(What’s that you say? You quilt your own tops on your home machine and never use a longarm? That’s great! Read on anyway, many of these tips will be helpful to you, too!)
You put a lot of time and effort into making your quilt top, so why not take some steps to ensure a successful finish? Go the extra mile and not only will your longarmer love you, you’ll love your finished quilt!
I heard from lots of longarm quilters a while back when I asked in my newsletter what they wished their quilting clients knew. At the top of the wishlist? NO MORE WAVY BORDERS. A close second was squared-up backings with at least four inches of extra fabric all around. And a common thread between all of the longarm quilters who responded was that communication is key!
seams
- Stitch 1/8” inch around the entire quilt top to keep seams around the edges from pulling apart and to help keep the quilt squared.
- Check that all of the seams in the quilt top are closed and not pulling apart—not just along the edges!
an ounce of prevention
Not all mistakes will “quilt out,” so do your best to maintain a consistent ¼” seam allowances throughout your quilt. If the seams are smaller than ¼”, there’s greater risk of the seams coming apart in places. As a bonus, accurate piecing helps your quilt to lie flat.
Borders
I haven’t heard from a longarm quilter yet who hasn’t encountered the “wavy border” problem. If the borders aren’t made to fit the quilt, they probably won’t lie flat and could end up with pleats and folds quilted in. It takes very little extra time to measure borders properly.
- Lay the quilt top on a large surface or on the floor and measure it lengthwise in three places (the center and near each side).
- Average these measurements to find the length of the side borders.
(L1+L2+L3)/3 = border length
example:
L1 = 72.5”
L2 = 73”
L3 = 72.75”
(72.5” + 73” + 72.75”)/3 =
218.25”/3 =
72.75
- Make the correctly-sized side borders, piecing if necessary.
- Fold the borders in half and mark the centers.
- Fold them in half again to mark the quarters.
- Mark the long quilt edge the same way.
- Pin the center of the border to the center of the quilt, right sides together.
- Pin the ends and at the quarter marks, then pin in between.
- Stitch the side borders.
- Press seams towards the borders.
- Repeat the steps for the top and bottom borders, measuring the width of the quilt top instead of the length.
an ounce of prevention
Square up blocks as you make the quilt top, and keep up the good work with that ¼” seam allowance.
backing
- If you washed the fabric in the top, wash the backing, too.
- If you want the quilting to stand out on the back of the quilt, choose a fabric that contrasts with the thread you select. Solids or blenders work well for highlighting quilting. If you prefer less visible quilting, then choose a busier fabric that blends well with the thread.
- Whether you use a 108” wide backing fabric or a pieced back, make sure the backing is large enough. Check with your longarmer, but most ask for 4” of extra room on all four sides of the quilt: that means you should add 8” to the length and width of the quilt top measurement to get the backing size.
- Pieced or not, that backing needs to be squared off, just like you square the top.
- Remove all selvages from the backing fabric. Selvages are woven more tightly than the rest of the fabric and can create unevenness that leasds to puckering. Consider using a ½” seam allowance for the back when possible.
give it a once-over…at least
Trim or remove stray threads from the front and back of the quilt top and the backing. Dark threads can show through lighter fabrics, and loose threads can snag the foot of the longarm and cause problems with the stitching.
press it all
- Press the top and the backing to make sure they’re flat, with no obvious bubbles or bumps.
- Lay them out on a bed or the floor, take a picture with your cell phone and take one last look to make sure everything is as it should be–no one wants to find a piecing mistake after the quilting is done!
- Carefully fold the quilt top and backing separately.
batting
- Talk to your longarm quilter about the best batting choices for your quilt and how it will be used.
- Some longarmers offer batting for sale. This is a terrific option for many quilters.
- If you’re providing your own batting, don’t wash it. You can freshen it up in the dryer for a bit to help remove creases (not too hot). Check the batting manufacturer’s website to make sure it’s okay.
- Cut the batting (if using your own) to the size of the backing fabric and square it up.
special situations
- Save any embellishments for after quilting. That means no buttons, no crystals, no snazzy little charms, etc.
- While we’re on the subject, talk to your longarm quilter about appliqués–some prefer that you wait to add them after quilting. Just check with them.
- Let your longarmer know about anything “unusual” like cording, flanges, non-quilting fabrics (like in a memory quilt).
- Don’t cut scalloped edges, but mark the cutting line clearly on the top. Cut the quilt after it’s been quilted.
preparation
- Fold each part of the quilt sandwich (top, batting, and backing) separately. Your longarmer loads each piece separately, so don’t layer them together.
- Write “top edge” on scraps of fabric, ribbon, or paper, then safety pin one on each part of the quilt sandwich.
communication
Whether you communicate with your longarmer via email, text message, phone, in person, or pony express, KEEP NOTES! Ideally, you should keep notes on your ideas for the quilt while you’re making the top. Here are some topics to keep in mind:
- How will the quilt be used?
- What kind of quilting do you want? Be as specific as you can! If you’re not sure, it’s okay to ask for advice. Remember, a custom design will cost more than an all-over design.
- What kind of batting will be best?
- What color(s)/weight(s) of thread do you want? Do you want the top thread and bobbin thread to match each other?
- Is there anything unusual about the quilt? For example: it contains fabric other than quilting cotton.
- Do you have a deadline to meet? Find out how long you expect to wait for your quilt’s return.
- How much will it cost? How does your longarmer prefer payment (cash, check, Venmo, etc.)?
- If shipping, get insurance and tracking information.
- Find out how the quilt will be returned to you, especially if you’re shipping it to a non-local longarmer.
- Keep all of your longarm quilter’s contact information handy and make sure they know the best ways to reach you, too.
- Remember, when in doubt, ASK!
