In this guide: how the TenSisters EasyPiecing Grid system works, which grid size to choose for your project, how to get started, and how pairing it with an AccuQuilt cutter takes your cutting to the next level.
From watercolour grids to EasyPiecing
Long before anyone talked about "pixel quilts", many quilters were already exploring what happens when you place small squares on a grid and let colour do the work. In the 1990s, watercolour quilts - like those taught by Deidre Amsden - used careful value and colour transitions to create soft, painterly surfaces that felt almost like impressionist paintings in fabric. Katherine was privileged to learn that approach directly in one of Deidre's workshops, and that experience still shapes how we look at grid-based patchwork today.
TenSisters EasyPiecing Grid comes from a different, but related, place. Rather than focusing on blended, painterly surfaces, its patterns are firmly rooted in traditional piecing language: squares, half-square triangles, and quarter-square triangles arranged in classic blocks, borders, and on-point layouts. The printed fusible grid simply makes those time-honoured designs faster and more accurate, especially when you are working at smaller scales or repeating the same unit many times.
What excites us is how these two ideas meet in today's quilting. With EasyPiecing Grid, you can still play with value and colour like a watercolour quilt, but you can also build very crisp traditional layouts or modern pixel images with far less cutting and matching stress. We expect makers to push this further, using TenSisters panels for everything from vintage-style scrap quilts to contemporary pixel art, tote bags and seasonal projects - all built on the same, simple cut-fuse-sew method.
Choosing your EasyPiecing grid size
One of the strengths of the TenSisters system is that it comes in several finished square sizes, each lending itself to different types of projects. All panels share the same basic structure - a printed fusible grid that you cover with squares, then sew in rows and columns - but the look and feel of the finished quilt changes dramatically as you move from ½" to 2" units.
2" finished grid - bold pixel quilts, fast scrap busting and modern watercolour
The 2" grid is the most immediately approachable for many quilters. Each panel for 2" finished squares is 18" x 28", with 9 squares across and 14 squares down, and a 12-panel pack creates an approximate 72" x 84" quilt centre before borders - think generous Twin or cosy Queen size. This size is ideal for bold pixel quilts, scrap-busting throws and projects where you want graphic impact without drowning in tiny pieces. It is also the grid used for the Jumbo Christmas Stocking kit and for the 2" border and on-point panels, so you can carry the same unit size right through a project. If you enjoy the flowing, value-driven look of 1990s watercolour quilts, the 2" grid is a natural choice for creating those soft, blended layouts with the precision and speed of EasyPiecing.
1½" finished grid - detailed pattern with a softer scale
The 1½" grid gives you a finer, more detailed look while still feeling very manageable to cut, place and sew. Panels at this size are perfect when you want more pattern per inch: pieced tote bags, sampler-style throws and borders that echo a smaller grid without tipping into true miniature. It is the grid used in the TenSisters Tote Bag Kit, which makes it an ideal first project if you like the idea of EasyPiecing but prefer to try it on something practical and everyday.
1" finished grid - miniature quilts and fine borders
At 1" finished, the grid moves firmly into miniature territory, giving you a crisp, pixel-like surface. This is the scale for postage-stamp quilts, tiny checkerboards and borders that look almost woven from colour. If you enjoy precise piecing and the look of traditional blocks in miniature, the 1" grid lets you chase that detail without having to handle hundreds of loose squares one by one.
½" finished grid - ultra-mini and appliqué precision
The ½" grid is for quilters who love working small and appreciate the control a very tight grid gives. It comes into its own in ultra-miniature quilts, intricate borders and picture quilts where you want very small "pixels" of colour. It also makes an excellent foundation under appliqué, giving you a stable, evenly marked surface so you can create softly blended, watercolour-style backgrounds that support your appliqué without adding bulk.
Getting started with EasyPiecing
The easiest way to try EasyPiecing is to start with a kit that pairs the right grid with a manageable project size. A stocking, tote, table runner or small throw lets you learn the cut-fuse-sew sequence without committing to a full bed quilt, and you can still make it completely your own by choosing your favourite fabrics. Kits that work with 2" finished grid are ideal for using 2½" mini charm squares, jelly roll leftovers or your own precut scraps - just lay them out on the fusible, press and sew.
If you prefer to dive straight into your own design, a single pack of grid panels plus a stack of 2½" squares is all you need. Plan your layout on a design wall or table, place the squares right-side up on the fusible, then follow the TenSisters method: fuse in place, sew all the rows, clip and press the seams, and then sew all the columns. Once you have tried this on one panel, scaling up to a throw or twin is simply a matter of repeating the process.
Supercharging your cutting with AccuQuilt
If you have ever looked at a pixel quilt and wondered how on earth someone cut all those tiny pieces, this is where an AccuQuilt GO! cutter changes everything. Rather than slicing strip after strip with a rotary cutter, an AccuQuilt die cuts multiple perfectly accurate shapes in a single pass - simply run your fabrics through a die that cuts squares and watch neat, perfectly sized pieces fall away. Suddenly, all those tiny units that used to feel like hard work become the easy part.
Move to larger projects and the AccuQuilt approach becomes even more powerful - a strip die lets you cut hundreds of pieces in just a few passes, every square falling away from the die exactly the same size, ready to place straight onto your EasyPiecing Grid. However complex your colour arrangement, pairing an AccuQuilt cutter with TenSisters EasyPiecing lets you spend your time where the joy is: playing with colour, arranging your design, and stitching everything together on the grid, rather than chopping up fabric one piece at a time.
Shop the TenSisters Range at Quilt Direct
We are stocking the full range of TenSisters EasyPiecing Grids, from ½" up to 2" finished squares, so you can choose exactly the scale that suits your project and your patience. Alongside the grids, you will find the Jumbo Christmas Stocking kit and the EasyPiecing Tote Bag kit - two very different but equally achievable ways to try the technique for the first time, and both perfect for gift-making.
To go deeper into the system, all three TenSisters books are available too, packed with layouts, tips and project ideas for using the grids in both traditional and modern ways. Whether you are just starting out or looking for your next big quilt, there is something in the range for every level.
Shop the full TenSisters EasyPiecing Grid collection at Quilt Direct →
