Quilt Prep

How to make your long-arm quilter love you!

General

• The three layers of your quilt will be loaded on the machine independently of one another.

• Please do not pin or baste them together.

• The batting and backing should measure at least six inches longer and wider than your quilt top. For example, if your quilt measures 60" x 80", the batting and backing should measure at least 66" x 86".

Quilt Top

• Press seams well. Be sure the top lies flat. Ripples and puffy places will not necessarily quilt flat. Take care that the borders do not ripple and wave.

• The top should be free of embellishments such as buttons, beads, and crystals.

• Clip all loose threads and be sure the seams have been pressed.

• A row of stay stitching, applied ¼ inch or less from the edge of the quilt, will prevent stretching and will keep seams that extend to the edges from separating. This is especially helpful with piano key borders.

• If your quilt has a definite "top," and you think we might not recognize it, apply a piece of masking tape or a safety pin to identify it.

Batting

• If you send batting, check the package to be sure it is suitable for machine quilting. It’s also helpful to remove the batting from the packaging and allow it to “settle.”

• We stock 80/20 Cotton-Poly Blend batting.

Backing

• Please trim off the selvage edges before seaming your backing. Sides should be straight, and the backing squared. (A better term would be "rectangled". Your backing should have straight edges, with opposite edges parallel. Corners should be right angles.) Bed sheets are usually not suitable because of their high thread count.

• Be aware that it is not possible to center the top over the backing in both directions. A backing with a center monogram, or with a border, is likely to be "off" in the final product.

• Thread used on the back side will be matched as nearly as possible to the top thread. (Top and bottom threads that contrast too much result in the appearance of specks of the opposing color.)