How To Sew Strip Sets for Quilting: A Video Tutorial For Beginner Quilters
- Heather Heck
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Making Strip Sets Is Such a Useful Quilting Technique to Know
Strip sets are one of those quilting techniques that quietly do a lot of heavy lifting. By sewing long strips of fabric together first, you can create consistent units faster, reduce cutting time, and keep your piecing more accurate overall. They’re especially handy when a design repeats so that you don't have to sew every single seam, you can just sew the seam once and sub cut it into the units you need.
Materials Needed
To follow along with the tutorial, you’ll need:
Fabric
(1) strip cut to 2.5" x 8.5" (white strip in the video)
(1) strip cut to 2" x 8.5" (blue strip in the video)
Thread - Coordinating or neutral quilting thread
Sewing Machine
Iron & Pressing Surface
Basic Sewing Supplies
Rotary cutter
Quilting ruler
Cutting mat
Video Tutorial for Sewing Strip Sets
In this video tutorial, I’ll walk you through how to sew a basic strip set step by step, basic meaning we're only joining 2 pieces of fabric. While some strip sets can combine LOTS of fabric pieces together, we'll just stick with the basics for this tutorial. Press play below and sew along with me.
Now that you’ve seen how to sew a strip set step by step, you can start using this quilting technique in all kinds of projects — from blocks and borders to full quilt tops. Strip piecing is especially helpful for improving accuracy, keeping seam allowances consistent, and speeding up the piecing process, making it one of my go-to construction methods.
Strip Set Troubleshooting FAQ
Why is my strip set measuring too big?
If your strip set is measuring larger than expected (in this case greater than 4"), the most common cause is a seam allowance that’s slightly too small. Even being off by a thread or two can add noticeable width once strips are sewn together.
You can make your strip set smaller by making your seam larger. Do this by either moving your needle position to the left OR moving your fabric a thread's width or 2 to the right. This will give you a larger seam allowance and decrease your strip set size.
Why is my strip set measuring too small?
Strip sets that measure too small (in this case smaller than 4") are usually the result of a seam allowance that’s too large. This often happens if your needle position has shifted or if you’re stitching just a hair wider than ¼". Fabric stretch can also play a role, especially with long strips — gentle handling and minimal pulling while sewing will help keep measurements accurate. Pressing to the side (like we're doing in this tutorial) can also cause your measurements to be a bit small.
You can make your seam strip set larger by making your seam smaller, or more scant. Do this either by moving your needle position to the right OR moving your fabric a thread's width or 2 to the left. This will give you a smaller seam allowance and increase your strip set size.
What should I do if my strip set is slightly off?
Before cutting your strip set into units, measure it carefully. If it’s a little too wide, you can often trim it down evenly. If it’s too narrow, it’s best to resew the strip set with a corrected seam allowance rather than trying to “fudge” the math later — small inconsistencies tend to multiply as a quilt top comes together.
How can I make my strip sets more accurate?
Consider sewing a test block first with scrap fabric first and wait to use your "good" fabric until after you know your seam allowance is accurate. Remember, pressing to the side vs open, fabric thickness, and needle/fabric position when sewing can all have an impact on how big or small your seam allowance is.
Start with accurately cut strips, sew with a consistent seam allowance, and press (don’t iron) after stitching. Taking a few extra seconds to check measurements early can save a lot of frustration later.
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