Tips

Prepping a quilt to take to a machine quilter

Backing: It is best to have the back be about 4 inches bigger than the top all the way around. If your quilt is 60x60 plan on 68x68 for the back.  This is simply for putting on the machine and working with the quilt.

I personally prefer a back that has a print, as it hides starts and stops better.

If you are using a stretchy backing such as Minkee know I have to put the stretch on sideways and not the length of the quilt.

Square up the back of the quilt and don't leave uneven edges.

Remove the selvages when piecing back together as there is different stretch in the body of the fabric versus the selvages, could cause tucking.

If there is special instructions such as directional prints, label, direction of batting be sure to inform quilter.

Top:  Piece carefully- I can help many problems but the more accurate you are the better the finished product will be.

Large lumps where many corners meet are impossible to quilt over.  Try to eliminate as much as possible thru trimming and proper pressing.

Remove stray threads and cut sewing thread ends, invariably the dark thread will migrate to the light background and show through. If you had to unpick, remove the threads from the top you picked out.

Attach borders carefully, quilts with multiple borders can add as much as 4-6 extra inches in length by the time the outer border is attached and there is no way to quilt that in.