Quilting Tools for Beginners: Everything You Need to Make Your First Quilt (And Nothing You Don't)
If you've ever looked up quilting tools and felt immediately overwhelmed by the list, you are not alone. There are rulers for every occasion, gadgets for every technique, and no shortage of people telling you what you absolutely must have. We're not doing that here.
This is lesson two of the Brave Beginner Quilt Course: Make Your First Quilt and Love It, a free video series from Jittery Wings Quilt Company. I'm Mitzie Schafer, and in this lesson, I walk through every tool on the table — what it is, what it does, and whether a true beginner actually needs it. My studio assistant, Kelly, who is learning to quilt right alongside you, helps keep it real by asking the questions beginners actually have.
Here's what we cover.
Fabric: What Is a Fat Quarter?
Before we talk tools, let's talk fabric. The Sidewalk Cracks quilt pattern we're using in this course calls for 12 fat quarters. A fat quarter is a quarter of a yard of fabric — but instead of being cut in a long skinny strip, it's cut in a wider, more useful shape: 18 inches by approximately 22 inches. That extra width is what makes it a fat quarter, and it gives you a lot more flexibility when cutting quilt pieces.
When you buy fabric off the bolt, it's folded selvage to selvage — the selvage edges are the finished edges along each side of the fabric. Kelly and I also picked our 12 colors for this quilt together, and we'll talk through how to choose fabrics in an upcoming lesson.
Pins
You'll use pins to hold fabric pieces together before sewing, so they don't shift around. The pins we recommend are heat resistant — that means you can press your fabric with an iron without melting them. Not all pins are heat resistant, so check before you press. We use Magic Pins at Jittery Wings and carry them in the shop. A magnetic pin holder is a great companion — it makes picking up and storing pins fast and easy.
The Seam Ripper (And the Trick Most Quilters Take Years to Learn)
A seam ripper is not optional. Everyone makes mistakes, especially beginners, and a seam ripper is how you undo them cleanly. Most people use the blade end to cut threads one at a time — which works, but takes forever. The faster method: slide the curved end under the seam so the blade is facing the thread, then push. You can actually hear the threads pop apart. It's faster, cleaner, and much less tedious. The small rubber ribs on most seam rippers are not decorative — they're designed to run along your seam and pull out all those little leftover threads. That's worth knowing. The pointy end of a seam ripper is also useful as a stiletto — you can use it to guide fabric under your sewing machine needle and keep your fingers away from the needle at the same time.
Clips
Clips are an alternative to pins for certain situations. For this course, you'll use them most when attaching binding at the end of your quilt. They have a small curve built into them — when you clip your binding in place, the curve cradles the fabric perfectly. Keep the flat side down so they sit properly on your table.
Sewing Machine Needles
For quilting, you want a universal needle — specifically a size 75/11 or the equivalent 130/705. A universal needle has a slightly rounded point that moves fabric threads out of the way rather than cutting through them. This matters because quilting cotton is a woven fabric, and a sharp needle can damage its threads and weaken the fabric. Sharp needles are used for things like vinyl, cork, or raw edge appliqué — situations where you need to cut through many layers or stiff materials. Jersey needles are very blunt and designed for knit fabrics. For this course, a universal needle is all you need.
You'll also find a small flathead screwdriver in your machine's accessories. This is used to adjust bobbin tension if needed — though if your machine is new or recently serviced, you should rarely if ever need to touch it.
The Rotary Cutter
A rotary cutter is one of the most efficient tools in quilting — and one of the most important to handle safely. It works like a pizza cutter, rolling across fabric to make clean, straight cuts.
The best quilting size is 45 millimeters. The small ones are designed for cutting curves on garments. The larger 60 millimeter size is available, but not necessary for beginners. Always close your rotary cutter when you set it down. An open rotary cutter dropped on the floor can cause a serious injury. Replace your blade when you notice you're pressing harder than usual to get a clean cut — a sharp blade does all the work for you. Keep an old blade holder labeled "trash," so your used blades don't become a hazard in the garbage can.
Scissors and Thread Snips
You don't need large scissors for this course. Small thread snips are ideal. You'll use them to clip threads as you chain piece your blocks together. We'll cover chain piecing in a future lesson.
Cutting Mat and Ruler
You need a cutting mat. A good size for beginners is at least 18 inches on one side — large enough to accommodate a folded half yard of fabric.
For rulers, here is the honest truth: you do not need to buy a collection. One 6-inch by 24-inch ruler is all you actually need to make the pattern in this course — and most quilts in general. Pick one brand, learn where all the lines are, and stick with it.
Machine Cleaning Tools
Sewing machines get fuzzy fast — thread and fabric leave lint inside the machine that builds up over time. To clean it out, use a mascara wand or a pipe cleaner. Never blow air into your machine with your mouth or compressed air — moisture can damage the internal parts. We'll show you exactly how to clean your machine in an upcoming lesson.
You'll also want a small bottle of sewing machine oil. We'll cover when and how to use it when we introduce your machine in the next lesson.
Basting Spray
Once your quilt top is finished, you'll need to hold the three layers together — the top, batting, and backing — before quilting. Basting spray like 505 Temporary Adhesive is a fast, easy way to do that. If you'd rather not use spray, quilting safety pins work too. They have a small bend in them that makes it possible to pin through all the layers and close them without lifting your quilt off the table.
Fabric Marking Tools
You probably won't need to mark your fabric for the Sidewalk Cracks pattern, but in future quilts, you will. A Sewline chalk pencil is a favorite here at Jittery Wings — it comes in white, black, and pink so you can mark on any fabric color. A regular pencil or chalk also works. Just avoid ballpoint pens — the ink builds up and smears on fabric.
A Note on Needle and Blade Disposal
Keep an old pill bottle or small container for used needles and rotary blades. Fill it, seal it, and throw it away. Sharp objects in the trash can are a hazard — this simple habit keeps everyone safe.
Where to Get Your Tools
You don't need to buy everything at once. Start with the essentials — a rotary cutter, cutting mat, ruler, universal needles, and pins — and add from there as you need them.
🆓 Get the free Sidewalk Cracks pattern here: https://jitterywingsquiltco.com/brave-beginner-quilt-course
🎨 Need help choosing your own fabrics? The Color Flow Theory course walks you through building a palette you'll love: https://jitterywingsquiltco.com/color-flow-theory-course
🐝 Want live support as you sew through this course? Hive+ is the Jittery Wings membership community where you can join monthly sew days with Mitzie, ask questions in real time, and sew alongside quilters who are rooting for you: https://jitterywingsquiltco.com/community-hive
Subscribe to the Jittery Wings YouTube channel so you catch every new lesson when it drops. And leave a comment — what tool surprised you most? We'd love to know.
See you in the next lesson, where we meet the sewing machine. 🐝
Warmly, Mitzie
