How to Machine Quilt With a Regular Sewing Machine

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Things You'll Need

  • Sewing Machine

  • Sewing notions (thread, pins, scissors, etc.)

  • Walking foot (optional)

  • Safety pins

  • Quilt top

  • Fabric backing

  • Batting

Machine quilting

Once you have finished piecing a quilt top, the fun begins. It is time to quilt the pieces you have sewn. There are several options for quilting a quilt top. Some people enjoy hand quilting. Others prefer to hire someone else to quilt their quilt tops. Still other people like to quilt their own quilt tops with a regular sewing machine. Almost any sewing machine can machine-quilt a quilt top. With a little time and patience, you can easily machine-quilt your quilt top and finish your own quilt.

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Step 1

Lay out the fabric backing with the wrong side facing up. Make sure that the backing layer is smooth and straight.

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Step 2

Place the batting layer on top of the backing layer. Make sure that the batting layer is smooth and straight on the backing.

Step 3

Place the quilt top on top of the batting layer with the right side facing up. Again, make sure that the quilt top is smooth and straight on the other layers.

Step 4

Pin the three layers together to secure. Use safety pins for best results. Start at the center of the quilt and pin out from there until there are pins securing the entire quilt and preventing it from shifting.

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Step 5

Position yourself at your machine. Take a moment to make sure you are comfortable, because depending on the size of your quilt, it may take considerable time to machine-quilt the entire quilt. Take breaks often to prevent strain and fatigue.

Step 6

Stitch in straight lines along the seam lines of the quilt top. Your sewing lines will simply follow the seams you made when you created the quilt top. Your sewing should be a very small distance away from the seam lines. Sew slowly to make sure your quilting lines are even. Some quilters use a walking foot for their sewing machines to quilt like this. Refer to your owners manual to see if one is available for your machine.

Step 7

Continue working slowly and evenly in this fashion until the entire quilt has been quilted.

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