The best quilt kit for most beginners is the Connecting Threads Triangle Lap Throw Quilt Kit. It includes fabric for the top and binding, plus a simple pattern, and finishes at a lap size of 40.5 by 56.5 inches. If you want a kit with no cutting, the Hummingbirds Corner Rag Quilt Kit includes precut squares, batting, and thread. If you want to start smaller, a precut table runner kit is a good first project.
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Quilt kits save you the hardest part of a first quilt: choosing fabrics that look good together and buying the right amount. But most kits do not include everything. Many leave out the backing and the batting (the soft middle layer), and some leave out the binding (the strip that wraps the edges). This guide shows what each kit includes, what you still need to buy, and how to pick a kit you will finish.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks
- Best overall: Connecting Threads Triangle Lap Throw Quilt Kit, a lap quilt with fabric for the top and binding.
- Best bigger quilt: Connecting Threads Lap Throw Quilt Kit, a 60.5 by 80.5 inch quilt made with easy strip piecing.
- Best all-in-one kit: Hummingbirds Corner Rag Quilt Kit, with precut squares, batting, and thread.
- Best small first project: Happy Turtle Creations Autumn Table Runner Kit, with precut 2.5-inch squares.
What Comes in a Quilt Kit
A quilt kit is a pattern packed with the fabric it needs. The fabric is usually enough for the quilt top, the front side you piece together from smaller shapes. After that, kits differ a lot. Read the listing for the words "top only," "includes binding," or "backing not included" before you buy.
| Part of the quilt | What it is | In most kits? |
|---|---|---|
| Pattern | The cutting and sewing directions | Yes |
| Top fabric | The fabric for the pieced front | Yes |
| Binding fabric | Strips that wrap and finish the edges | Often |
| Backing fabric | The large piece for the back of the quilt | Not usually |
| Batting | The soft layer between the top and back | Rarely |
| Thread | For piecing and quilting | Rarely |
Kits also differ in how much cutting you do. A precut kit has the shapes already cut to size, so you can start sewing right away. A fabric-only kit gives you larger pieces, such as fat quarters, and you cut the shapes yourself with a rotary cutter, mat, and ruler.
Quilt Kit Shopping List Calculator
Enter the finished size from your kit listing and check what the kit already includes. The calculator tells you how much backing fabric, batting, and binding fabric to buy so your kit doesn't stall halfway through.
Quilt Kit Shopping List
Use the finished quilt size printed on the kit. Sizes are in inches.
Quilt Kit Shopping List by QuiltGearHQ.com. Free to use. Backing adds 4 inches on every side and uses 40 inches of usable width for regular quilting cotton, with 1/2 inch taken by each seam. Binding uses 2.5 inch strips. Always check your pattern first, because it may ask for a different amount.
For other sizes and wide backing fabric, our quilt backing guide has a full yardage calculator and chart.
The Best Quilt Kits for Beginners
We chose kits that list a finished size, say what is included, and are sold on Amazon by the company that makes them. We left out embroidery kits, no-sew fleece kits, and kits that need advanced skills like curved piecing.
Best Overall: Connecting Threads Triangle Lap Throw Quilt Kit
A lap-size quilt with fabric for the top and binding plus a pattern written for beginners.
- A small, finishable lap size
- Fabric for the top and binding in one box
- Fabric designed and made by Connecting Threads
- You cut the pieces yourself
- Backing and batting are not included
The Connecting Threads Triangle Lap Throw Quilt Kit comes with 12 fat quarters of 100% cotton fabric designed and made by Connecting Threads, enough for the quilt top and the binding, plus a pattern by Connecting Threads. The finished quilt measures 40.5 by 56.5 inches, a good size for a couch throw or a baby quilt.
Connecting Threads says the pattern uses basic piecing and step-by-step directions, and you can sew it in a day. The maker says you'll need about 3 more yards of fabric for the backing, plus batting. The shopping list calculator above comes to 2 3/4 yards with 4 inches extra on each side, so 3 yards leaves a little room to spare. Triangles take a little more care than squares when you line up the points, so sew slowly and press each seam before you move on.
Best Bigger Quilt: Connecting Threads Lap Throw Quilt Kit
A larger throw built from long strips, one of the easiest ways to piece a quilt.
- Strip piecing means long, straight seams
- Big enough to use on a bed or couch
- Needs about 5 more yards for backing
- A larger quilt is harder to quilt on a home machine
The Connecting Threads Lap Throw Quilt Kit includes all the 100% cotton yardage for the top and binding, plus a pattern by Mari Martin. It finishes at 60.5 by 80.5 inches. The design uses strip piecing, where you sew long strips together and then cut them into blocks. It is one of the most forgiving ways to start, because long straight seams are easier to keep even than many small pieces.
Pick this kit if you already know you want a quilt big enough to use every day. The maker says you need about 5 more yards of fabric for the backing. At this size, a walking foot helps keep the layers from shifting while you quilt.
Best All-in-One Kit: Hummingbirds Corner Rag Quilt Kit
Everything precut, including the batting, with no separate backing or binding to add.
- No measuring or cutting
- No binding step
- Batting and thread in the box
- Clipped seams shed lint in the first few washes
- You need sharp scissors to clip the seams
The Hummingbirds Corner Rag Quilt Kit for Beginners includes 50 precut 10-inch squares of printed cotton, 50 precut 10-inch squares of white fabric, 50 precut 10-inch squares of cotton batting, a spool of thread, and The Rag Quilt Blessing Book by Bonnie McPhail with directions. The maker lists the finished size as 56 by 56 inches.
A rag quilt works differently from a regular quilt. Each block is a small stack of print, batting, and backing that you stitch through first. Then you sew the blocks together with the seams on the front, clip the seam allowances, and wash the quilt so the clipped edges fray into a soft, fluffy texture. You don't piece a large backing or sew on binding, which removes two steps that slow beginners down. Clean the lint trap often during the first few washes and dries.
Best Small First Project: Happy Turtle Creations Autumn Table Runner Kit
A precut table runner that teaches piecing on a project you can finish quickly.
- Small size you can quilt on any machine
- Die-cut squares, no cutting
- Makes the top only
- Fall theme with moose, bears, and trees
The Happy Turtle Creations Autumn Table Runner DIY Quilt Kit comes with 125 die-cut 2.5-inch fabric squares, 7 iron-on appliqué shapes (2 moose, 2 bears, and 3 trees), and a pattern with photos. It makes a table runner top that measures about 10 by 48 inches.
A table runner uses every step of quilting, from piecing and pressing to basting, quilting, and binding, on a piece small enough to finish in a weekend. You will need a little backing fabric, batting, and binding, so set the calculator above to "Top only" and enter 10 by 48. The theme is seasonal, so it is best for someone who wants a fall decoration as well as practice.
Quilt Kit Comparison
| Kit | Finished size | Precut? | Included | You add |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecting Threads Triangle Lap Throw | 40.5 x 56.5 in | No | Top and binding fabric, pattern | Backing, batting, thread |
| Connecting Threads Lap Throw | 60.5 x 80.5 in | No | Top and binding fabric, pattern | Backing, batting, thread |
| Hummingbirds Corner Rag Quilt | 56 x 56 in | Yes | Fabric, batting, thread, book | Scissors for clipping |
| Happy Turtle Creations Table Runner | 10 x 48 in | Yes | Squares, iron-on shapes, pattern | Backing, batting, binding, thread |
How to Choose Your First Quilt Kit
Pick a Small Finished Size
A baby quilt, lap quilt, or table runner makes a great first project. Small quilts fit through a home sewing machine easily when you quilt the layers together, and you finish them before you lose steam. Our quilt size chart shows the common sizes from baby to king.
Look for Squares, Strips, or Rag Blocks
Squares and long strips are the easiest shapes to sew. Triangles are fine once you are comfortable, but they need more care at the points. Leave curves, tiny pieces, and paper piecing for later. If a listing names a skill level, start with one marked beginner or easy.
Check What the Kit Leaves Out
Look for the backing yardage, batting, and binding in the listing. If they aren't included, add them to your cart at the same time so the fabrics match and you aren't stuck waiting. The shopping list calculator above does the math, and our guide to the best quilt batting helps you choose the middle layer.
Decide If You Want to Cut
Precut kits let you skip cutting, which is where many beginners make their first mistakes. Fabric-only kits ask you to cut, so they also teach you to use a rotary cutter. If you choose one of those, you will want a rotary cutter, a self-healing cutting mat, and a quilting ruler.
Precut Fabric Terms You Will See in Kit Listings
Kit listings use the names of standard precut bundles. Here is what each one means. Piece counts vary by fabric line, but the National Quilters Circle notes that charm packs, layer cakes, and jelly rolls usually hold about 40 to 42 pieces.
| Name | Size of each piece | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Mini charm | 2.5 by 2.5 inches | Mini quilts and table runners |
| Charm pack | 5 by 5 inches | Simple square patchwork |
| Layer cake | 10 by 10 inches | Big blocks and rag quilts |
| Jelly roll | 2.5-inch strips cut across the fabric width, about 42 to 44 inches long | Strip quilts and binding |
| Fat quarter | About 18 by 22 inches | Cutting your own shapes |
A fat quarter is a quarter yard cut wide instead of long, so you get a squarer piece that is easier to cut shapes from. SewGuide explains how it compares to a regular quarter yard.
Tools You Need Besides the Kit
- A sewing machine that sews a straight stitch. Any basic machine works. See our picks for the best sewing machine for quilting beginners, and our guide on how to thread a sewing machine if yours is new.
- A quarter-inch presser foot or a seam guide. Most quilt patterns use a 1/4 inch seam, and this foot makes it easy to keep.
- An iron for pressing seams flat. Our best iron for quilting guide covers good options.
- Cotton thread in a neutral color like gray or beige that blends with most fabrics.
- Pins or clips to hold pieces together while you sew.
- Safety pins or basting spray to hold the layers together before quilting. Our guide on how to baste a quilt shows each method.
- A rotary cutter, mat, and ruler if your kit isn't precut, and to trim the edges at the end.
Tips for Sewing Your First Quilt Kit
- Read the whole pattern first. Know every step before you cut or sew, and check that all the fabrics are in the box.
- Sew a test seam. Sew two scraps together, then measure. Two 2.5-inch squares sewn with a true 1/4 inch seam should measure 4.5 inches across.
- Label your pieces. Pin a small paper label to each stack so you do not mix up similar fabrics.
- Press as you go. Press each seam before you sew across it. Press with an up-and-down motion instead of sliding the iron, which can stretch the fabric.
- Do not prewash precut pieces. Many quilters skip washing precuts because small pieces fray and shrink in the wash and may no longer match the pattern.
- Finish the steps in order. After you finish the top, you baste, quilt, square up, and bind the quilt. Our full guide on how to make a quilt walks through each step.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a quilt kit?
A quilt kit is a pattern packed with the fabric it uses. Most kits include enough fabric for the quilt top, and many include the binding. Backing fabric and batting are usually sold separately, so check the listing before you buy.
Are quilt kits good for beginners?
Yes. A kit takes away the hardest choices for a new quilter: picking fabrics that go together and buying the right amount. Choose a kit with a small finished size and simple shapes like squares or strips.
Do quilt kits include batting and backing?
Most do not. Many kits cover only the quilt top and binding. Rag quilt kits are an exception, because each block includes its own batting and backing square. Use the shopping list calculator on this page to see how much to buy.
What size quilt kit should a beginner start with?
Start with a baby quilt, lap quilt, or table runner. These sizes are easy to handle on a home sewing machine when you quilt the layers together, and you can finish them quickly.
Should I prewash the fabric in a quilt kit?
Many quilters don't prewash precut pieces because small pieces fray and shrink in the wash and may stop matching the pattern. If you prewash larger cuts like fat quarters, wash all of the fabric in the kit the same way.
The Bottom Line
For a first quilt, start with the Connecting Threads Triangle Lap Throw Quilt Kit and add backing fabric and batting to your order. If you want no cutting and no binding, pick the Hummingbirds Corner Rag Quilt Kit. If you would rather practice on something small, the Happy Turtle Creations table runner kit teaches every step in a weekend project. Whatever you choose, use the shopping list calculator so you have everything before you start.