Is Your Quilt Ready for Long Arm Quilting?

Instructions in how to prepare your quilt for the best longarm quilting results.

Quilt Top:

Trim loose threads on the top as they will interfere with machine quilting
Baste 1/4inch around the quilt top if it has a pieced border. Make sure all seams are secure (particularly those along the edge of your quilt top)
Seam allowances should be pressed appropriately.
Please apply your borders properly. This is a vital step in your quilt making process – if the borders are longer than the top and applied without proper and accurate measuring, the top will not lay flat. Pleats and puckers will develop during the machine quilting process.
To apply borders properly:
- Lay your top out on a flat surface and measure at least three different places across the width and length.
- If these measurements are not the same, take the average measurement and use this for cutting the borders.
- Apply each border to the quilt top evenly – divide the quilt top and border into quarters (or eighths) and ease or slightly stretch between marks, to make the border to fit.
- Fullness and or puckers within a border cannot be quilted out. I will try my best to work in some fullness, but I cannot guarantee that puckers and tucks will not be sewn in. Just remember, the flatter your quilt top lays, the better your finished quilt will look.

Remover all embellishments
Carefully fold or hang the quilt top and backing. Please do not pin or baste the top/backing/batting together as they need to be separate to be attached to the machine.

Backing:

Ideally a one-piece backing will allow for best results (use a “wide back” to eliminate piecing)
Bed sheets can be used but I can not guarantee not having thread related issues due to the tight weave and lower quality of fabric
Straighten (square) the edges of your backing (fold fabric to fit on cutting board and trim raw edges even); this ensures the quilt loads onto the machine straight, which is important for keeping the design square on your top
If you require me to piece your backing there will be a $10 per seam charge

Sew Conni Quilting