5 Little Quilt Piecing Tips: Habits That Make Piecing a Quilt Easier

Sometimes the things that make quilting easier aren't new tools, fancy techniques or another ruler we absolutely need to buy.

They're just little habits.

Things I've learned to do before I start sewing—or while I'm working—that save me frustration later.

None of these will magically make every point match or every block come out perfectly.

But they do make it easier to slow down, stay organized and do my best work.

These aren't complicated techniques—just a few quilt piecing tips and habits I've picked up that make my time at the sewing machine a little easier.

And honestly? Sometimes that's half the battle.

1. Clear Your Workspace Before You Begin

There seems to be a certain badge of honor among quilters when it comes to having a sewing room full of fabric, half-finished projects and evidence of several creative ideas happening at once. 😂

I'm certainly guilty.

But before I settle in for a serious piecing session, I've learned that taking 10 or 15 minutes to clear my workspace is worth it.

Put away the fabric from the last project. Move the ruler you're not using. Clear the scraps from the cutting table. Give yourself enough room to actually work.

It doesn't have to look like a sewing room from a magazine.

It just needs to work for you and the project you're making right now.

There's nothing quite like trying to maneuver a block while your rotary cutter, three rulers, yesterday's scraps and the beginnings of another project are all competing for the same square foot of table.

Ask me how I know. 😉

2. Keep the Things You Use Constantly Close—But Off Your Work Surface

There's a difference between having your tools handy and having every tool you own lying beside the sewing machine.

I like the things I reach for constantly to be within arm's reach: scissors, rotary cutter, seam ripper, marking tools, a few rulers and whatever else I'm using for that particular project.

A small rolling cart beside or underneath the sewing table is great for this.

Everything is close when I need it, but it isn't taking up valuable workspace—or hiding underneath the quilt when I can't remember where I put it.

And yes, the seam ripper gets a permanent spot.

I'm a quilter.

I know myself. 😂

3. Organize Your Pieces as You Cut

Here's one of my decidedly low-tech quilting tools:

Paper plates.

Yep. Paper plates.

As I cut pieces, I put each size on its own plate and write the measurement or description directly on the plate.

The plates stack, so they take up very little room. As I start piecing smaller units together, I can relabel them and keep using the same plates to organize the project as it progresses.

And when the quilt is finished?

I save them.

Cross out the old label, write the new one and use them again for the next quilt.

Is it fancy?

Nope.

Does it work?

Absolutely.

Anything that keeps me from staring at two nearly identical piles of fabric wondering,"Was this the 3½-inch pile or the 4-inch pile?" earns a place in my sewing room.

4. Measure As You Go

This one has saved me more than once.

Don't wait until every block is finished before checking your measurements.

Measure a few pieces after cutting.

Check your first pieced unit.

Measure a block before making 20 more exactly like it.

Tiny differences can add up quickly in quilting. Maybe your seam allowance has drifted a little. Maybe your cutting was slightly off. Maybe pressing changed the finished measurement more than you expected.

Whatever the reason, I'd much rather discover the problem after making two blocks instead of 42.

That doesn't mean stopping after every seam and pulling out a ruler.

It's simply building in a few checkpoints along the way.

If everything is measuring the way it should, great. Keep sewing.

If it isn't, you've caught it early enough to figure out why.

5. Know When It's Time to Stop

Oh, this one.

You've been sewing for a while.

You're tired.

Your shoulders are starting to creep toward your ears.

But you're almost finished with this section.

So you tell yourself:

I'll just sew one more row.

Famous last words. 😂

That's often when I start making mistakes I wouldn't normally make.

I stop checking things. I rush. I sew the wrong pieces together. My seam allowance gets a little sloppy.

And suddenly the ten minutes I was trying to save tonight becomes 30 minutes tomorrow with the seam ripper.

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do for your quilt is stop working on it.

Get up. Stretch. Walk away.

The quilt will still be there tomorrow.

And there's a pretty good chance you'll do better work when you're not trying to convince tired hands and a tired brain that they're totally fine for just one more seam.

Little Things Add Up

Good piecing isn't always about becoming a more technically skilled quilter.

Sometimes it's simply about creating habits that make it easier to do your best work.

Clear a little space.

Keep yourself organized.

Check your work along the way.

And know when you've had enough for the day.

None of those things are particularly exciting.

But neither is spending an evening with your seam ripper fixing something you could have avoided. 😉

And just like those tiny little inconsistencies can add up over the course of a quilt, so can the good habits.

They give us a little less frustration, a little more confidence and hopefully a lot more time actually enjoying the reason we sat down to quilt in the first place.

Enjoy quilting tips like these?

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