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. You’ll learn what each tool is used for, why it matters, and how to choose the right ones for your projects.
Whether you’re just getting started or looking to build a solid foundation of supplies, this guide will help you feel confident and ready to sew!

Before diving into all the essential notions, let’s talk about why they matter. The right tools make quilting easier, more enjoyable, and give you better results. A sharp rotary cutter means clean, precise cuts. A good ruler keeps your measurements accurate. The right marking tools help you sew with confidence.
Having these basic notions on hand will save you time, reduce frustration, and help you create quilts you love. Now, let’s go over the must-have notions that every quilter should have in their toolkit!
I have come up with a list of my favorite tools. These are hidden from others and not shared often. I love, love them. And it shows.
- Rotary Cutter The blades are very sharp and cut fabric quickly and accurately. The blade rolls, just like a pizza cutter. There are many different sizes. I use the small-sized cutter most. It whips around curves like nobodies business, and is easy for me to grip. There are a few different kind of handles and blade sizes. Before purchasing one, I would suggestion giving them a try.
- A Self-healing Cutting Mat allows you to use the rotary cutter for cutting fabric. Mats come in many different sizes, but an 18 x 24 mat is a good size to start with. Need to clean the mat you have? Here is a quick how-to to help you out.
- Scissors sharp sewing scissors are a must. Trying to cut with something that is less than sharp can only make your experience frustrating. Another thing to look for is the point of the scissor. When you are snipping corners or curves having this part of the scissor sharp, and pointy will be necessary.
- Seam Ripper I have had many, and have used them all. There is one in my travel kit, one in my sewing machine drawer, and one on the cutting table. I call them my ‘best friend’ because it helps me fix what is wrong…and really knows best!
- Fabric – we’ve hit this topic before. Keep with high quality fabric. Your projects turn out better, last longer and you won’t have problems with colors bleading or bad fabric weave.
- Thread we’ve hit this topic before too. This is the one thing that is holding all your fabric together. Don’ skimp here. Use a few different brands until you find your favorite.
- Pins the flower head pins are my favorite. They lay flat against the fabric and are kind of a heavier pin so they hold their place. Remove them prior to stitching the spot though to avoid breaking your needle.
- Pincushions – these are you pins best friends. They come in all different shapes and sizes. Lots of sewers tend to collect pincushions and have them place stratically placed throughout the house.
- Wonder Clips – these are right now my favorite thing! They are great for holding your binding on. They won’t stick you.
- Rulers My favorite size is the 6″ X 12″, but I find that I use other shapes and sizes almost as much. Depending on the project that is being worked on, the ruler might change. I suggest trying out a few of your friends to find out which one is your favorite.
Additional Essential Tools:
- Seam Ripper: An indispensable tool for correcting mistakes, allowing quilters to remove stitches cleanly.
- Fabric Marking Tools: Pens or pencils designed for fabric to mark cutting lines or design placements.
- Hand Sewing Needles: Even if primarily machine quilting, certain tasks like binding or applique may require hand stitching.

Optional but Beneficial Tools:
- Wool Pressing Mat: Enhances the pressing process by retaining heat and providing a firm surface, leading to flatter seams. You can read more about wool pressing mats here.
- Tailor’s Clapper: A wooden tool that helps set seams crisply by absorbing moisture and heat when pressing.
- 1/4″ Presser Foot: Assists in achieving consistent 1/4″ seams, which are standard in quilting.
- Walking Foot: A sewing machine attachment that helps feed multiple layers of fabric evenly, useful in quilting and sewing through thick layers.

The Importance of Quality Materials
Fabric – Start with 100% cotton fabric. It’s easy to sew, presses well, and lasts longer in quilts. Lower-quality fabrics may fray, shrink, or fade quickly.
Thread – Use a good-quality cotton or polyester thread. Cheap thread can break easily, cause tension issues, and leave lint in your machine. A strong, smooth thread helps your quilt hold up over time.
Batting – Choose batting based on the feel and warmth you want. Cotton is soft and breathable, while polyester gives more loft. A quality batting will make quilting smoother and prevent lumps.
Needles – A sharp needle makes a difference! Replace them often so they don’t snag or skip stitches. Universal or quilting needles work best for piecing and quilting.
Scissors & Rotary Blades – Keep them sharp! Dull blades fray fabric and make cutting harder. A fresh blade means cleaner cuts and less frustration.
Starting with quality materials helps your quilt last longer and makes sewing easier. You’ll notice the difference!
Storage Solutions for Organizing Your Sewing Room
Organizing your sewing room is pretty important! The better you know where things are in your sewing room – the more you’ll actually use what you bought. When your notions go hiding. The fabric is in piles and you can’t tell what you really have, putting things away and having a process for organizing really does help. You can find more help on organizing as well as a whole series on the blog.

Having the right tools makes quilting easier and more enjoyable. You don’t need every gadget out there—just a few essentials to get started.
Over time, you’ll figure out what works best for you and add to your collection as needed. The key is to have reliable tools that help you cut, sew, and press with ease. With these basics in place, you’re ready to start your next project with confidence.

More Quilting Resources:
- Buying supplies from thrift stores to save money
- How long does it take to finish a quilt
- Creative ways to use your fabric stash
- How to clean fabric after water damage

Becky Jorgensen is the creative quilter behind Patchwork Posse, the Patchwork Planner and her online quilt group Patchworkers Plus. You can find her patterns in books, magazines, and her quilt membership. Gather your quilting supplies, organize your sewing space, explore the process of disappearing quilt blocks, or finish a free quilt pattern. I'll help you use what you have, finish what you start and make your quilting journey fun!
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Well for a quilt you’re going to need batting also. My favorite is a low loft cotton or cotton poly 80/20. If you use an all polyester batting you can expect it to melt together as you iron your seams. So it makes it look all uneven, especially if you are using any applique designs.
Needles, whether for hand sewing or machine sewing, use the right gauge and purpose needle. And don’t buy the cheap ones. I only use Schmetz any more since they are easy to find and work well in both of my machines. However Organ and Superior titanium are also good. Hand needles depend completely on what you are sewing on or with. Use a new needle for each project they get dull.
I like long sharpe pins for just about everything but hand applique. Like your needles they get dull so need to be changed out, my pincushion is a magnet or a one with a bar of soap in it.
As with everything price and quality matter. If you use cheap tools and material you will get frustrated and never want to sew again.
Oh my gosh– totally! Thanks for adding that Jennie. I’ve just started using the tinanium needles. They sure are nice! They are super important – less problems when you use good ones.
And- I agree that price can be a real turn off for some, but in the end it’s so worth saving up even if you need to, to get the right tool. Makes such a difference and Soooo much better in the long run.
If you are Free Motion Quilting, I personally think that a Supreme Slider is very necessary, or at least extremely helpful in moving your quilt across your table and though the sewing/quilting machine.
A wool mat for pressing the quilt piece seams. The mat underneath and a tailor’s clapper on the top really makes things look more professional.
I have a huge piece of (free) plexiglass that sits on my dining room table to make it larger. My cutting board sits on top of the plexiglass. I started laying out my quilts on the cutting board/plexiglass and use hem clips – one side under the plexiglass the other side over the top layer of fabric to keep everything in place when trimming the other 3 edges before adding the binding. Hope I explained that so it made sense.
One of my favourite tools is my expanding magnet rod with a light on it. As I have a bad back and find bending over very painful it is probably my best friend. The light makes it easier to find that pin you know is somewhere under your work station and the magnet picks it up. It works on pins, needles and wonder clips too.
I have just started using wonder clips and I put them on a magnetic pin holder when not in use. When trying to get them out of a container I always drop one on the floor. By using the magnetic tray they are always handy.
My favorite tool is my 1/4″ foot. Without it, my seams wouldn’t be correct! I can’t judge distance. ( depth perception is bad!) My other favorite tools are my seam rippers, and my thread snippers, and Karen Buckley scissors!
I don’t sew quilts without my 1/4″ presser foot! My biggest must have. I love my “Purple Thang” tool. It’s sooo handy, I keep one at my sewing machine, embroidery machine and my long arm. They are so helpful. My magnetic bowls for pins, my mini iron and wool pad, to press pieces as I go and a super sharp pair of thread snippers are always right there as I sew. Those are my must haves.