Ironing
Before packaging your quilt top, be sure to iron the top and the backing fabric. All seams should be ironed open or to one side so they will lay flat. Doing so will ensure they do not cause unnecessary bulges or wrinkles in the finished quilt.
Backing
Your backing fabric must be at least 10″ wider and 10″ longer than your quilt top! If it is not, you can have us sew leaders to the backing fabric so that the quilt can be loaded onto the longarm machine. However, in order for us to use the leaders, the backing fabric must be at least 2″ wider and 2″ longer than the top.
Loose Threads
Trim all loose threads from the front and back of your quilt top. Any remaining loose threads may show through quilt tops made up of lighter-colored fabrics.
Square the Top
Make sure the quilt top is square and lays flat. If the borders or any other portion of the top is wavy, then you may have puckers in your finished quilt.
Batting
If you send batting for us to use, it needs to be 8″ wider and 8″ longer than your quilt top!
Shipping
Place your quilt top, backing fabric, and batting in a plastic bag before placing it in the shipping box. You never know how that box will be treated before it gets to us, and it’s always a good idea to have that extra barrier to keep out smells and moisture.
Miscellaneous
Ensure that all pins, buttons, sequins, etc., are removed from the quilt top – EXCEPT be sure to identify what you consider to be the top of your quilt and the top of the backing fabric with a safety pin and an attached note.
All outside seams should be backstitched or securely tied, so they don’t come apart when the quilt is placed onto the longarm machine.