QUILT PREPARATION

Please review the following items while preparing your quilt for longarm services. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Check seams to ensure they are completely sewn together, trimmed and pressed flat.
Iron all quilt layers to remove wrinkles.
Trim loose threads from front and back of quilt top.
Your quilt top and your backing should be square and both pieces should lay flat. If you are unsure, please refer to directions below.
Mark the top of your layers with a safety pin, especially if your layers are directional.
Do not baste your quilt. Keep all layers separate.
Your backing and batting must be at least 4" larger than your quilt top on all sides. This means if your quilt top measures 50" x 60", your batting and backing must be at least 58" x 68".
If you piece your backing, remove selvage edges first. Press seams open and even up the edges.
Do not add any embellishments (e.g., ribbon, buttons, etc.) prior to quilting.

SHIPPING INFO

If you plan to mail your quilt to me, please contact me first so I will be on the lookout for it! Please place your quilt layers in a plastic bag and into a sturdy box. Do not mark the word "Quilt" anywhere on your shipping box.

Mail to:

Jo Kuchera

7 Elena Court

Medford, NJ 08055

A confirmation email will be sent to you when your quilt has arrived.

Upon completion of your quilt, it will be returned to you via USPS Priority Mail, which includes $100 insurance.

Additional insurance is available upon request. An email including tracking information will be sent to you when your quilt has been shipped.

SQUARE YOUR QUILT TOP & BACK

When your quilt is loaded onto my machine for quilting, it is pinned onto canvas leaders. If your quilt layers aren't square, they will not lay flat. This can result in puckers, pleats, and/or waviness in your finished quilt.

ATTACHING BORDERS TO YOUR QUILT TOP

The best way to achieve a squared top is to measure properly before adding your borders. Here's how:

Measure the quilt top in three areas. Measure the top, measure the middle and measure the bottom.
Calculate the average and cut your borders to the average measurement.
Pin the borders to the quilt top. Pin at both ends of the border and at the center. Continue to pin, easing in any fullness as you go.
Sew your borders. Use a walking foot if you have one to ensure the two layers feed evenly.

Do this for both the width and the length. This will help eliminate fullness and wavy or puckered borders.

SQUARING UP YOUR BACKING

To test whether or not your backing fabric is square, fold your fabric in half and line up your selvage edges so they are even. If your folded edge doesn't look even and is wavy, your backing fabric isn't square. To square your backing fabric:

With your fabric folded in half and your selvage edges together, shift your selvage edges to the left or right until the folded edge appears even and any waviness is gone.
Lay your fabric onto your cutting board. Notice your cut edges will not be even.
Line your folded straight edge up with one of the lines on your cutting board and use your rotary cutter and ruler to cut the uneven edges of your backing piece. Your backing fabric will now be square.

If you have pieced two or more pieces of fabric together to create your quilt back, trim the edges even so there is no "stair step" where the pieces are sewn together.