Quilting
Stitching three layers (top, wadding and backing) together into a padded quilt.
What it is
Joining three layers (top, wadding and backing) with stitches through all of them, by hand or machine.
Who it suits
Anyone with a sewing machine and some patience; hand quilting suits people who like slow, relaxing stitching.
What you need
Wadding, backing, safety pins, a walking foot (machine) or betweens needles and a thimble (hand), and binding fabric.
A first project
A quilted cushion cover in straight lines.
The quilting guides
Beginner's guide
What you need
Techniques and stitches
How to baste (layer) a quilt sandwich
Layer backing, wadding and top so they do not shift, then pin them together.
Straight-line quilting with a walking foot
The easiest machine quilting: evenly spaced straight lines.
How to hand quilt
Small running stitches through all three layers, using a short needle and a thimble.
How to bind a quilt
Finish the edges with a folded, double binding and mitred corners.
First project
Mistakes and fixes
Next steps
Related Learn guides
- Chain piecing (Quilting)
- Half-square triangles (HSTs) (Quilting)
- How to bind a quilt by machine (Quilting)
- Sewing an accurate quarter-inch seam (Quilting)
- Making and basting a quilt sandwich (Quilting)
Sources
All checked November 1, 2026. We read these; we did not test the products ourselves.
