The Ultimate Guide to Hand Quilting Essentials

What are the best hand quilting supplies and tools out there?

I’ve recently tried hand quilting and completely fell in love with it, but I don’t think I would have loved it nearly as much if I didn’t use the tools that I did. This article will go over all the supplies and materials you will need to succeed at hand quilting!

Before we get too far into the Hand Quilting specifics, if you are new to quilting in general, I recommend you take a look at this complete beginner’s guide to making a Quilt! This post will teach you exactly how to go about making a quilt from start to finish.

While hand quilting really is relatively simple in terms of what you need, there are a few absolute essentials. Watch this video as I introduce all the essential hand quilting supplies:

I have supplied amazon affiliate links to some of my favorite products for your convenience!

Basted quilt top – When prepping a quilt for hand quilting, I like to spray baste and then add a few Curved Safety Pins for added security. You can click here to find my spray basting comparison blog post. I recommend using Quilter’s Dream Orient Batting because it is a literal DREAM to work with.
Hand Quilting Needles – I have recently fallen in love with these big stitch needles, but its important to find what works for you and roll with it
Thread – I love either 12 wt or 8 wt thread for some big stitches that stand out & colors that pop are always fun too!! I personally find it much easier to quilt with thick thread and big stitches, but that is really just personal preference. It’s important to remember there’s no wrong way to do this.
Thimble– this one is leather and super comfy. Having a thimble that you love is very important!!!
Sharp Snips – I love these little ones from Havel’s but any sharp little scissors will do the trick!

Quilting Hoop – creates accurate tension on all layers of the quilt. I prefer 14 – 20 inch hoops. (optional)
Ruler – we all gotta stay in line somehow, amiright?
Hera Marker – this little tool allows you to put temporary crease marks on your quilt that will disappear with time. (a butter knife works too in a pinch)
Dome Threaded Needle Case – while this is not completely necessary, it really does make the process much easier with fewer interruptions to thread needles!

What to expect once you get started:

Expect to stay in the same place for a while. Once you get started you’re not going to want to stop
Expect your fingers to hurt. Remember: Thimbles are your friend!!!
Expect it to take for.ev.er. Especially if you’re like me and love to sew really really fast on the machine.
Expect to get better with practice. The more stitches you do, the better you become.