How To Prepare Your Quilt Top For Quilting

So you have finished that quilt top and it’s now for that quilty hug! Here are some great tips to help make preparing your quilt top a breeze!

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So your Quilt Top is Ready for Quilting: Here is What You Need to Know:

Here are some great tips to help make preparing your quilt top a breeze! 

Preparing Your Top for Quilting

Choosing the Right Thread

Preparing Your Quilt Top to be Long-Arm Quilted

 

  • No need to baste your quilt together into a sandwich! Yeah! (never was my favourite part)
  • Try to iron out the wrinkles on both your top and backing as best you can.
  • Whenever possible (unless they are on the edges of the backing) please cut off the selvedges. It just makes for a smoother, less bulky quilt if you do.
  • Try to cut as many of the stray threads on the quilt top as possible, especially if your quilt top is a light colour! Those pesky threads will show through once quilted. Not always the look you want to go for!
  • Place a safety pin in the top left-hand corner of both the top and backing fabric. Makes it easy to pick out how to pin the quilt on the frame.
  • Backing fabric and batting should be at least 3 to 4 inches larger all the way around, than the quilt top. I can get away with less on the sides however since the quilt is pinned on both the top and the bottom to the frame I need extra fabric to work with.
  • If your quilt top doesn’t have borders make sure you staystitch all around the top. Nothing worse than trying to bind a top that has seams that have popped open during quilting.

Note: Hey just a quick note here. I will do my best to quilt in any excess fullness from blocks and borders, however, I am not a miracle worker so may not be able to completely get a quilt top flat. I usually can tell upfront though when I am looking at a quilt and will contact you right away if I find anything that needs to be discussed during the quilting process.

 

 

Choosing the Right Thread

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Testimonials

Pat Montgomery

Good afternoon Janice,

Phil and Diann just brought me the last two quilts you did.

I’m so impressed!  They are both just lovely!  The batik one that you did the custom quilting on is just stunning!

Thank you so very much!

Pat!

Sue Pritchard

Hi Janice,

I had time today to take a good look at my quilts and I wanted to write to tell you, I think the quilting is lovely.   You have taken a few pieces of material sewn together and made beautiful quilts out of them with your quilting expertise.  The extra time and effort you put in is very much appreciated.

Thank you.

Take care.

Sue