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Quilt Preparation
Preparing your
quilt for
any Long
Arm Machine Quilting
Whether you are renting time in our quilt studio, or want us to do
your quilting for you, some basic preparations steps should be
followed.
(1) Measure the size of your quilt top.
This will help you determine the cost for us to do
your quilting, or help you approximate the time it will take to
quilt the top yourself.
(2) Choose or create an appropriate quilt back.
A good
backing material complements the front of the quilt.
It is possible to purchase extra wide material specifically designed
for quilt backs. The back can be pieced if needed, but it is a good
idea to keep the number of seams
to a minimum. Batiks or sheets
may not be used as backing material on the long arm machine.
(3) Measure your quilt back.
The back must be at least 4 inches longer
and 4 inches wider than the quilt top (front of the quilt).
(4) Check your quilt to see if it is flat and squared
off.
Lay your top on a flat surface (usually the floor for
a large quilt) and see if the borders lie flat without ripples. If
your quilt is not flat, be aware that there may be some gathering of
the material either on the front or the back when it is quilted. We
cannot guarantee a gather-free quilt unless the top is flat and
square.
(5) Check for any loose seams and correct them before
quilting.
This is particularly important around the edges of
the quilt. The machine creates some tension on the quilt and
there is a chance seams may pull open, if they are not secure along the edges.
(6) If you want to use batting other than
what we can provide at a reasonable price,
call and check first.
We want you to be happy with the results of your
quilting. Some types of batting work better than others and we can
make suggestions. If you are supplying the batting, it must
be at least 4 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the quilt top
(front of the quilt).
Renting Studio
Time to do Your Own Quilting
If you are renting time, you will want to make the most of it.
(1) Follow the
steps above to make sure your quilt is ready for quilting.
(2) Attach your
zippers ahead of time. If you have rented
time with us before you may want to stop by and pick up a set of
zippers so you can attach them to your quilt top before you come.
If you are a first-timer, you will learn about zippers in the
introductory class. See our
services page for more
information on time rental and long arm quilting classes.
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