Preparing Your Quilt for Longarming
Your quilt top is as important to me as it is to you. I want to ensure your quilt is as wonderful as you expect it.
Prep Your Top
Please trim threads and thoroughly press your quilt top. While I will press out any obvious creases from folding, I will not iron your quilt top. A poorly pressed top may result in wrinkles and puckers. If you want a thorough pressing by me, there will be an upcharge.
Embellishments
If you have any embellishments to add to your quilt, it is best to add them after the quilt is finished.
Backing and Batting
Your quilt backing and batting should be an additional 8” longer and wider than your quilt top to allow for the loading and natural shrinkage when being quilted. If you are providing 108” wide backing, please provide 10” additional width and length to allow for straightening the backing prior to loading.
Pieced backings are great, but please square up your backing. I will do the best to load the quilt evenly, but I will not square up the backing.
I do not carry batting at this time, but appreciate a high quality batting for best results. Please let me know which batting you are wanting to use prior to purchasing.
Borders
Borders that are not properly measured and applied may appear wavy (slightly too long), or pinched (slightly too short). In either case, quilting will not fix it. For accurate borders, measure your quilt in three places along the length - add these three measurements and divide by 3 to get the average. This is the length you should cut your side borders. Mark the center of the quilt side, and the center of the border - line up at center point and pin every few inches along the whole length of the border, easing as necessary so the ends line up. Repeat the process for the top and bottom borders (now you are including the side borders in your measurements).
If you have not prepared border as described above, I do my best to remedy this with steaming, but cannot guarantee that there will not be pleats or wrinkles after quilting. There is an upcharge if I have to spend time making your borders fit.
Binding
I am happy to square up, trim, piece and place your binding to finish your quilt. I use a 2 1/2" binding strip for best results. You will need to supply the fabric for the binding. You will get an estimate on the cost during your consultation.
Quilt Labels
To personalize your quilt, consider a machine embroidered quilt label. See Quilt label order form for details.