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The Quilt-Prep Guide
Five steps to get your top longarm-ready before you drop it off or mail it in. A few minutes of prep means a smoother quilting run and a squarer finished quilt.
Size your backing right
To load your quilt on the frame, your backing must be 4" longer than your top on all sides. Example: top 72" × 80" → backing 80" × 88". Max quilt-top size is 110".
Best results: make sure your seams run parallel to the table bars. For most quilts, that means looking at your top right-side-up, the backing seam runs horizontally along the back. Not sure how much fabric that takes? Our free calculator does the math →
Trim all threads
Trim as many stray threads as you can on the top and the backside of your quilt top. This prevents shadowing — dark threads showing through lighter fabric.
If shadowing happens anyway: do not fear! There are tools to fix it, even after quilting.
Check for popped seams
Look closely at the seams, especially along the sides. We recommend running a basting stitch within the seam allowance on the edges — it secures side seams and helps keep your quilt square.
This is extra helpful when your quilt edges are on the bias!
Press well, fold neatly
To the maximum extent possible, your top and seams should be pressed well and neatly folded when they arrive. We don't re-press quilt tops on intake, and extra-crinkly tops may incur additional fees.
Mark anything directional
If your top or backing is directional, mark each with a pinned note so we load it the right way up.
How we'll treat your quilt
Your quilt is handled with the utmost care while it's in our studio — we treat it like one of our own, and your satisfaction is our #1 goal. We're happy to quilt for all skill levels.
One honest note: although we do our very best, machine quilting can't fix
- excess fullness or puckering
- inadequate or inconsistent seam allowances
- open seams
- improperly measured borders
- the squareness of your quilt
If we spot an issue that would prevent us from quilting your top, we'll reach out before starting — you can have your top returned for corrections at your cost, or choose repair / extra prep services from our studio.
Top prepped and ready?
Reserve your longarm spot — $0.035/sq in all-inclusive, batting and return shipping included.