Preparing your quilt for Longarm quilting
For successful quilting you will need to prepare the quilt top carefully. Please ensure that you press all seams to one side and fasten off any loose threads. Remove any threads that may show through to the front, particularly important if you have high contrast light and dark fabrics.
If you have a pieced border then stitch a few stitches across any seams about 1/8th of an inch from the edge, this helps stabilise the seam so it doesn’t part when under tension on the machine.
The corners of your quilt top and the backing should be square.
If you are supplying the backing and/or wadding then please make sure that these are at least 4” larger on all sides than the quilt top (ie 8” wider and 8” longer than the quilt top). The backing should be good quality cotton, not polycotton sheeting, and should be pressed. If you pre washed your fabric before making the quilt top then it is safer to wash your backing as well. If you need to join the backing to get the required width then please remove all selvages before you join and use ½” seams. (selvages left in will distort the quilt when it is washed)
If the quilt has a distinct top then please pin a label on that edge.
If you want me to bind the quilt then please make sure you leave sufficient fabric*
On occasions quilt tops may require additional work to prepare it for longarm quilting. Any additional work will not be carried out by me unless I have discussed it with you. You will always have the opportunity to do this work for yourself but any additional work I do will be charged at £15 per hour. Examples may be joining backing fabric, washing and pressing backing, squaring corners or securing seams.
Borders
Make your quilt fit the border, not the other way around. Taking the extra time to apply the border properly will result in a nice, flat, square quilt.
First measure the quilt from side to side through the centre, then top to bottom, through the centre. This will give you the length and width of the quilt top. Measuring through the centre allows you to be sure the sides are equal after the border is added. Cut your borders to these measurements.
If there is a noticeable difference in size on different sides of your quilt then for the side borders - measure each side and down the centre, average these three measurements and cut your side borders to this measurement. For the top and bottom borders – measure across the top, the centre and the bottom, average these three measurements and cut your top and bottom borders to this measurement. This will square up your top nicely when the borders are added. This does take some extra work, but will result in flat borders which will give a more pleasing result when quilted.
Take time to pin the border to the quilt accurately. Fold the border in half to find the centre, and mark, then in half again to find the quarters and mark again. Do the same with the quilt top. Pin border to quilt top matching these marks.
Please take care when fitting your borders, after all the care and time you have put into making your patchwork don’t rush the borders. I cannot make a wavy border flat when quilting.
*measuring how much binding you will need -
– the sum of the 4 sides plus 15” divided by the width of your fabric gives you how many strips you will need (round up) multiply the number of strips by 2 .25"
for example - if a top measures 30 x 35
sum of 4 sides =130+15=145
divide by 42(width of fabric) = 3.45 (no of strips needed to go around the quilt - round up to 4)
4 x 2.25" = 9"
You therefore need 9" of fabric 42" wide for the bindings.