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We wish to provide you with the very best quilting job possible. Naturally,
there are some steps you can take to ensure that your quilt top, backing and
batting are ready for longarm quilting.
- Press your seams consistently as you are piecing. Most patterns have
instructions indicating the best pressing direction for the blocks. Most
important is that your pressing is consistent. Press your backing, too.
Wrinkles will not "quilt out" of your top or backing.
- If your quilt and/or backing have a definite up or down, please pin on a
piece of paper indicating which direction is up.
- Cut your batting and backing at least 4" larger than your quilt top on ALL
four sides. This extra is necessary to mount your quilt top, batting and
backing on the machine. Quilt backings and battings may be returned for
correction if too small.
- Choose batting that is appropriate for your quilt, as well as machine
quilting. Cotton batting will shrink the most, a cotton/poly blend will shrink
some and a poly blend won't shrink, but may not withstand the stress of
machine quilting. Please
email
us if you have questions about batting.
- Trim loose threads from your quilt back. If not trimmed, these threads may
show through the front of your quilt.
- If your quilt top has many pieces along the edge, it may be helpful to run
a "stay stitch" 1/8" in from the outside edge. This will help minimize the
stretching of your piecing.
- MOST IMPORTANTLY, apply your borders correctly. Tops with bias cut pieces or many pieces are
notorious for wavy borders. DO NOT simply cut strips and sew
them on the sides of your quilt tops, hacking off any left over fabric! Although
this is a technique seen in several books, this method is guaranteed to get you wavy borders
and possibly pleats in your borders, as well.
A. Measure across the longest side of
your quilt top in three places. Find the average of these three measurements, then cut your two
borders to fit that measurement.
B. Apply borders to the longest side,
pinning them from the center out, easing as necessary. Sew the borders onto
your quilt top.
C. Repeat with remaining two sides,
taking in to consideration cornerstones or mitered corners, if applicable.
D. Press well! Wavy and wrinkled
borders cannot be corrected with machine quilting.
If you have any questions, please feel free to
email for more information.
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