Before you bring it in
Prepare your quilt
for the longarm.
A few simple steps help the quilt load cleanly and give the quilting the best possible result.
Secure the seams
Check that all seams are secure. If there are many seams along the outside edge, stay-stitching around the quilt helps prevent them from pulling apart during loading.
Mark the top
If the quilt has a preferred top edge, clearly mark it or tell me when you drop it off.
Avoid strong odors
Quilt tops with strong odors such as cigarette smoke or mothballs cannot be accepted.
Make backing & batting larger
Backing and batting should extend about 3–4 inches beyond every side of the quilt top so there is enough material to load and compensate for movement.
Do not pin or baste
The quilt top, batting, and backing are loaded independently. Please bring them as three separate layers.
Be cautious with centered backs
Perfectly centering a monogram, picture, or border on the back can be difficult, so allow for some movement in the final alignment.
Match pre-washing
If you pre-washed the fabrics in the quilt top, pre-wash the backing too so different shrinkage rates do not become a problem later.
Send a photo if needed
If you want help choosing a quilting pattern before drop-off, email a clear, straight-on photo of the quilt top.
Not sure whether your quilt is ready?
Send me a picture and I’ll tell you what, if anything, needs attention before it goes on the frame.