| Be an educated consumer when it comes to quilting. Decide how you will use the quilt, and how you visualize it being quilted. Communication with your quilter is the key to success. Be aware that a quilt can shrink up to 2 inches in each direction with dense quilting, depending on the size of the quilt and the batting chosen. A clear plastic sheet (used X-ray film works well) can be a useful tool in making quilting marks over a quilt top to audition them prior to quilting and can be indispensable for communicating clearly what you want and expect. The figures below show the quilt top before auditioning, the film over the top with a quilting idea drawn in, and the film on the table for clarity. Specialty threads, while beautiful, can be trouble for some machine quilters. Be aware that use of those threads may result in an additional charge. Quilting that follows the seam lines, either outlining the applique or stitching in the ditch, is the most precise and difficult quilting that you can request, and the most expensive. Be aware that many experienced machine quilters work under a backlog that is several months to a year long. New machine quilters are entering the business every month, and may be willing to meet your needs with a shorter time frame, but may not have the expertise that is developed over time. Always ask to see samples of a new machine quilter's work, and be prepared to gracefully decline their services if you have any misgivings. Remember that the quilter wants a successful business relationship as much as you do. Thinking of quilting your top yourself? Many of the domestic sewing machines being marketed today include added features that make the quilting of our tops today easier than in the past. Be sure to take these steps to success: Baste your layers together, either with pins or the best way is still with needle and thread. To do either method, you MUST have the backing smooth and taut. Use some large tables and tape the corners, or pin the backing to the living room carpet. I still recommend that the backing and batting are larger than the top, for the shrinkage factor. You want to be able to straighten the edges of the finished quilt before adding the binding, and that is near to impossible to do if the layers are cut to match prior to the quilting. Take a class. I am a big fan of taking classes, and have learned so much from the talented people I have met in the quilting world. I am now teaching at Memory Lane Quilting in Sagamore Hills on Nolting Longarm Machines, and the classes are open to anyone with a carriage type of machine, whether it is a short-arm, mid-arm, or long-arm. Click on the link for more information. |
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Machine & Longarm Quilting Tips
