To help me achieve the best results for your quilt please invest just a little more time to prepare your quilt top for Long Arm Quilting.
1. If you supply your own backing and/or batting please ensure that they are kept as separate pieces and not basted. The quilt top, batting and backing will be loaded onto the quilting frame as three separate pieces, to ensure a wrinkle free finish. Backing should be square top and bottom.
2. Backing and batting should be at least 4" (10 cm) larger than your quilt top on all sides. This is needed to load the top and bottom onto the frame rollers and clamp the sides to keep the layers taut. It also allows for the shrinkage that naturally occurs during quilting.
3. When choosing your backing fabric remember that the quilting thread will be seen both top and bottom. Consider using a patterned fabric which includes some of the colours used in the quilt top.
4. If you need to join widths of fabric for the backing, remove all selvedges along the seam and press the seam open. It is not necessary to remove the selvedges on the edges of the backing. Alternatively, I can prepare your backing fabric on your behalf for a small charge.
5. Please do not add embellishments like buttons or beads until after your top has been quilted as these could prevent quilting close to the embellishment.
6. If the edges of your top are pieced, please stay-stitch them as this will help minimize any splitting, stretching or puckering of the finished edges.
7. Press your pieced top and backing and snip thread ends which may show through your top. This is especially important for quilts with a pale background.
8. If you want one of the edges of your quilt to be treated as the top please mark this with a label. Flower patterns particularly need some thought as to how the quilt will look, particulary if it will be used on a bed.
9. If you would like custom quilting, for best results please ensure seams are pressed consistently to one side throughout the quilt top. If you wish me to "stitch in the ditch" inside a border, please ensure that seam allowances are pressed toward the border. Please note that I cannot stitch in the ditch seams which have been pressed open.
10. If you have any queries about preparing your quilt top please contact me.
