Preparing Your Quilt

I have found that the quilts I have had the greatest success with had several things in common, all related to the preparation of the tops and backs.

Tops

Tops that are flat, with straight seams turn out the best. When the top is laid on a smooth, flat surface there should not be any puckers, tents, bulges, or wrinkles that won't smooth out. One of the more common issues is stretched borders and sashing. When pressing, iron perpendicular to the borders and sashing. Ironing with the length of fabric tends to stretch it. Look at the border seams in the corners when the top is laid on a flat surface. If the seams curve outward, the borders may have been stretched. It is difficult, if not impossible, to correct this when quilting without leaving puckers in the borders.

Backing

Please make the back at least 8 inches wider and longer than the top. This will allow 4 inches on each side, top, and bottom to mount the back to the machine. Any less and it becomes necessary for me to baste additional material to the back. I will charge extra for this service. If you have made several table runners that use the same back, do not cut the back into individual pieces. I will place the table runners on the backing material to minimize waste. It is very helpful if any seams in the back run across instead of up and down. Seams add thickness and do not stretch. This can create slack in the backing when it is rolled on the machine because the seam rolls over itself when quilting.

Embellishments

Consider what the presser foot might get hung up on when quilting. It is best to add embellishments after quilting. Things like prairie points, pockets, and "open" flying geese should be tacked down. I do have a cupped presser foot that I can use to avoid some of these issues.

Contrasting Colors Top/Back

Sometimes it is desirable for the thread to stand out to highlight features of the top, back, or quilting. For other quilts it may be best for the thread to blend in so it does not detract from the detail of the fabric or work you put into the piecing. Contrasting thread colors on the top and back do not work well when quilting. There is just no way to adjust the thread tension so it doesn't pull through the top, bottom, or both somewhere during the quilting process. Contrasting thread colors will show up when this happens. This should be considered when picking out your backing fabric and thread color.

Before

After

Repairs

When the quilt arrived it was in need of repair with gaps as large as a tennis ball in some sections. This was the most challenging repair of my career to date. Extra TLC was given to this project because it was an extremely sentimental piece for my client. I enjoyed finding a solution, repairing it and proud to provide a quality quilt in the end. She was very happy with the finished quilt. It is a cherished keepsake.