Quilt Prep
Getting ready for the long arm machine
- Square up your backing fabric as best you can. We cannot use sheets, blankets etc for backing.
- On pieced backing, trim off selvedges at any seams you have created. If possible, please leave the selvedge on the outer edges of the quilt backing.
- The size of the backing must be at least 8″ larger than the quilt top. (If your top is 60×60, backing needs to be at least 68×68). You might ask why!? The extra is needed for proper attachment to the machine clamps.
- Clip loose threads. This is especially important if your quilt top is a light color as they will show through after quilting.
- Make sure all seams are secure on your quilt top.
- Please complete and submit an order form. It will arrive in our email box and once received we will contact you prior to your shipping us your items.
- Mark the top center edge of your quilt top and quilt backing with a safety pin/note to help us eliminate any guess work when it comes to loading.
- Press out any deep wrinkles from your backing and fold gently. Minor wrinkles are OK.
- Fold the quilt top and backing separately.
Information about cutting and applying borders to your quilt. This becomes very important when it’s time to long arm!
It is important to apply borders squarely. If borders are slightly longer than the top, it will not lay flat on the machine and bunching or puddling will happen. This fullness could result in pleats and puckers during the quilting process. We do our best to work in a little bit of fullness and it is typically not a problem but large areas of fullness….you don’t want that!
Tips for applying borders
- Measure your pieced top (before the borders are added). Lay your top on a flat surface and measure near the top edge, at the middle and near the bottom edge across the width and length. Jot those numbers down.
- Calculate the average width and the average length using the numbers you jotted down. Using the average result, cut your borders to that figure and then stitch them on by pinning the ends and working in the middle. Please DO NOT just lay out the border fabric, eyeball and cut off the excess! It is important to measure, average and then cut to that length.