Preparing Your Quilt for Longarm Quilting
Pressing
- Press quilt top, first from the back to flatten all the seams. Then press from the front.
- If you want to use a product like Best Press, you can. It gives the quilt a nice crisp finish.
- If you struggle to get your borders to lay flat I have a border tutorial to help you.
Seam Inspection
- Take a look at your top and make sure that all seams are sewn together.
- Seams that are not completely sewn together can get caught in the hopping foot and cause damage to the quilt top.
Clipping Threads
- Please take the time to snip loose threads from the back of your quilt top.
- These may show through the lighter colors of your quilt.
- You might not be able to get them all, but to prevent dark threads from shadowing through your quilt top, please don’t skip this important step
Stay Stitch the Outer Edge
- For best results on a pieced border, stay stitch 1/8 inch from the outer edge of your quilt top.
- This will help keep the edges from stretching or coming apart while being quilted.
NO Embellishments
- Quilt top should be free of embellishments such as buttons, charms, pins, sequins, beads, etc.
- Those should be added AFTER the top is quilted.
Backing
- Size of the back: must be at least 4-6″ wider on each side, top and bottom, than your quilt top. A total of 8-10″ larger than your quilt top.
- If you need to make any seams in your backing fabric do not leave the selvedge in the seam being joined.
- This makes a seam that is stiff and will show up on the back.
- You do not need to remove the selvedges on the outer edge of the backing.
- Pressing the seam open will make the seam less noticeable.
- Extra fees may apply if I need to put extra time and effort into getting your quilt ready to load. If you have questions, please ask.
- Trim the top and bottom edges of your backing so they are straight and square. This ensures the quilt loads onto the machine straight; this is important for keeping the design square on your top.
- I have a Squaring Your Back tutorial for you if needed.
- Press your backing.
Mark Directional Fabric
- If you have a directional top OR directional backing, please mark it/them with a note and safety pin to indicate “TOP”
Pins
- PLEASE do not leave straight pins pinned to your quilt top or backing.
- They could hit the needle and/or not be seen and sewn into the quilt.
Batting
- I carry Quilters Dream 80/20 batting. $0.38 per linear inch
- If you prefer to provide your own batting that is fine, just ensure it is a high quality batting.
- If you prefer a different batting and would liked to have it shipped directly to me, that is fine.
- If you are sending/providing batting, it must be at least three inches larger on all sides than quilt top.
- (example: Quilt top 50” x 65” would require batting at least 56” x 71”)
NO Basting
- Do not pin or baste the layers together. Fold each layer separately.