Preparing Your Quilt Top for Machine Quilting

Taking some time to properly prepare your quilt for machine quilting will ensure that you are pleased with the final results.

• Press all seams flat (this doesn’t mean open - just pressed well).
• Remove loose threads and clip thread tails.
• Backing and batting need to be at least 8” longer and wider than the quilt top (4” on each edge).
• Don’t baste or pin the layers together.  The layers are all mounted separately on a longarm machine, so any basting will need to be removed.
• If the backing needs to be pieced, sew the pieces together with a 1/2” seam and press open. Remove all selvages. Square the backing.
• Make sure the quilt top is square. Two things will help you to have square tops. One is to square blocks as you go. The other is to apply borders by taking several measurements through the middle, average these measurements and cut borders to this length. Pin borders to the quilt by matching centers, ends and quarters. Ease quilt into borders.
• If there are many pieced edges on your quilt top, stay stitch all the way around the edge to keep these seams from pulling open when the top is mounted for quilting.
• Use a safety pin to mark the top of the quilt and the top of the backing.

If you have any questions about preparing your quilt for machine quilting, please feel free to call or email for more information.