Quilt Top
SQUARING A TOP starts when borders are added to the quilt top. In order to help assure a square top, borders must be attached properly.
COMPLETED TOP Make sure all seams that meet the edge are secure. For example, if you have sewn a border on your top, there will be four or more seams that come right to the edge of the quilt top. Pieced borders may have many seams along the edge of the quilt top. The ends of these seams need to be back-tacked so they will not open when the top is stretched for quilting.
MARK THE TOP EDGE OF YOUR QUILT if it has one, with a piece of paper safety pinned to the top edge so that quilting designs are oriented correctly.
TRIM ANY LOOSE THREADS Examine your quilt top from the front and back and cut off any trailing threads. Trailing threads on the under-side of your top may shadow through light colored areas of your quilt, creating varicose threads. We do our best to check for these, but once the quilt is quilted, these misplaced threads are almost impossible to remove.
PRESS YOUR QUILT TOP being sure not to stretch.
Quilt Backing
THE BACK needs to measure 8″ longer and 8″ wider than your front. It should be trimmed and squared before it arrives. If your backing is not square it will not roll up properly and there will be sags, bags and puckers that are unavoidable.
Be sure to check both sides of a pieced back for trailing threads that might shadow through.
Be sure that all selvages have been removed. If they have not, they will shrink and draw up the backing seam(s) when the quilt is later washed.
MARK THE TOP EDGE OF YOUR BACK if it has one, with a piece of paper safety pinned to the top edge so that quilting designs are oriented correctly.
PRESS YOUR BACKING being sure not to stretch.