Best Practices to Prepare Your Quilt For LONGARMING

We have found that with these tips we will achieve the best look for your finished quilt!

Quilt Top Preparation

  • Remove all excess threads - as many as you can!

  • Press the quilt top, seams should lay flat. This can make a big difference in the final look of the quilt and helps avoid puckering when quilted.

  • Double check your seams for “holes” in your quilt top as well as any wavy borders. Excess fabric in borders can result in puckering or us having to sew in tucks to take up the extra fabric.

  • Lastly, please mark the top of your quilt top, if you have a preference.

Quilt Back Preparation

  • Square up your quilt back.

  • Quilt backing should be at least 8” longer and wider than your quilt top (4” bigger all the way around). This extra fabric is needed to be able to attach the quilt to the bars of the frame.

  • If you piece your backing make sure to trim the selvages off as they shrink unevenly when you wash the quilt and create a puckered line. Press the seams well. Horizontal backing seams work best

  • Lastly, please mark the top of the backing fabric, if you have a preference.


NOTE: We all have random seams coming loose, wavy borders, or the occasional pucker. No quilter is perfect, and we like it that way! We will try our best to quilt in a way that will make these little human imperfections invisible. However, depending on the situation, it may still be noticeable.

Our Process

  • After you have lovingly pieced your quilt top either drop it off at our place or mail it to us! If you are sending us t-shirts please wash and fold them before sending them our way!

  • We have a wide range of quilting designs available to suit your interests and aesthetic - this can be chosen online or in-person upon drop off. We offer 80/20 batting and a wide range of thread options. You may provide a different batting, if you prefer!

  • We take your chosen design and thread and program our longarm (Lois, a Handi Quilter Amara 24”) to quilt your project with care and as close to perfection as we can get! We will trim your quilt and add the binding if needed! If we creating a custom T-shirt quilt for you we spend a little extra time, trimming, interfacing, and piecing your t-shirt quilt top before loading it onto our longarm.

  • Once the quilting is complete you are free to come pick up your quilt or we will mail it back to you!

Let's Quilt Together!