I cannot longarm quilt tops wider than 90". Length is not restricted.
I have a 10' table. The canvas used to load the quilt back is 96" and thus 90" max for the top.
Preparing Your Quilt for Longarming
What you need to do:
- Select your longarm IQ design pattern. I can help with this but will not make the decision for you.
- Call or Email to receive an accurate price quote for your specific quilt top, design & optional services.
- Square your quilt top, press your seams flat, and trim clumps and long unraveled threads. Know that dark threads will show through white fabric and look like unsightly varicose veins on your quilt.
- PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE. If your borders do not lay flat, fix them before you send them to me. They must lay flat to make a nice quilted product. Usually this will mean removing them and smoothing out any puckers or gathers before reattaching them. If I have to do this, I am going to charge $50. Otherwise, I will have to take ugly tucks to flatten the border in order to quilt it. Yuck!
- Square your quilt backing. Backing must be 6 inches wider & longer than your quilt top.
Note: This means 3" on top, 3" on bottom, 3" on each side. More is okay but not better.
This is needed for pinning to the canvases at the top and bottom & to allow room for the clamps on the sides that hold the backing in place under the quilt top and batting.
If you do not have enough backing, add a strip of any fabric on hand where needed since this not be quilted. - Important: Mark the top of your quilt if it is not obvious.
A safety pin or a bit of fabric loosely stitched on or near the top works well. - Optional: If you do not purchase from me, provide batting the same size as the backing,
i.e. at least 6 (not 12) inches wider and longer than your quilt top. - Optional: If you want me to complete your quilt, provide the binding 2.5 inches wide & 12 inches longer than the distance around your quilt edge (2L + 2W + 12) to allow for corners. I only do hand binding and it is time intensive.
- Mail these items at your expense.
ALWAYS ship in a box too large to fit in a standard mailbox so it will be SAFELY delivered to my door.
Wrap your items in plastic of some sort to protect them in case the box gets torn. Err on the side of caution!! I always do.
Free Priority boxes (you most likely don't need flat rate) are available at the post office or can be delivered to your home. Priority Mail Box O-1095 works great for shipping quilt tops and backings to me. I use brand new Priority Mail Box O-BOX7 to return your quilts 99% of the time.
Squaring means to have a straight fabric edge 90 degrees from the adjoining sides. This will ensure proper alignment of the top and bottom edges of your quilt top and backing when pinned to the longarm canvases. Please read the setup process below to see why this is critical.
Note: Squaring the top & backing is NOT the same as squaring the quilt. To square the quilt after longarming before attaching binding, you want the distance from the edge of the quilt to an inner border or row of blocks to be the same all the way around giving the visual effect of being square. Big difference in the case of wonky quilts. BTW, most quilts are a bit wonky somewhere.
Keep in mind, as I do that when you send me your quilt top & backing, I am but the framer of your art. I respect that to the fullest! I am not comfortable with the notion of cutting on your fabric. You do your part and I guarantee you I will do mine!
Please read: Websites that address the issue of wavy borders
For these reasons, I reserve the right to send your top & backing back to you untouched if not properly prepared. In certain cases with your permission, I may choose to do what is essential for an added fee. I minimize my charges for your sake, so it is only fair that I charge you for this extra work.
Note: Squaring the top & backing is NOT the same as squaring the quilt. To square the quilt after longarming before attaching binding, you want the distance from the edge of the quilt to an inner border or row of blocks to be the same all the way around giving the visual effect of being square. Big difference in the case of wonky quilts. BTW, most quilts are a bit wonky somewhere.
Keep in mind, as I do that when you send me your quilt top & backing, I am but the framer of your art. I respect that to the fullest! I am not comfortable with the notion of cutting on your fabric. You do your part and I guarantee you I will do mine!
Please read: Websites that address the issue of wavy borders
For these reasons, I reserve the right to send your top & backing back to you untouched if not properly prepared. In certain cases with your permission, I may choose to do what is essential for an added fee. I minimize my charges for your sake, so it is only fair that I charge you for this extra work.
Longarm Setup Process
Longarm setup includes cleaning the machine rails, oiling as needed,
loading the quilt sandwich (back, top & batting) and loading the thread.
The final phase is programming the IQ with quilt dimensions, pattern and layout details.
Photos are of a quilt pieced by Clayton (see blog).
loading the quilt sandwich (back, top & batting) and loading the thread.
The final phase is programming the IQ with quilt dimensions, pattern and layout details.
Photos are of a quilt pieced by Clayton (see blog).
