If you are a quilter and are looking for ways to improve your quilting skills, take heart like anything you want to get better at with some motivation and effort you can improve your quilting skills. Here are seven actionable things you can do to become better at your craft and build your confidence in your quilting skills.
Give these ideas a try:
- Give yourself grace. Like they say, “Slow and steady wins the race”. Slow down and sew your quilt blocks together confidently.
- Be consistent. Set aside a certain time each day to sew 15 to 30 minutes a day your blocks. Like practicing the piano practice makes perfect.
- Tackle new quilting skills by learning how to make a quilt block you haven’t tried. Create a new quilt block at least once a month.
- Practice sewing straight lines and a 1/4″ seam allowance keepingas you sew patchwork squares. You can do it.
- Practice your quilting skills by making small projects to practice your sewing skills. Like doll blankets, small mini quilts, and mug rugs.
- Join a quilt sew along. You can make new friends and learn new quilting skills not to mention create a quilt if you endure to the end.
- Listen to quilting podcasts.
It is a worthy thing to want to improve your skills when enjoying a hobby like quilting. It doesn’t matter if you are a beginner or advanced. You can become more proficient if you apply the 6 suggestions I have given you. Don’t make it harder than it is. Just start working on your skills now and enjoy the journey!
Slow And Steady
Give yourself plenty of room for making mistakes and just as much room for having fun with quilting. You don’t have to get in a hurry to improve. Just take your time and sew your quilt blocks with confidence. Sew slowly so you can be accurate in what you sew. This will help save you time in the long run because you will unpick your stitches less. It just makes sense that if you get too hurried and try to sew too fast, you will tend to make more mistakes. Also, the more you sew the more confident you will become in your quilting. Having a hobby like quilting can be a coping skill in difficult or stressful times. If you learn to really enjoy quilting, you can pick it up when you need a fun distraction from a difficult day or just want to unwind and work on making a beautiful quilt or quilted gifts for loved ones.
Be Consistent
Consistency is key to getting better at your quilting. Try setting aside some time each day except maybe Sunday, (resting on this day is a good idea!) for practicing your sewing. Take 15 to 30 minutes to sew on your quilt blocks. Remember your days of practicing piano? Kind of the same principle here or just like playing sports, the more you practice the better you become. You can sew a little or sew a lot each day. The choice is yours. If you plan your quilting projects out so you know what you will be working on each day during your sewing and quilting time, even better. Being organized will help you use the time you set aside to get the most done you possibly can. That way you will accomplish two things get more done and get better at doing your quilting skills at the same time.
Try New Quilt Blocks
Take on a new quilt block at least once a month. It doesn’t have to be a complicated quilt block either. Choose a quilt block you haven’t sewn before and would like to learn how to make. You can also just sew the same quilt block over and over for practice. Continue doing this possibly during your planned sewing and quilting time as mentioned above, then in no time at all you will have enough quilt blocks to put a quilt together with. You will want to have a color scheme in mind if you plan to create a quilt out of your practice quilt blocks. One more positive thought about practicing your sewing and quilting, you can get rid of your fabric stash in a hurry wink wink.
Straight Ahead
This quilting improvement step is pretty simple but effective. Practice sewing straight lines and practicing sewing a 1/4″ seam allowance (very basic in sewing quilt tops) while sewing some patchwork squares or a quilt square that you want to get better at. Coordinate colors if you want so that after you have enough patchwork squares you can sew them together in a quilt top. Productive and improvement all in one! Give it a go. You will be sewing better seams and sewing faster too in no time because it will become more natural to you.
Small Projects Will Help You Improve
If you make small projects like doll quilts, mug rugs Two Easy No Binding Mug Rugs Christmas Gifts ,or mini quilts you can get a lot done and practice while you quilt. Turn a quilt block into a cute hot pad. You can make several gifts quickly as you try new quilt blocks and work on your quilting skills. Then graduate up to more advanced and bigger projects. Each quilting project you complete, will help give you confidence, experience, and practice.
Join A Quilt Sew Along
If you’re new at quilting and wondering what this is, it’s a really great way to improve your sewing and make some new friends at the same time. In basic quilting lingo, it’s an event where you tune in online virtually or you gather with other sewers/quilters in someone’s home or at a quilting store to make a quilt. You are taught step by step how to make a variety of quilt blocks. Not all at once but once a week or sometimes once a month you sew a quilt block so you learn as you go. You may have to pay for the class or buy the pattern but many times the class itself is free and you just buy the pattern. One of the best parts is you can meet people who are making the same quilt as you and you just might make some new quilting friends while improving your quilting skills. You will have plenty of help handy in case you have questions about your quilt block.
Listen To Experience
If you like to listen to something worth your time while you quilt, why not tune in to a few quilter podcasts. There are a lot of professionals sharing tips and how to’s out there. Get a podcasting app that you like (I use Overcast. Love that it is free.) Then search quilting and find some chats that you would enjoy and might help you improve your sewing and quilting.
You may also like:
Put your John Hancock on a quilt by making a cute and creative label on it. Here is an easy to make label How Do I Make A Simple Quilt Label?
If you are looking for a simple quilt pattern to practice your quilting skills on try this scrappy Swiss Cross Quilt. How Do I Make A Simple Scrap Quilt? Swiss Cross Quilt Great Beginner Quilt
Looking for some good reasons to start quilting hobby? This will validate you in getting started Why Quilt? It’s All About Joy
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