Diary of a Quilter - a quilt blog

  • Home
  • Tips + Tutorials
  • Shop
  • FAQ
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Tips + Tutorials
  • Shop
  • FAQ
  • Subscribe
    • Amazon
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • Tips + Tutorials
    • Shop
    • FAQ
    • Subscribe
    • Amazon
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Tips and Tricks

    Best Quilting Tips and Tricks to make your quilt projects come together quickly and without mistakes or frustration.

    • Ideas for using scraps, Repurpose and Reuse sewing notions
      How to Reuse and Repurpose as a Quilter: Tips for Sustainable Sewing
    • How to Clean Your Sewing Machine
    • Learn how to Machine Quilt on your home sewing machine with a walking foot or dual-feed foot
      Tips for Machine Quilting With a Walking Foot
    • Tutorial: Easiest Shortcut for Perfectly Square (non wavy) Quilt Borders Every time!
      Quick Method for Adding Quilt Borders
    • Best Short Cuts for making Half Square triangle quilt blocks
      Half Square Triangle Quilt Short Cuts and Easy Square Up
    • Tutorial and Tips for Half Rectangle Triangles + Free Squishy Stars Quilt Pattern
      Squishy Stars: Free Quilt Pattern using Half Rectangle Triangles
    • Tutorial for perfect Y-seams and a free Lemoyne Star Quilt Block pattern
      Mastering Y Seams: Step-by-Step Tutorial for the Classic Lemoyne Star Quilt Block
    • Tutorial: tips for quilting on a Domestic Sewing machine by Delia of A Stitch is a Stich
      10 Tips for Quilting on Your Domestic Machine
    • Batting Options for Quilts
      Quilting Tips: Choosing Batting For a Quilt
    • One of my favorite quilting short-cuts is strip-piecing. Here are some helpful tips and tricks to make your strip-piecing work smoothly!
      Strip Piecing Basics
    • How to choose cohesive fabrics for a scrap quilt
      Scrappy Fabric Pulls Made Easy
    • Talking all about quilting precuts - what are they, the benefits of working with them plus dozens of pattern and tutorial ideas to use them. Plus a printable PDF right to your inbox!
      Tips and Tricks: Working With Quilting Precuts
    • Quilting Short cut - Web Piecing tip taught by Lisa Donnelly
      Web-Piecing - a Quilting Shortcut
    • How to Machine-Piece Hexagons using Y-seams
      Machine Piecing Hexagons - Introduction to "Y" Seams
    • The ultimate quilting calculator and planning app
      How to Calculate Backing with Quilt Geek, the Quilting Calculator App
    • Modern Quilt Patters using Ombre color palettes with Amber Elliot
      Book: Quilts in Modern Color, Creating Ombre Palettes
    • 7 Tips and Tools for Piecing Accurate Quilt Blocks
      7 Tips and Tools for Accurate Quilt Block Piecing
    • Tip: Before Machine Quilting sew a quick seam (a victory lap) to secure a pieced quilt's edges to keep them from splitting or stretching
      Quick Machine Quilting Tip: Secure Your Quilt's Pieced Edges First
    • How to add a Scalloped quilt border to any quilt
      How to Calculate a Scalloped Quilt Border
    • Charities in need of fabric, thread, and batting donations.
      Places to Donate Fabric
    • Tips for Working successfully with a Longarm Quilter
      TIPS: Prepping a Quilt for Your Longarm Quilter
    • Handmade Gift Ideas for Quilters and Friends Who Sew
    • How to Foundation Paper Piece a Quilt Block
      Foundation Paper Piecing Tutorial with Liza Taylor
    • Ways to Help - Charity Sewing Ideas
    • 10 Tips for Using your Sewing Machine - a Guide to Best Practices
      10 Tips for Sewing Machine Success
    • Free Cheat Sheet for Half Rectangle Triangle Quilt Blocks
      Tips & Tricks: Making Half-Rectangle Triangles
    • 12 Easy Sewing Projects for Kids & Beginners featured by top US sewing blogger, Diary of a Quilter
      12 Easy Sewing Projects for Kids & Beginners
    • Free Quilt Tutorials using 5" Squares- Charm Packs
      30 Favorite Charm Square Quilts & Projects
    • Machine Quilting tutorial - practice using a Cheater Quilt panel
      Machine Quilting Tips + Using a "Cheater Quilt" for Practice
    • Tips for efficient Chain Piecing with your sewing machine
      What is Chain Piecing?
    • Tips for Choosing Fabric for a Quilt
      Choosing Fabric for a Quilt
    • Make Handmade Ornaments using the decorative stitches on your sewing machine
      Christmas Ornaments with Decorative Machine Stitching
    • Catalog all of the decorative stitch options available on your sewing machine.
      Sewing Machine Tip: Make a Decorative Stitches Catalog
    • Gift Ideas for people who quilt and sew
      Gift Guide for Quilters
    • Life Lessons when Quilts and Life Don't Go According to Plan
      Life Lessons: When Quilts (and Life) Don't Go According To Plan
    • Binding a Quilt with Perfect Topstitching
      Perfect Binding with the Quilt Binding Foot
    • Tips and Short-cuts for sewing Half Square Triangle quilt blocks
      Half Square Triangle Tips with Baby Lock
    • How to choose the right sewing machine needle for your project
      Best Sewing Machine Needles for Quilters
    • Stars and Stripes Pillow and Table Runner tutorials - by Amy Smart of Diary of a Quilter.
      Stars & Stripes Pillow and Runner Tutorial
    • Tips for Sorting, Storing, and actually Using your Fabric Quilting Scraps
      Sorting, Saving, and Using Fabric Scraps

    Posts pagination

    1 2 3 Next page

    My name is Amy Smart and I'm a quilter, pattern and fabric designer, wife & mom. Excited to have you here!

    more about me →

    THE PERFECT PLACE TO START

    I SEW WITH

    Baby Lock Sewing Machines

    MY FABRIC COLLECTIONS

    Fabric Collections by Amy Smart for Riley Blake Designs.

    FAVORITE FABRIC SHOPS

    COME SEW WITH ME CRAFTSY CLASS

    Pre-cuts Shortcuts Video Craftsy Class with Amy Smartma

    SEARCH

    Most Recent Posts

    • 12 Lessons I've Learned After 20 years in the Quilting Industry
    • Quilt Batting Options from Missouri Star
    • What's On My Sewing Table - April 2026
    • Mother's Day Gift Ideas for Quilters
    • Quilt Project Ideas for America’s 250th Anniversary

    ARCHIVES

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    PRIVACY POLICY

    DISCLAIMER

    TERMS & CONDITIONS

    CONTACT

    FAQ

    ACCESSIBILITY POLICY

    This site uses affiliate links:

    I make a small commission on some purchases with no additional cost to the reader.

    As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2026 Diary of a Quilter - a quilt blog