What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

Ever notice how much time you actually spend at your ironing board?

Pressing seams. Setting blocks. Fixing little waves before they turn into big problems. In quilting, your iron isn’t just an accessory — it’s practically a second sewing machine.

But not all irons are created equal. If yours leaks, spits, shuts off at the wrong moment, or just doesn’t get hot enough to give you crisp seams, it can slow everything down. And when you’re trying to enjoy your sewing time, the last thing you want is to wrestle with your tools.

In this guide, I ...

If you’ve been quilting for more than five minutes, you’ve probably had a block turn out too small, a border go wavy, or a seam that magically shifted when you swear it was lined up perfectly. It happens to all of us. Truly. Even the most seasoned quilters have had a quilt misbehave on the sewing table.

I’ve been there too… usually when I’m trying to use up my stash and convincing myself that this will be the project where everything goes smoothly. And then the first block comes out ¼” too small, and I remember why ...

There are so many quilting tools out there—it’s easy to feel overwhelmed! Walk into any fabric store, and the aisles are packed with fun gadgets and must-haves. But when it comes down to it, a few basic tools will become your go-to favorites.

These are the tools you reach for every time you sew. They travel with you to retreats, sewing days, and quilt groups. They stay right by your machine, on your table, or within arm’s reach—always ready for action!

In this article, I’ll walk you through the essential quilting tools every beginner needs ...

If you’re a beginner quilter wondering whether you can use a regular sewing machine to quilt your own quilts, you’re in good company.

Many quilt makers, including myself, started with a standard sewing machine, creating everything from small projects to large quilts.

Your first quilt might be a baby quilt, or maybe you’re feeling ambitious and ready to tackle a king-size quilt.

Either way, with a few tips and the right tools, you can achieve beautiful quilts using your regular home sewing machine.

Can you quilt a large quilt on a regular sewing machine?

Absolutely! Quilting a ...

Finding measurements of fabric is I think one of the trickiest things!  This is especially true when it comes to designing patterns.  I end up with this finished project or quilt and sometimes have no idea how much fabric I started off with!

 Fabric calculators have been my saving grace.  I thought today we would go over a few resources so you can find some help if you get all in a tizzy with the math!

Calculating fabric requirements for your quilting projects can sometimes feel daunting, especially when dealing with different sizes and patterns.

A fabric calculator can be ...

With so many types of quilting fabrics available, choosing the right one can be overwhelming. It’s important to understand their differences so you can choose the best one for your next project. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about quilting fabrics.

Types of Quilt Fabric

Although standard quilting cotton fabric is our hands-down favorite for making quilts, there is a wide variety of fabrics available for sewing quilts, home decor and garments, such as batiks, wovens and flannel. Some are made from natural fibers like cotton and linen, while others are man-made. The base fiber affects ...

Today I’m sharing some of the best tips I can think of for new quilters. As a newbie to the quilting community, I had the joy of making my first ever quilt and documenting it here on the Jolly Jabber. I’ve learned a lot, and I’ve gotten a lot of advice from those with more experience. If you keep reading, you can learn about the top five things that I think new quilters should know before making their first quilt, according to someone who just made theirs!

Together we can tackle the challenges that beginners often face ...

Today we’re finishing our Ultimate Beginner Quilts. Yippee! Adding the quilt binding is the very last step to complete this beautiful beginner-friendly quilt. In today’s tutorial, Kimberly Jolly will show you how to trim up your quilt and attach the binding. Learn techniques for putting together binding strips, squaring up your corners, and finishing the binding by hand for a beautiful finish.

The Ultimate Beginner Quilt is a free quilt pattern series with video tutorials designed just for beginners. Even if you have zero sewing experience, this is the free quilt class for you! If you’re joining ...

In today’s tutorial, we welcome Gina Tell back to the Fat Quarter Shop to show you the basics of quilting on your home machine. One of the last and most important steps in making a quilt is the quilting. Quilting holds the quilt top, batting and backing together firmly and locks down seams. The stitched patterns added during this step will complement your piecing and elevate the overall design of your quilt.

Once your quilt is basted, it’s ready for quilting on your home sewing machine! In the following tutorials, Gina Tell of Thread Graffiti will demonstrate two ...

Today we’re making sandwiches – quilt sandwiches, that is! We’re putting our quilts together and walking you through the final steps of making The Ultimate Beginner Quilt.

In today’s tutorials, special guest Gina Tell of Thread Graffiti will show you exactly how to put the layers of your quilt together and temporarily secure them together (also called basting) to get them ready for quilting on your home machine. This quilt sandwich is an important step in finishing your quilt.

If reading this in email, click this link to watch the video.

You will only need to baste your ...

Today we’re finishing up our quilt tops for The Ultimate Beginner Quilt. Woo hoo! If you’ve been sewing along, the finish line is just on the horizon. In today’s tutorials, Kimberly Jolly will walk you through the steps to add sashing and borders to your quilt top and show you how to put together your quilt backing.

The Ultimate Beginner Quilt is a free quilt pattern series with video tutorials designed just for beginners. Even if you have zero sewing experience, this is the free quilt class for you! If you’re joining us for the first ...

Yea, I have seen the blogs, looked over the tutorials and read the books (oh so many books) that say "Get a dry erase board and doodle. It will help you to learn good eye hand coordination and improve your quilting skills." I ignored that advice. I made excuses like "its not really like actually quilting", "I am not good at drawing things", and "it can't possibly help me, its just silly".

Until, one day during a back to school sale I picked up this 'thing'.