Chain Piecing: The Quilting Shortcut That Saves You Time and Thread

Piecing is the most repetitive part of making a quilt. Some quilters enjoy that slower pace, but if you'd rather move faster, chain piecing is the answer. It cuts piecing time, saves thread, and keeps your blocks organized as you sew. 

What Is Chain Piecing?

Chain piecing is simple. You feed one unit through your machine, then immediately feed in the next without lifting the presser foot or cutting the thread. The units stay connected by short threads until you're done sewing, then you snip them apart and press as a batch.

There are several advantages to chain piecing:

• Speed. You sew continuously instead of stopping to cut threads and press after every seam.

• Accuracy. Sewing without interruption makes it easier to hold a consistent ¼" seam allowance from unit to unit.

• Organization. Stack your pieces in order before sewing, and the thread chain keeps that order intact, so your units come out ready for assembly.

How to Chain Piece

1. Organize your pieces. For repetitive units like half-square triangles, stack each fabric next to your machine and grab one of each as you sew. For quilts with multiple unit types, lay out your full design first, then pick up the pieces in order without rotating them.

2. Sew without stopping. Stitch your first unit. As soon as you reach the end, feed the next unit directly under the presser foot, no need to lift it. The feed dogs pull the new piece through on their own, leaving a short thread gap between units.

3. Skip the backstitch. Quilting seams don't need individual reinforcement; they get locked in once rows are sewn together. Backstitching adds bulk, which is a real problem in units where several seams meet at one point, like pinwheel blocks with up to eight layers converging.

4. Cut and press. Snip the threads between units with small scissors, or a blade saver tool, keeping everything in order. Press now or after cutting, whichever keeps you organized. Lay your units back into your design and repeat the process to chain piece your rows.

Pin It

Because you're moving fast, one backward or upside-down piece can repeat through several units before you catch it. Glance at each pair before it goes under the foot.

When to Skip Chain Piecing

Chain piecing isn't right for every seam. Skip it for set-in seams and Y-seams, which require starting and stopping at a precise point instead of sewing edge to edge. The same goes for partial seams and curved piecing, like Drunkard's Path blocks, where each unit needs individual attention to ease and match correctly. And whenever a block depends on points matching exactly, like stars or pieced borders, slow down and pin instead of rushing through a chain.

Related reading: The Correct Way to Press Quilt Seams (Beginner's Guide)