Machine Quilting By Shannon Baker

Tips For Better Quilting  

Before bringing me your quilt to be quilted, there is a "check list" that needs to be done. By taking a couple extra minutes to double check these few things, you are insuring that you get back a beautifully quilted quilt.

 Consider the following tips and suggestions as a guideline for preparing your quilt top to be longarm quilted: 

•  Quilts are quilted in the condition they are received.

•  Label the top of your quilt. Make sure to let me know if your quilt top and/or backing are directional.

  Do not baste your quilt layers together.

  Quilt top should be pressed with seams pressed consistently to one side, especially on borders or sashings. I   prefer bulky seams be pressed open.  

  Quilt top should be square and lay flat with no ripples or fullness in borders.
      See notes on “Borders” below.

  Check quilt top for seam breaks, repair as needed.

  Trim all loose threads from right and wrong sides of quilt top.

  Secure the exterior seams of quilt top with a stay-stitch line 1/8” from raw edges, especially on pieced borders.

  Add embellishments like charms, beads, or buttons after the quilting.

  Dimensional blocks cannot be stitched over.

  The Backing and Batting should be 8- 10” minimum longer and wider than the quilt top. This allows for a 4-5” margin on all sides. See notes on “Quilt Backings” below. If in doubt, call me or go BIGGER!

  Best results are achieved on quilt tops that lay flat with no fullness in blocks and borders. The old saying “It will quilt out” doesn’t necessarily apply to Longarm quilting.

  Quilt Backing

Quilt backing fabrics should be of similar weight and fiber content as the quilt top. Stretchy fabrics are not a good choice. Avoid sheets as the high thread count is difficult to needle and makes a stiff quilt. Flannel is very nice but be sure to preshrink by washing at least two or three times and use only the length-wise grain rule when purchasing yardage. Backing fabrics can be a busy print to hide the quilting or plain fabrics to accentuate elaborate quilting. Consider the thread color when selecting backing color. If you don’t want the thread color to show on the backing, purchase a fabric the same color as the thread you want to be used for quilting.

Length-wise Rule:

 The length-wise grain of the fabric is parallel to the selvedge of your cloth yardage, making the length of cloth stronger which acts as a stabilizing force for the hang of a garment or quilt. Therefore, you should always have the length-wise grain of backing fabric running the length of the quilt. This length-wise grain factor will also help reduce the backing from sagging or ripping while being quilted. A length-wise backing will help contribute to a flat hanging quilt.

Standard width of most cotton is 45” wide; which means most large quilts need two or three widths of fabric to make a wide enough backing. Following the length-wise rule of thumb for purchasing backing means you need to calculate the amount of yardage to buy according to the length measurement of your quilt, plus some extra yardage for shrinkage. The backing should be 4 - 6” minimum larger on each side of the quilt top. Which means the quilt backing is 8”- 12” larger than the quilt top. The extra fabric is needed for take up in the quilting, used to mount to a quilt frame, a good area to test thread tension and a place to practice my quilting stitches. This extra fabric is trimmed off after the quilting is completed and before the quilt is bound. The trimmed strips can go in your strip stash for log cabin or string quilts.

Avoid a center back seam in your backing as it can make a crease line on the front of your quilt. Trim the selvedges off both lengths of fabric, (I have found in my experience it is best to rip them off, the seam will be straighter.) Sew a fat quarter inch seam to join and press to one side. (I use my 3/8” dress-maker’s foot to do this.)

How much backing fabric to purchase?

45” wide:

§   2 x quilt length + 20” if the quilt is 75” wide or less

§   3 x quilt length + 30” if the quilt is wider than 75”.

The obvious solution to the 45” width fabric dilemma and how much backing fabric do I buy... Look for extra wide fabrics and purchase 20-30” more than the length of your quilt! Especially if you are doing a queen or king size quilt.

Borders

Quilt borders must lay flat and not have fullness or waves. Borders that do not lay flat may cause tucks or pleats when quilted. Quilts with rippled borders are extremely difficult to quilt, as there is just too much fullness in the outer edges of the quilt compared to the center. In this case correction is necessary. Check the quilt top for “square”; the sides should be the same measurement just as the ends should be the same measurement.

Please click the links page to the left for a link to a YouTube video showing how to measure for borders.

Batting  Makes a Difference:

Many types of battings are available and each one will quilt up differently. Remember that the batting will directly contribute to the feel of the finished quilt. Some important considerations about the finished quilt should be made when selecting your batting. Consider the following; the weight, warmth, washed texture (flat, wrinkled or puffy), amount of take up into quilting, maximum distance quilting stitches can be placed, fiber content, and the width of batting compared to the largest measurement of your quilt.

Choose the best batting you can afford. We are often tempted to use "cheap" batting to keep our costs low. Cheap batting tends to be a poor quality and will rear its ugly head later in the quilt's life. You've put all that time into piecing the quilt, so use good batting.

Prewash or not – most people do not pre-wash their batting, opting for a more wrinkled antique look after washing. Polyester batting will not shrink like natural fiber batting.

For machine quilting, batting needs to be 6-8" wider and longer than the quilt top. Packaged batting DOES NOT need to be opened or trimmed.

Also, I have found that Dream Cotton batting in the "Request" loft is not ideal for machine quilting. The "Select" "Deluxe" and "Supreme" lofts are perfect.  Batting for use in longarm quilting needs to have a scrim. Check the packing to see if your batting has one, if you not sure, call me. I personally prefer Warm and Natural/ Warm and White manufactured by the Warm Company. I’ve had great results using this batting in my personal quilts. If you want a synthetic/polyester batting, I recommend Dream-Poly in the Select loft manufactured by the Dream Quilters.

Batting color is important as well. (I know, who knew batting was this involved. J ) Quilts that are primary white or light colors will look better with a bleached white batting. Quilts that are black or very dark will need a black batting. The unbleached battings look good in everything else. Bearding and batting color shadow through will quickly ruin the overall look of a quilt n a heartbeat.