Quilting tips for Borders, Backing and Prep for Longarming
- If the border was “fitted in” when it is longer than the side, it will have waves in the border. It is better to measure the side of the quilt and cut the border to that length rather than making it fit. Also if the border is too short and stretched to fit, it will cause cupping in the center of the quilt, which will cause tucks to be quilted in. Cut the borders according to your finished center, not the pattern measurements. I wait until my center is complete to cut the border fabric. Straight seamed borders quilt better than bias seamed borders.
- If I notice a seam coming apart, I can do a quick running stitch to hold it together for quilting, but I may not see it and it can catch the foot as the machine is running. Please check all your seams.
- Dark threads that are not trimmed may show through light fabrics and I will not know it until it is quilted. Please trim all your threads.
- Seams in borders and if it has no border, please do a basting stitch around the outside of the quilt. Often the seams open at the edges when being handled. I baste around the entire quilt on the frame, but your basting will make it easier for you to not have an open seam when applying binding. Less to fix later.
Backing:
- Please square your back and be sure it is 8 inches longer and wider after it is squared.
- Strip-pieced backing is often wavy and it will show.
- If you center a design on the backing, I cannot see where it will fall on the actual finished quilt, so it may not be perfectly centered. Same for making backs with borders, it may not be centered because of ‘draw up’ as it’s quilted and I cannot see the back as I’m quilting.
- I put clamps on each side and there are rarely problems with tucks, but if the backing is stretchy and seamed, it may get a tuck where it folds over in the quilting.