Laughing Through Quilting Mistakes

Quilting Mistakes We All Make (and What They Teach Us!)

Every quilter, no matter how experienced, has a few “oops” moments hidden behind their finished quilt. From uneven seams to miscounted quilt blocks (like mine!), these little hiccups are part of the quilting process — and honestly, they often make the best stories.

Last week, I pushed myself to finish one more block for a quilt top I’d been working on. I had run out of fabric and had to dig deep into my stash to find something close enough to match. You’d think with all the fabric I have, it would be easy, but with thousands of shades of peach, green, and aqua, finding the right one can take a lot of time! 

Can you tell that the four fabrics (those rectangles on the left of the centre panel unit) are from different collections?

After finally sewing that block together and pressing it flat, I happily joined the rows on my sewing machine. Everything went smoothly — until I realized I had one extra block.

Apparently, I’d miscounted. So while I thought I was short of one block, I actually wasn’t! Now I am one block too many!!  It made me laugh, and I decided to include the extra one on the back of the quilt — a secret patchwork surprise stitched in. But I stitched in the extra block! See photo below:

A little Oopsies, but a whole lot of lessons.

This little mishap reminded me that quilting mistakes aren’t failures; they’re lessons that build our quilting skills. 

I think that’s what I love most about quilting — it mirrors life. Sometimes, we plan everything down to the last detail, yet things still go sideways. I had stalled on finishing up the quilt for quite sometime simply because I thought I was short of one block! o well, now I have one extra for the backing… every quilt has a story, and sometimes those stories are stitched into the back where only we know they exist.

Over the years, I’ve realized that no matter how many quilts I make, mistakes are inevitable. And that’s okay. They’re part of the learning process — and in many cases, the reason our quilting skills improve. So today, I want to share some of the most common quilting mistakes, why they happen, and how to avoid them in your next project.

Common quilting mistakes and ways to fix it

1. Inconsistent Seam Allowance

One of the most common quilting issues, especially for beginner quilters, is inconsistent seam allowance. Even being off by a small fraction can lead to patchwork blocks that don’t line up properly, giving you wavy borders or uneven rows in your quilt top.

Best way to fix it:
Use a ¼” foot or seam allowance guides on your sewing machine. Test sew on scrap fabric before starting your actual blocks. Consistency is key!

2. Skipping the Pressing Step

Pressing may seem like an optional step, but it’s actually crucial in the quilting process. Unpressed seams create bulk and misaligned quilt lines later in your free motion quilting or walking foot quilting.

Tip:
Press, don’t iron. Lifting and pressing your iron helps avoid stretching your fabric pieces.

3. Cutting Corners (Literally)

When we’re short on time or fabric, it’s tempting to skip careful cutting. But inaccurate cuts can affect the whole quilt. Using smaller pieces that aren’t the right size causes misaligned quilt patterns and gaps between seams.

Tip:
Double-check your rotary cutter measurements and always use a sharp blade.

4. Forgetting the Backing Fabric

Sometimes, in the excitement of finishing the quilt top, we forget to prepare enough backing fabric. This becomes a problem during the quilt sandwich stage when you layer the quilt top, batting, and backing together.

Tip:
Buy at least 8–10 inches more than the quilt top’s length and width to allow for quilting shrinkage and trimming.

5. Thread Breakage During Quilting

Nothing’s more frustrating than thread breakage right in the middle of free motion quilting! This common problem can come from incorrect tension, dull needles, or poor-quality thread.

Tip:
Use fresh needles, clean your sewing machine, and adjust tension settings before starting your quilting lines.

6. Taking On a Large Quilt as Your First Project

Many beginner quilters get excited and start with a large quilt — only to realize it’s overwhelming. Handling the bulk, getting even quilting lines, and managing the weight under the sewing machine can take a toll.

Tip:
Start small! Practice on small projects like table runners, mini quilts, or even a T-shirt quilt made from sentimental fabric. You’ll gain confidence before tackling a big one.

7. Not Preparing the Quilt Sandwich Properly

If your quilt layers aren’t basted well, you may end up with puckers or shifting while quilting.

Best way to fix it:
Use spray baste or pins generously, smooth each layer (quilt top, batting, backing fabric), and work from the center out.

Photo is from blogpost : Floor Basting Made Easy

8. Wavy Borders

Wavy borders happen when borders are sewn on without measuring the quilt top correctly.

Tip:
Measure your quilt top in three places (top, middle, bottom), average the lengths, and cut your borders to that size before attaching them. I find that whenever I try to follow through what the pattern calls for, I usually ends up with a wavy border. Remeasuring the quilt top again will make sure you get the right size border. 

Photo is my favourite floral quilt blogged HERE>

9. Ignoring Small Tension Issues

Tension problems might seem small, but they can ruin the look of your quilting lines or cause thread nests on the back.

Tip:
Check tension on a sample quilt sandwich before quilting the actual project. Each fabric and batting combination behaves differently. I always encourage those starting to free motion quilt to test on the sample quilt sandwich first. This will ensure you’ll have less trouble once you’re quilting on the real quilt.

Photo: Check out top 5 tips of free motion quilting HERE>

10. Forgetting That Mistakes Are Part of the Process

My “extra block” story was a perfect reminder that even when we plan everything, quilting still surprises us. The best way to grow your quilting skills is to embrace these moments, laugh a little, and keep sewing. Every mistake teaches something new — and often leads to a quilt that tells a better story.

Extra Tips to Prevent Common Quilting Problems

• Organize your pieces: Label your patchwork blocks before sewing them together to avoid layout mistakes.
• Check your bobbin often: Running out of thread mid-row can affect your quilting lines and tension.
• Clean your sewing machine: Dust and lint can cause skipped stitches and thread breakage.
• Take breaks: Quilting for hours can cause fatigue, which leads to inconsistent seam allowance or misaligned blocks.
• Test quilting lines first: Before you quilt the whole quilt, practice on a mini quilt sandwich to test your tension, stitch length, and thread color.
• Don’t skip small projects: If you’re learning free motion quilting, smaller projects like placemats or wall hangings give you faster feedback (and less pressure!).

Photo: using AlphaClippies to organise my units. Check out AlphaClippies HERE>

Why Quilting Mistakes Happen (Even to Experienced Quilters)

Quilting isn’t just about sewing straight lines — it’s a beautiful mix of creativity, precision, and patience. And sometimes, our excitement gets ahead of our accuracy! Whether you’re working on your first quilt or your fiftieth, mistakes happen because we’re human. We might rush the cutting, skip the pressing step, or forget to check the bobbin before quilting an entire row (I’ve been there!).

Many common quilting issues also come from trying new techniques — like free motion quilting for the first time or tackling a large quilt after mastering smaller pieces. That’s how we grow. Each “oops” moment adds to your understanding of the whole quilting process, from fabric cutting to assembling the quilt sandwich.

Fabrics, Quilting Tools and Notions I used:

Having the right tools makes quilting so much smoother — and often helps avoid those frustrating mistakes altogether. Here’s what I used for this project:

• My trusted workhorse, Janome Horizon Memory Craft QCP8200
• I used Superior Thread Snow for piecing this quilt
• My favourite Ergonomic Rotary Cutter – this have saved my wrist a lot!
• Large cutting Mat
• Wool ironing Mat (I have no issues with the smell, but sometimes it can burn if the iron is way too hot and no steam)
• Oliso Pro Iron (I love this Iron, it lifts as you let go, saving the wrist from too much work and it gives a good heat and steam)
• Portable Design Board
• Quilter’s Clapper
• Wooden Seam Roller
• Diagonal Seam Tape –  the tape I have on my machine to guide my 1/4″ seams and diagonal stitching. Game changing! Buy the original, it’s worth it and it will last for a very long time.
• This set of super sharp Pins 

Final Thoughts

Quilting, like life, is full of lessons stitched between the seams. When I look at my finished quilt — the one with the extra block and the mismatched scrap fabrics — I see more than a pattern. I see patience, laughter, and growth. That odd block reminds me that even when things don’t go perfectly, they still come together beautifully in the end.

Matching Fabric to a Full Collection

I also learned something new through this project — matching fabrics outside the original collection is definitely possible! With a little patience and a good eye, you can blend tones so well that even I can hardly tell which block was made from my stash. It turned out just fine — and it adds an extra layer of story to the quilt.

Mistakes are meant to be Stories for your quilt

So the next time you make a “mistake,” remember: it’s not the end of your project — it’s the start of a new story you’ll one day smile about. Keep quilting, keep learning, and most importantly, keep enjoying every stitch. In the end, your finished quilt — with all its hidden stories — is proof of growth, creativity, and love stitched in fabric. 💛

Share Your Story

Now I’d love to hear from you — what’s a quilting “mistake” that turned out better than you expected? Maybe it’s a block sewn upside down, a color you thought wouldn’t work, or a fabric mix-up that made the quilt uniquely yours. Share your story in the comments below — I’d love to know I’m not the only one who’s ended up with an extra block!