Quilting is a beautiful, joyful craft. Let’s be honest, sometimes we want to finish a project faster. We wish to do so without sacrificing the love and care we put into it. Over the years, I’ve gathered a few of my favorite tricks. These tricks help me save time. They also allow me to create quilts I’m proud of. Whether you’re making your first quilt or your fiftieth, I hope these tips help you sew more. I also hope you finish more quilts you adore!
1. Chain Piece Whenever You Can
Don’t stop to cut your thread between every piece. Instead, keep feeding your fabric units under the needle one after the other. It’s like sewing a little fabric banner! Not only does it save time, but it also keeps pieces organized and uses less thread.
2. Use pre-cut fabrics for faster cutting and piecing
Pre-cuts like charm packs, jelly rolls, and fat quarters can speed up your quilting. I love starting with a pre-cut bundle. Much of the measuring and cutting is already done. The fabrics are beautifully coordinated. (You can browse my shop’s pre-cuts here]!)
3. Keep a small ironing station near your sewing machine!
Running back and forth to the big ironing board slows things down. I keep a small pressing mat and iron beside my sewing table. This way, I can press as I go without leaving my chair. It’s a game changer!
4. Cut multiples at once with a sharp rotary blade
A fresh rotary blade makes a world of difference. Layering 2–4 fabrics and cutting them together speeds up the cutting process and keeps everything uniform. Just make sure your blade is sharp to avoid slipping or dragging.
5. Plan your quilting sessions in small, doable steps
Not every day has to be a marathon sewing day. I like to break projects into bite-sized steps—“today I’ll piece the blocks,” “tomorrow I’ll sew rows together.” Small wins keep me motivated and help me make progress even on busy days.
Bonus tip: For how to Quilt Faster
✨: Always keep a spare bobbin wound with your most-used thread color. Nothing slows you down like running out of bobbin mid-seam!
I hope these tips help you carve out more quilting time and enjoy the process even more. Do you have a favorite time-saving trick? I’d love to hear it—share in the comments below!
🧵 Looking for beautiful pre-cuts to save even more time?
Take a peek at my handpicked collection of fat quarters, charm packs, and jelly rolls—perfect for quick, cozy projects!
👉 Shop Pre-Cuts Here