The quality of your finished quilt begins with preparation. When your quilt top, backing, and batting are properly prepared, the quilting process runs smoothly and your final result looks clean, flat, and professional.

This guide walks you through each step so you can send your quilt with confidence.

1. Seam Construction & Pressing

A flat quilt starts at your ironing board.

Press as You Go: Press each seam as you sew to prevent distortion.
Keep It Flat: Your quilt top should lay flat without bubbles or wavy borders. This allows the machine to move smoothly across the surface.

(Pressing means lifting and lowering the iron rather than sliding it, which helps prevent stretching.)

2. The Final “Haircut”: Trimming Threads

Before sending your quilt, take time for a final inspection.

Remove Loose Threads: Dark threads behind light fabrics can show through once the quilt is stitched.
Check Edges: Repair any open seams or loose stitching along the outer edges.

Small details here make a noticeable difference in the finished quilt.

3. Squaring the Quilt Top

A square quilt hangs straight and quilts evenly.

Aim for 90° Corners: Use a large ruler to check that corners are true right angles.
Measure Borders Correctly: Measure through the center of the quilt when adding borders to avoid waviness.

When a quilt is not square, it can lead to folds or wrinkles that cannot be corrected during quilting.

4. Backing Preparation & Selvages

Your backing supports the entire quilt and must be prepared with care.

Remove Internal Selvages: The selvage is the tightly woven factory edge of fabric. It does not stretch and can cause puckering if left in seams.
Keep It Square: Straight, parallel edges allow even tension on the frame.
Follow the 5-Inch Rule: Backing and batting should extend at least 5 inches beyond your quilt top on all sides. This extra space allows the quilt to be loaded and stitched properly.

5. Batting Selection

Batting shapes how your quilt feels, drapes, and shows stitching.

Loft & Texture: Low-loft batting gives a flatter, softer look. High-loft batting adds dimension and makes quilting more visible.
Material Options: Cotton, polyester, bamboo, and wool each provide a different weight and finish.

If you are unsure what to choose, we are happy to guide you based on your project.

6. Trimming & Binding

After quilting is complete, your quilt is finished at the edges.

Trimming: You may receive your quilt untrimmed, or we can trim and square it so it is ready for binding.
Binding Services: Choose to finish the binding yourself or have us complete it by machine for a durable, clean edge.

7. Getting Your Quilt to the Studio

Once everything is prepared, your quilt is ready for delivery.

Local Drop-Off: Available to meet at a mutually chosen secure location.
Shipping: Place your quilt in a sealed plastic bag inside a sturdy box to protect it during transit.

Key Terms (Quick Reference)

These are a few common terms you may see as you prepare your quilt:

Quilt Top: The pieced front of your quilt.
Backing: The fabric on the back of the quilt, which must be larger than the top.
Batting: The middle layer that provides warmth and texture.
Selvage: The tightly woven edge of fabric that should be removed from seams.
Edge-to-Edge Quilting: A repeating design stitched across the entire quilt.
Custom Quilting: Designs placed in specific areas like blocks and borders.
Loft: The thickness of the batting, which affects how raised the stitching appears.
Binding: The fabric strip that finishes and secures the edges of the quilt.
The 5-Inch Rule: The required extra backing and batting on all sides for proper loading.