Getting Great Quilting Results
Help ensure great quilting results by following the quilt prep steps below.
I love helping quilters of all experience levels and try to keep my quilt prep steps nice and basic. These easy steps will ensure your top + back are ready to be loaded for quilting and provide a good foundation for a beautifully finished quilt.
Quilt Prep
1
Size & Square Backing
I require backings to have an extra 4" margin ON ALL 4 SIDES. For example, a 60" x 80" quilt top requires a backing at least 68" x 88". It can be bigger, not smaller.
For pieced backs, please use a 1/2" seam allowance, trimming any selvedge in the seam allowance, but leaving selvedges on outer edges.
Please be sure to square up the backing. The backing needs to be square before loading. If you'd like me to square your backing, you can add that service on the quilting request form.
2
Press & Tidy
Please press both your top and backing for me so that it's nice and tidy and ready for me to load.
Please also clip all stray threads that are sticking through on the front of the quilt top so that they don't get caught in the quilting and damage the longarm.
Additional fees will apply if I need to pause quilting to trim stray threads.
If you have light and dark fabrics next to each other, you'll want to trim any dark threads from the back so that they don't show through on your finished quilt.​
3
Mark the Top
While I try to ensure the quilt top and backing are directionally aligned, it can sometimes be difficult to designate what direction is "up".
If your top and backing are directional and it is not very obvious which edge is the top of the quilt top and the top of the backing, please mark the top edge of each with a safety pin for me. :)