how to: Prep Your quilt

Quilt Top Preparation

• Press your top: Press all seams completely flat to reduce bulk, ensure smooth machine quilting, and prevent any fabric puckering. 

• Trim loose threads: Clip stray threads from both the front and back of the top so they do not catch on the quilting foot or show through light-colored fabrics.

• Add a stay seam: Stitch a basting line 1/8 inch from the raw perimeter edge to stabilize outer pieced seams and keep them from stretching or pulling apart under machine tension. 

• Mark the top: Use a safety pin or a piece of painter's tape to explicitly mark the head or top orientation of your quilt design so the quilting pattern directional layout is correct.

• Square up quilt: Use a square acrylic ruler and rotary cutter to ensure all corners form true 90-degree angles and the raw outer edges are completely straight. 

Quilt Backing Requirements

• Include extra backing: Ensure your backing fabric is at least 4 inches larger on all four sides (meaning 8 inches wider and 8 inches longer in total than the quilt top) to allow proper loading and clamping on the longarm frame.