Visual Cue Quilting
Quilt Preparation
Quilt Top Preparation
A square quilt top is a happy quilt top. It is important to apply your borders squarely. If borders that are longer than the top are put on without accurate measurement, the top will not lay flat. Pleats and puckers may develop during the quilting process.
- Measure your pieced top (before the borders are added). Lay your top on a flat surface and measure at least three different places across the width and length.
- If these measurements are not equal, calculate the average measurement and use this result to cut the borders.
- Apply the border to the quilt top evenly.
- See how flat your quilt lays. Fullness and/or puckers within a border cannot be quilted out. I will try my best to work in some fullness, but I cannot guarantee that puckers and tucks will not be sewn in. In terms of quilt tops, the flatter the better.
- Make sure all of your seams are secure and your threads are clipped. Unclipped threads can show through lighter fabrics.
- Press seam allowances to leave the least bulk at the seams. Many quilters now press the seams open, which creates less bulk.
- Press your quilt top.
- Mark the top edge of your quilt top with a safety pin.
- You do not need to layer the top, batting and backing. I load them on my machine as separate layers.
Quilt Back Preparation
- Cut off any selvage edges before stitching the seam, and use at least a 1/2" seam allowance. Leave the selvage edges on outside edges of the quilt backing.
- The back should be at least 4-6" wider on each side, top and bottom, than your quilt top. A total of 8-10" larger than your quilt top is awesome.
- Trim the top and bottom edges of your backing so they are straight and square. This ensures the quilt loads onto the machine straight and helps me keep the design square on your top.
- Press your backing.
- Mark the top edge of your quilt back with a safety pin.
NOTE: I sew and quilt in a non-smoking environment. I cannot accept any quilts that have been exposed to any type of smoke.
