there! Especially using a design wall (tip 3) is one that I will definitely try out.

      Reply
    2. Kathleen O'Grady says

      April 30, 2014 at 11:12 am

      This really is a great book to have. Thanks for the fabulous tips. I always forget to just press and not iron the fabric, I need to work on that one. I love the looks of those triangles your sewing!

      Reply
    3. Jo Ann Rust says

      April 30, 2014 at 11:46 am

      Awesome website. Great tips and ideas. So fresh.

      Reply
    4. Sigi G says

      April 30, 2014 at 2:32 pm

      I’m really enjoying all the ‘tips’. Thank you for sharing yours. I’ve ordered Amy’s book – how could I not – can’t wait to receive it!!

      Reply
    5. Maeve says

      April 30, 2014 at 2:34 pm

      Great tips! Can you tell us where to purchase that really cool seam measuring tool? I have never seen one like that and I’d love to purchase one. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Cathy Darrow says

        May 05, 2015 at 2:00 pm

        They are in the sewing gadget aisles (by the needles and scissors and quilting rulers) at most fabric stores. I think I got the two I have at JoAnn’s and Hancock Fabrics. Amazon might have them too. search for seam gauge or fabric measuring gauge. hope that helps you out.

        Reply
    6. Lisa says

      April 30, 2014 at 4:13 pm

      I would also like to know where to get the measuring tool. Also how did you make the wall hanger for the quilts?

      Reply
    7. Lori Morton says

      May 03, 2014 at 9:52 pm

      Wonderful Tips….think I have one of those measuring thingys (lol) in sewing stuff!! Knew the ironing/press one,,,,& don’t have a design wall…yet! Usually lay things out on bed, or floor.

      Reply
    8. Jessica says

      July 23, 2014 at 11:17 am

      Thanks for these! Is there a trick to getting your corners to match up so perfectly on the triangles you show? Mine always end up with a piece shifted over!

      Reply
    9. Meghan says

      August 18, 2014 at 12:28 pm

      Question for you- when quilting triangle pieces, is it better to pin them all together in the row and go through and sew a strip at a time? or should I pin (or even not pin) and do them one at a time?
      I’m working on my first quilt (since 6th grade home-economics) and the pinning on triangles seems a little haphazard.
      Thank you!
      Meghan

      Reply
      • Melissa Mortenson says

        August 18, 2014 at 1:36 pm

        I don’t pin them and I do work one row at a time. I stack them on top of each other in the order that they will be sewn together. I then pin them one at a time as I sew. Good luck! Triangles are great shapes for beginners!

        Reply
        • Meghan says

          August 18, 2014 at 6:24 pm

          Thank you 🙂

          Reply
    10. Amanda K says

      January 13, 2015 at 4:46 pm

      Hi there, thanks for the tips!
      What is this line of fabric? I must have it!!

      Reply
    11. Ashley says

      March 05, 2015 at 2:33 pm

      where is this adorable fabric from???

      Reply
    12. Tawny says

      September 23, 2015 at 4:16 pm

      Can you please tell me who makes the shoe fabric and the cute sailor fabric that you used for the girly nautical quilt? I know most of those are from Michael Miller, but I can’t find those other 2. SO cute! Super helpful tips! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Melissa Mortenson says

        September 26, 2015 at 9:37 pm

        AHHH.. the shoe fabric I’m stumped sorry! I bought it a long time ago. The nautical is from Sarah Jane for Michael Miller.

        Reply
    13. Lila Moon says

      February 16, 2016 at 4:14 am

      Love this post, your photos are wonderful!
      Thanks for the tips 🙂

      Reply
    14. Teresa says

      July 13, 2016 at 3:49 pm

      I agree, pressing correctly was the #1 thing that made the biggest difference for my accuracy. I also like to starch and press the fabric before I even cut it, particularly when a lot of edges will be on the bias.

      Reply
    15. Lee M. says

      January 30, 2017 at 12:18 am

      It is important that people know not to press your seems *open* as this can distort your seems, as well as causing undo wear on the seems, over time the seem can open up. Always press to the darker side so it will not show on the ‘face’ of the lighter side. Might I suggest to press as you go. You can also finger press if you are someplace where an iron is not available… what I learned while a member of a quilters guild.

      Reply
      • Melissa Mortenson says

        February 02, 2017 at 1:23 pm

        I just discovered finger pressing myself. Makes a huge difference!

        Reply
    16. Jennifer says

      May 23, 2017 at 1:07 am

      This goes along with the design board…photograph the quilt all laid out. For some reason, it always looks different when I see a photo of it.

      Reply
    17. Sharon Taylor says

      January 26, 2018 at 6:09 pm

      When making the farmers wife block how much fabric of each fabric will I need for a king size quilt.

      Reply
    18. Donna Russell says

      August 17, 2018 at 7:15 pm

      Where did you get your iron, what’s the brand?

      Reply
      • Melissa Mortenson says

        August 20, 2018 at 2:48 pm

        It’s an Olisio – you can get them online (amazon) and most sewing and craft stores

        Reply
    19. Sammie Sue Andersen says

      October 25, 2018 at 2:15 pm

      I’ve learned a lot from reading this thanks. I am a beginner beginner and know absolutely nothing! My ultimate goal is to make a memory quilt of my mother’s and daughter’s clothes.

      Reply
    20. Barbara D Teter says

      July 01, 2019 at 8:36 am

      Melissa what great tips. The only thing that I do different is that I open up my seams an press them. I tried doing it your way any when I had the quilt quilted it was not laying flat like when the seam are opened. I guess it is up to the individual the way they want to do it. Again thanks for sharing. Love your polkadotchair.com. you have so many beautiful things.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hello! It’s nice to meet you.

    I’m Melissa. I like to design things, like fabric, printables, and projects.

    I’m also a Mom and a Maker. I am like most of you, just trying to do my best every day. Some days I succeed, many days I fail.  I find joy in creating, if you do too, then I hope that you find something here bring a little “happy” to your life.  Find out more about me here.

    COPYRIGHT POLICY

    All my images and text are copyrighted. You may NOT use any images from this site in any kind of Video (this includes YouTube). If you would like to feature my work, you may use ONE (1) NON-COLLAGED image and must “follow” link back to my original blog post. You may NOT edit, crop, or change my images in any way without written permission. You MAY NOT print out or copy and distribute any text, images or patterns from this site. All patterns, content, instructions, and templates are for personal use ONLY! Thank you! Violators will be reported.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimers
    • About Melissa
    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Pinterest

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • FAQ
    • Press
    • Published Books
    • Fabric Collections

    Welcome to the Polka Dot Chair! Here you’ll find easy, step-by-step, sewing, quilting, and crafting projects. We design projects for Makers of all skill levels. Beginners are welcome!

    DISCLAIMER:

    While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the content on this website, the information is made available without warranty of any kind. The Polka Dot Chair accepts no responsibility or liability, whether direct or indirect, as to the currency or accuracy of the information, nor any consequence of its uses. This website is not intended to substitute the advice of a professional.

    Copyright © 2022 Polka Dot Chair

    [ Placeholder content for popup link ] WordPress Download Manager - Best Download Management Plugin