Last week, we gave you a few tips for preparing your quilt top for long arm quilting. Here are a few more tips to help you out:

• Please check the edges of the backing if you have pieced it to be sure the edges are even. If they are uneven, we will straighten them and there will be a charge.
• If you have any embellishments on the quilt top, please bring them to our attention when you bring in the quilt, so we can be prepared to quilt around them.
• If you have anything special about the quilt top or backing that we should know before quilting, such as a seam in the back should run vertical or horizontal, please let us know when you bring in your project.
• We are happy to trim your quilt when we finish quilting it at no cost to you.

Sometimes it happens that clients bring in beautiful quilt tops, but they have not been prepared in the best possible way for us to do the custom quilting on the long arm quilter.

Here are a few tips that can help you prepare your quilt before bringing it:

• Please bring in a backing that is 6” to 8” larger than the quilt top. For example, if your quilt top is 50” w x 60” h, your backing should measure 56-58” w x 66-68” h.
• Please press your top and backing well. Poorly pressed seams sometimes lead to broken needles and/or holes made in quilt tops. If you have pressed the top and bottom and can bring them in on a hanger, it will help keep the pieces neat until we can quilt it.
• Please cut off the majority of loose thread from the front and back of the quilt top.
• Please check your quilt top for any open seams as they can cause the toe of the presser foot to catch and rip the quilt top. If we find a seam that is open while the quilt is on the machine, we will fix it if possible and charge you for the time.

Check back next week for more tips!