Monday, February 15, 2021

My Favorite Tools for Hand Piecing

I'll be sewing along with our hand pieced QAL which starts later this month - grab your copy of the pattern here - and I thought it would be fun to share my favorite tools for hand piecing.

(Disclosure: Some of these are affiliate links, which means I make a small commission if you buy from them, at no additional cost to you. Rest assured that I only recommend products that I know and love.)


Hand piecing requires a bit of prep work and having the right tools makes all the difference.  These are my favorites:



When it's time to sew, you need needles, thread, snips, and (optionally) a thimble.  You also need great lighting!  Here are my favorites:

  • Your choice of a needle is really a personal one - I like a short needle while other quilters like to use longer needles.  The key thing to look for is a needle that you can thread without issue and one that feels comfortable in your hand.  Needles are inexpensive - experiment until you find one that feels right.   
  • Regular 50 wt quality quilting thread works well but I like to use the Aurifil 80 wt because it is finer it takes up less room in your seams
  • Snips (or scissors) are also key - you want something smaller to trim any dog-ears and snip the thread
  • For some people, thimbles are critical while hand sewing and I wear a thimble on the middle finger of my right hand while sewing.  This one is my favorite!
  • Pinning seams is important.  I love using short pins designed for applique because they don't get in my way while I am sewing.
  • This portable Halo Go light from Daylight is a perfect solution for great lighting.  (See my review.)


Pressing your fabrics and your finished blocks is a key ingredient to having a lovely final result.  There are two products to recommend here - 



I've going to spend this week prepping my fabrics for the QAL.  Hope you are joining us - grab your copy of the pattern here  Read more about Harmony the hand piecing QAL for 2021.



Stay in touch and join our community so you don't miss a thing! 

Looking for a hand piecing refresher before you get started?  Please consult the tutorials for Using TemplatesMarking Stitching Linesand





Have a wonderful day! Patty

5 comments:

  1. Excited!! Prepping with you this week.

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  2. First time hand piecing a quilt. I have done Epp. I am really excited about the journey. I will start prepping. Thank you & have a wonderful day

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  3. I have never hand pieced a quilt, but it is on my bucket list.

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  4. It's good to see the products you recommend for hand-piecing. Everything you shared looks similar to what I use for hand-piecing, though I haven't tried 80-weight thread. I use 50-weight. If we had a quilt shop that carried threads, I would likely give it a try. Looks like you'll be making a lovely quilt. Have fun with it!

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  5. I love my mini iron and pressing mat. Thanks for the tips. I need to get my first block made.

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