Preparing a Quilt Top for Quilting
My primary concern is to help the customer complete their projects satisfactorily. The better a quilt top and backing are constructed, squared and pressed, the easier it is for a long-arm quilter to complete and deliver a well-finished quilt. Special instructions or concerns should be discussed with the long-arm quilter when the top is presented for quilting.
TOP – A top with squared corners and measuring equally at the top, through the center and at the bottom, will result in a squared-up quilt. Lay the top on a flat surface and assure that it lays flat, if the borders appear rippled see Borders below.
Quality fabrics of 100% cotton are recommended for most quilt tops and backs.
The quilt top and backing are mounted on the machine separately. Do not pin layers together.
Trim loose threads from the front and from the back of the quilt top as much as possible, especially where dark threads may be visible through light fabric. Some fabrics fray more than others, don’t stress.
Mark with a safety pin and paper pinned to the top and backing which is the top, if a directional design or backing is chosen.
If there are seams around the edge of the quilt or if the edges are bias, stay stitching 1/8″ from the edge will assure that the edges are not stretched or unsewn as the quilt is rolled on the quilting machine. Check that all seams are sewn securely. A loose seam or added embellishments may cause the machine to catch and tear the fabric.
If a quilt top is to be a particular size for a bed, remember to allow a little extra for shrinkage and drawing up slightly during quilting.
PRESSING – Pressing from the wrong side will assure the seams are pressed in the correct direction. If the quilt will have stitch in the ditch it will be smoother if seams are consistently pressed. Spray starch or other sizing or stabilizing spray is helpful.
BACKING – The backing should be squared with even edges on all sides. If the backing is pieced, remove selvages from sewn seams. Selvages may be left in tact on the edges, to be trimmed after quilting. Selvages may shrink differently than the main fabric when the quilt is washed. A seam larger than 1/4″ (1/2″) may assure all fabric is caught in the seams when piecing the backing. Pressing the backing seams open will reduce bulk. Spray starch or other sizing or stabilizing spray is helpful.
The backing must be about three inches larger than the top on all sides (six inches longer and wider than the quilt top). If the piece is small (less than 50″ square) slightly less than 3″ on all sides will be adequate. The extra is needed to mount on the machine and clamp. If batiks (or bed sheets–not recommended) are used for the backing, needle holes may show more than other fabrics, particularly if it is necessary to remove stitches, which may happen occasionally.
Try not to make backings that have to be center-matched with the center of the quilt top, unless the frame (outside border of the back) is more than eight inches. On a home machine, typically the quilt is sewn from the center out, but on a long arm machine, quilting is usually from top to bottom. Trying to perfectly match a quilt top with the backing takes extra time and skill, and depending on the type of quilt and design, it may not even be possible. They are not tightly mounted on the quilt machine but the backing may stretch slightly more or less than the top and make centering difficult. A backing with a design will show less machine starts and stops. Remember stripes or geometric prints on the backing fabric may not line up perfectly, especially if the quilt top measures slightly different on the top, center and bottom.
BATTING – Many types of quality batting are available, including Warm and Natural, Hobbs, and Quilter’s Dream battings. They are cotton, poly, cotton and cotton-poly blends, silk, bamboo and silk and wool. Customers may provide their own batting. Like the backing, the batting should be about 3″ larger than the top on all sides. Remember that some battings, particularly 100% cotton batting has some shrinkage. If the quilt top is not flat, a lofty batting may help compensate.
BORDERS – If borders are cut on the straight grain there will be less stretch. Do not sew a strip to the border without measuring and pinning. Instructions for applying borders are listed here:
- Press the quilt top.
- Measure across the top, the center and the bottom. If the measurements are more than 1″ difference, adjustments should be made in the piecing if possible.
- Average these three measurements and cut border fabric to the averaged measurement.
- If the border strips are joined, a diagonal seam is not essential, but it will reduce the bulk.
- Fold the border in half and mark with a pin, then fold again to mark in fourths.
- Fold and mark the side of the quilt top where the first border is to be sewn with pins in the same manner.
- Match the pins on the border to the pins on the side of the quilt and then ease and pin between these points and sew these two borders.
- Repeat for remaining borders.
- In some cases, borders may have to be removed and reapplied. This is preferable to a border that is noticeably longer than the quilt center and that must be pleated during quilting. I have removed as much as 10″ from borders that I have had to remove, measure and reapply.
- These problems may be minimized by squaring each block during construction and assuring seams are straight and consistently 1/4″ and of course, following the border instructions above.
REPAIRS – Check to be sure all seams have been caught by stitching. I will do minor repairs but if the needed repairs are significant, the customer will be contacted to make the repairs or a charge will be assessed for repairs.
THREAD – Superior, Sulky, Robison-Anton, YLI, Madeira and Signature threads are stocked and available. Using matching or nearly matching thread on the front and back will assure the best results. The customer will be advised if the thread chosen by the quilt maker might result in the thread showing on the opposite side. This is beyond the control of the long-arm quilter since the tension of the machine changes with each directional movement.
QUILTING DESIGNS – A Gammill Statler computerized machine is used by Virginia’s Finish Line. The machine can be used with or without the computerized function. Free-hand quilting, or digitized blocks with stitch in the ditch is considered custom quilting and costs about twice as much as computerized all-over designs. Custom designs take much more time than all-over (pentagram) designs. A unique pattern to fit the customer’s needs can be created by Virginia’s Finish Line. Many commercial designs are also available or can be obtained. The customer may specify specific designs or Virginia’s Finish Line can choose a design for you based on your instructions (who the quilt is going to-including age and gender or designs the quilt maker prefers or does not prefer).
BINDING – When quilting is finished, the batting and backing are trimmed within a couple inches of the quilt top for a better presentation. If the quilt must be turned on the quilt machine, the quilt will be trimmed so it can be mounted evenly back onto the machine. The final trimming will be done by the quilt maker, unless a request is voiced for edge-of-the quilt trimming. Useable fabric and batting that are removed when trimmed will be returned to the customer.
If the quilt maker plans to fold the backing to the front to form the binding, instructions must be specific when the quilt is delivered to the long-arm quilter so that quilting does not go beyond the quilt top edge and sufficient backing fabric is available to fold.
Most quilts will have a large basting stitch around the edge which can be included in the binding or easily removed by the quilt maker. If you wish to have these stitches removed by Virginia’s Finish Line, please specify.
If assistance is needed to sew on binding, please discuss that option. A charge will apply.
PRE-WASHING FABRICS – Pre-washing new fabrics or not is a personal preference. If some of the fabrics are pre-washed then they should all fabrics used in the quilt should be prewashed. Some of the new fabrics are dye fast but some deep colors, especially batiks, may run.
Fabrics may be tested:
Put a square of fabric in a cup or jar of warm water with a small amount of detergent (Orvus or Quilt Soap is recommended). Shake often for several minutes.
Check the water to see if any color has leached out of the fabric If no color is present in the water, rinse in fresh water, and check again
for color loss.
If there is color in the rinse water, place the wet sample with a wet
sample of the lightest fabric in the quilt, and let the two pieces dry
together.
If no color leaches onto the light fabric, the fabrics are probably safe to use together. If color transfers to the light fabric, try testing again with a different washing agent. If a particular fabric continues to bleed, do not use it in a quilt.
EMBELLISHMENTS – Embellishments should be applied after quilting if possible. Embellishments (buttons, beads, three-dimensional piecing) may present difficulties for loading onto the machine and hazards to the quilt when during the movement of the machine. If the quilt has flanges or other three-dimensional piecing. let us know if you want them quilted over. It may not be possible to do a pantogram.
COST – Contact us for an estimate. Generally a formula taking the area of the quilt (length times width) multiplied by $0.015 (one and a half cents) for all-over designs (digitized stippling may be less) and $0.03 for custom designs is used. The minimum quilting charge is $25.00.
Batting and additional charges such as binding/backing will be added to the square-inch quilting charge.
SHIPPING – It is the customer’s responsibility to pay for return shipping. Charges will be added to the invoice. If you wish to have the quilt insured, please specify the value of insurance. Remember, carriers do not usually insure the full value of quilts. They require proof for cost of materials so all the time and sellable value of the quilt may not be reimbursed if a loss occurs.
LABEL QUILTS – After the quilt is returned to the quilt maker it is strongly recommended that quilts be labeled with the name of the quilt maker, the date, the location and the recipient or story of the quilt. This will help recipients or descendants know about the ‘story’ behind the quilt.
CARING FOR COMPLETED QUILTS – Quilts should be washed only when necessary.
Place the quilt in the washing machine or bath tub, cover with cool or warm water. Add Orvus paste or Quilt Soap. Agitate gently or by hand. Gently squeeze excess water out with hands or spin in the washing machine on gentle settings or and fill the machine with clear water. Agitate gently by hand and spin or squeeze gently. Lay sheets or towels on the floor and lay the quilt on them, straightening edges and flattening the quilt as much as possible. The quilt will dry quickly if fans are used.
STORAGE – Quilts should not be stored in plastic long term. A pillow case or bag made of muslin is a good way to store quilts. Quilts should be periodically refolded, preferably not across the center of the quilt. Change the folds periodically so that creases do not develop permanent folding creases. A diagonal fold helps vary folding lines. Fold unquilted quilt tops with seams inside, fold finished quilts with the top inside.
MOST IMPORTANT – Enjoy the process and the product. Do not stress about preparing the quilt. Your long-arm quilter will work with you.
Please contact us if you have any questions or needs.
GUARANTEE – Every effort will be made to help finish the quilt to the customer’s satisfaction.