One of the first things I learned when I started sewing and quilting is that there are a lot of notions out there. Entire aisles of gizmos and gadgets promising to make your quilting life easier — and goodness, it can feel overwhelming. You know me though… I’m not one to collect every shiny new tool. I like the ones that help me get the job done effectively, joyfully, and without fuss.
As I worked toward my long‑held goal of quilting my own quilts — from cutting to piecing to basting to binding — I discovered a few marking tools that quietly became my most trusted companions. Whether I’m hand quilting or machine quilting, these three tools see me through 95% of my marking needs. Today I’m sharing what they are, how I use them, and why they’ve earned a permanent place in my sewing studio.
If you’re building your own toolkit, you might also enjoy my post on the Top 10 Quilting Tools You Need to Get Started.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, if you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a commission.
🧵 Learning to Quilt My Own Quilts
A personal goal of mine has always been to tackle every step of the quilt‑making process myself.
- Cutting my own fabric — check.
- Piecing my blocks — check.
- Basting — begrudgingly, but yes… check.
- Quilting on my domestic machine — even with my entry‑level Singer (and I’ve got the tears to prove it) — check, check.
- Binding — which meant learning to hand sew, and now it’s one of my favourite steps — check!
But quilting my own quilts didn’t come easily. Keeping everything aligned, maintaining straight lines, leveling up my motifs — all of it took practice, patience, and a willingness to try again.
And along the way, I discovered that the right marking tools make a huge difference.
📏 1. Long Acrylic Ruler (8.5″ x 24″)
This ruler is the workhorse of my studio. I started with a smaller 6″ x 12″ version, but upgrading to this larger size was a game‑changer. It helps with:
- Cutting fabric
- Trimming blocks
- Marking long, straight quilting lines
- Reducing repositioning while marking
It’s one of those tools I never expected to love as much as I do — but it’s paid for itself many times over.
🌙 2. Hera Marker
This little cutie gets a workout in my studio. A Hera marker creates a crisp, temporary crease in your fabric — no ink, no chalk, no residue. Just a clean line you can follow at the machine or while hand quilting.
Why I love it:
- Completely natural — no chemicals or dyes
- Perfect for straight‑line quilting
- Ideal for hand quilting designs
- Works beautifully with a long ruler
I even filmed a reel showing how I use it in my hand quilting projects. It’s simple, effective, and endlessly reliable.
✒️ 3. Air‑Erasable Marker
I’ll admit — I was nervous the first time I used one of these. Would the marks disappear? Would it damage the fabric? After all that work, the last thing I wanted was to ruin a quilt top.
But after using it on my Ecliptic Quilt, I learned it’s a trustworthy tool when used thoughtfully.
How I use it:
- I mark the smallest dots possible to minimize risk
- I pair it with my long ruler for spacing
- I connect the dots with my Hera marker to avoid too many pen lines
This combo worked beautifully on my Mouse Trap BOM Quilt, giving me clean guides without overwhelming the quilt with ink.
As always, test on your fabric first — but in my experience, this tool has been incredibly helpful.
🧰 And That’s It — My 3 Essentials
These three tools — my long ruler, Hera marker, and air‑erasable pen — see me through almost every quilt marking situation, whether I’m hand quilting or machine quilting.
If you’re looking for more quilty inspiration, you might enjoy:
I hope this little round‑up of my favourite quilt marking tools has been helpful. Hearing what other makers love has guided so many of my own purchases over the years, and I hope this does the same for you. Do you have a marking tool you reach for again and again?
I’d truly love to hear about it in the comments — your go‑to might be exactly what another quilter needs to discover.
Happy quilting!
xo,
Shannon
PS Don’t forget to download your free Quilt Marking Cheat Sheet here!
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