The Must Have Tools for Beginner Quilters (Essential Quilting Supplies to Get Started)

If you’ve ever struggled with crooked cuts, uneven seams, or quilting that feels harder than it should, the problem often isn’t your skill, it’s your tools. The right beginner quilting supplies make everything more accurate, more enjoyable, and far less frustrating.

As a quilt pattern designer and quilting educator, I’ve tried countless quilting tools and gadgets over the years. While many promise to make quilting easier, only a small number truly make a difference. These are the essential quilting tools I use regularly in my own studio and recommend to every beginner.

If you’re new to quilting, this guide will show you exactly what you need to start quilting with confidence and without wasting money on tools you don’t need.

 

What Tools Do You Need to Start Quilting?

To start quilting, beginners need:

• A sewing machine

• Rotary cutter, mat, and ruler

• 100% cotton fabric and batting

• Thread and machine quilting needles

• Safety pins and straight pins or clips

• An iron

• A seam ripper

 

Do I Need All of These to Start?

If you’re on a budget, you can absolutely start with just:

• A sewing machine

• Rotary cutter, mat, and ruler

• Fabric, thread, and needles

• Pins

• An iron

Everything else can be added as you grow your skills.

1. A Reliable Sewing Machine and Feet

• You don’t need the most expensive machine or the newest machine. Mine is a 20 year old Pfaff and I love it. I encourage you to go to a quilt shop and try out a few to see which you like. 
• Make sure your machine comes with a walking foot or is built in to your sewing machine. You’ll want a walking foot when you’re quilting the layers together (quilting through the top, batting, and backing). It helps feed all three layers evenly so you don’t get puckering.
• Other nice to have feet are a quilting foot, or a foot with a ¼” guide, and open toe applique foot.
  
  

This is my quilting foot with a magnetic seam guide. I love it and use it to sew all my quilt pieces together evenly.

Magnetic Seam Guide with my affiliate link.

2. A Rotary Cutter, Self-Healing Mat, Quilting Ruler, and Fabric Scissors

• Rotary Cutter -  Gives you clean, straight cuts in seconds.
• Self Healing Cutting Mat - I like the 24" x 36" Fiskars mat.
• Acrylic Quilting Ruler - I like a 12"x 24" for cutting strips and a 10x10" or 12x12" for cutting into smaller pieces or trimming up squares.
• Suction Cup Shower Handle - Definitely worth the investment to keep your fingers safe from the rotary cutter blade. It’s a nice to have safety tool, especially if you’re nervous about using a rotary cutter.
• Scissors designated for fabric. Even with a rotary cutter a nice to have is a pair of scissors.

Suction Cup Handle with my affiliate link.

3. Needles & Thread

• Gutermann thread and Schmetz needles.
  Gutermann thread has been very reliable and a consistently good thread. A light and medium grey thread are all you need to start with.

4. Pins and Clips

• Quilting safety pins - they have a slight bend to make pinning very easy when putting all the layers together.

• Regular straight pins

• Sewing clips

Sewing Clips with my affiliate link.

5. Fabric & Batting

For fabric choose:

• 100% quilting cotton. There are so many wonderful fabric collections that coordinate beautifully together. My fabric collections are with Phoebe Fabrics.

For batting choose:

• I do like Hobbs fusible batting. Fusible batting lightly sticks to your fabric when pressed, which helps prevent shifting and puckering while quilting.

Hobbs Fusible Batting with my affiliate link.

 

6. An Iron (Yes, Really) With an Ironing Board

I know it’s not fun to iron clothes but it is fun to press your beautiful quilt pieces! Pressing your seams (not ironing back and forth) is one of the secrets to a great looking quilt.

7. Seam Ripper (Because… It Happens)

Even experienced quilters make mistakes. A seam ripper is non-negotiable.

Think of it as part of the process, not a sign you’re doing it wrong.

Many sewing machines come with a ripper so check this first.

Optional (But Game-Changing) Extras

• Quilting gloves

• Fabric storage bins

• Any other sized rulers

These aren’t required, but they can make projects much easier to manage.

 

Final Thoughts

Quilting isn’t about having all the tools. It’s about having the right ones.

Start simple.
Build gradually.
Invest where it improves your experience.

Because when your tools work with you instead of against you? Quilting becomes less frustrating… and a whole lot more joyful.

If you’re interested, I’m hosting an online Beginner Quilt Class with clear encouraging lessons to help you sew your quilt from start to finish and with a community where you can ask questions. This is your invitation to join us.

Beginner Quilt Class

Happy Quilting,
Jo Simpson

 

Beginner Quilting Tools Checklist

Must-Have Tools and Nice-to-Have Tools for Quilting Success

By Jo Simpson, Quilt Pattern Designer & Educator

Use this checklist to make sure you have the essential quilting tools to start your first quilt with confidence. These are the tools I personally use in my studio and recommend to every beginner.

✔ MUST-HAVE QUILTING TOOLS

These tools are essential to complete your first quilt.

Sewing Essentials

☐ Reliable sewing machine
☐ ¼” foot (or ability to sew consistent ¼” seam allowance)
☐ Walking foot (helpful for quilting layers)

Cutting Tools

☐ Rotary cutter (45mm recommended)
☐ Self-healing cutting mat (24” x 36” recommended)
☐ Acrylic quilting ruler (12” x 24” recommended)
☐ Fabric scissors (used only for fabric)

Needles & Thread

☐ Quality thread (light grey and medium grey are great starter colors)
☐ Machine quilting needles (size 80/12 recommended)

Fabric & Batting

☐ 100% quilting cotton fabric
☐ Quilt batting

Pinning Tools

☐ Quilting safety pins
☐ Straight pins or sewing clips

Pressing Tools

☐ Iron
☐ Ironing board or pressing surface

Correction Tool

☐ Seam ripper

☆ NICE-TO-HAVE QUILTING TOOLS

These tools make quilting easier, faster, and more enjoyable, but aren’t required to start.

Accuracy & Ease Tools

☐ Magnetic seam guide
☐ Additional quilting rulers (6.5” x 24”, 10” square, etc.)
☐ Quilting gloves

Safety & Comfort Tools

☐ Suction cup handle for ruler stability
☐ Task lighting

Organization Tools

☐ Fabric storage bins
☐ Thread organizer
☐ Project storage bins

Specialty Feet

☐ Open toe appliqué foot
☐ Free motion quilting foot

✔ Beginner Tip from Jo

Start with the must-have tools and build your collection gradually. The right tools improve accuracy, reduce frustration, and make quilting far more enjoyable.

Remember: Quilting isn’t about having every tool, it’s about having the right ones.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a special sewing machine for quilting?
No. Most standard sewing machines can handle quilting. A walking foot is helpful but not required to start.

Can I quilt without a rotary cutter?
You can, but rotary cutters make cutting faster and more accurate.

What size ruler should a beginner buy?
A 12” x 24” ruler is the most versatile starting size.

What is the most important tool for a beginner quilter?
A reliable sewing machine and accurate cutting tools are the most important foundations.