Prepare your quilt

Quilting adds beauty and emphasis to a well made quilt top. It can also hide a few of the flaws in our quilt tops. Good preparation makes all the difference in quilting. You want the best finish for your quilt and so do I.  Here are some tips to help your quilt achieve it's best look:

TOPS

Please press your quilt, starch helps. It keeps your seams flat and minimizes wrinkles while transporting. I will press a quilt top if needed. An excessively wrinkly top will require a pressing fee.

Square your quilt top. A good straight line allows your quilt to fit squarely on your backing.

 

BORDERS

Lay your quilt top on the floor or a large flat surface. If you are happy with the look of your borders, you are all set. 

If your borders are crooked or wavy, quilting will not fix that. Measuring your quilt top and cutting border fabric the same length will give you a smooth, flat border. 

Borders can usually be fixed by me for a fee. Fees will be determined by the complexity of the fix. I cannot fix a border that is too short. If the border causes the inside seam to pucker, it is too short and needs to be recut.

BACKING

Backing needs to be squared just like the top. 

 

Backing must be 4 inches larger than the quilt top all around. When your quilt top is laid on the backing, the backing must extend 4 inches past all edges of the quilt. This will allow for placement adjustments and a full quilting coverage.

Backs with horizontal seams are best. A vertical seam can distort the quilt on a longarm machine. While not always possible, it does make a difference. 

All trimmings will be returned to you. 

BATTING

I carry Hobbs 20/80 poly-cotton batting, 12 oz. polyester batting with about a 1inch loft, and Winline 6 oz bamboo batting. There is 2-5% shrinkage in cotton and bamboo based fabrics when washed for the first time. Samples are available for you to see and feel the difference.

Batting will be charged by the inch so you won't have to pay for extra yardage.  

If you bring your own batting, batting must be 4 inches wider than quilt top and 8 inches longer. Batting shifts and moves during quilting. We want to be sure it has enough material to rest in the quilt without stretching. Any trimmed batting will be returned to you.

A word of caution: Low quality polyester batting will tear and you will not be satisfied with your quilting results. A good quality polyester batting will unfold without tearing or thinning. If the batting you bring will not yield the results all quilt makers expect, I will notify you and we will find a different option.