Hello and welcome to the new blog for Catty Wampus Quilting;
I wanted to have a site to place info other than Facebook so that quilters could come and find the information they need regarding our longarm services. And a place to share eye candy and inspiration for quilt makers and quilt lovers alike.
So here we go!!!
Today I want to place some info about bringing your quilt to the longarmer; these are general rules that most longarmers go by, some have more specifics that they request, so its always best to call or email them to find out in advance for sure , but in general;
Your BACK and BATTING:
they need to be BIGGER than your top; around 4-6 inches on EACH side or more; more is always better;
(IF USING FLANNEL: WASH FIRST THEN CONSTRUCT< REMEMBER FLANNEL SHRINKS)
the WHY; we have to have room at the top and bottom to attach the back with pins, or zippers etc to our bars, and at each side we need room for the side clamps to maintain tension as well as to have an area to test tension before stitching on your quilt, as well as some patterns need that extra area to stitch off the side a bit to really complete the design.
If you are making a back, pay attention to your grain line and trim off selvedges prior to construction; they don't quilt as well nor do they wash well later on in the life of the quilt.
When you construct your back, I like to have it placed so that I can load your quilt with the seam running horizontally, this means one turn and the seam is quilted in and done rather than having it run top to bottom and keep building up as I roll and quilt the quilt often causing issues as we go.
Square off your back and press it for the best result. There are many great tutorials on the internet to help you with this subject. The thing about backs is that it is also a foundation of your quilt and can add to its longevity, making it an heirloom.
BATTING; There are so many things to say about batting; in general, batting can make or break your quilt, It is the unsung hero! It provides stabilization and warmth. It can add to the longevity of your quilt as well. Choose batting based on the end use of your quilt and the environment in which it will be used. Choose a quality batting that will stand the test of time. Cotton was once the gold standard, but now we have access to all kinds of materials including recycled plastics! In show quilts, it's common to use two batts to show definition of the quilting stitches and to provide stability to the quilt which will most likely spend its life being hung on a wall. Generally wool and a blend of 80/20 cotton - polyester is used for this application. Consider also if the intended recipient has allergies, there are battings available that claim a allergen free experience. Also, even if you want to quilt it at home by hand or on your machine remember, there is a certain space of quilting needed for each type of batting so that is also a factor in your choice. We generally carry Hobbs or Pellon 80/20 blend in 90 in wide by the yard which is a good quality all purpose quilt batting for every day use, it is what most of our quilters request. We also have precut Warm N Natural, Warm N White, Soft N Bright and 100% polyester batting that is 48 in wide. We will special order any other batting that the customer requests as well.
QUILT TOP PREP
When you make your quilt top, take your time and enjoy the process!!! If I could talk to quilters before they start that is the one thing I would tell them; take your time, enjoy the making of a beautiful piece of art! Whether it's big or small, they all deserve the time to make them the best that you can on that day. We tend to rush and try to race through to get to the next one and often that shows when I get to it; the seams that weren't sewn fully shut or borders that are ruffled so badly it's impossible to quilt them without putting in tucks.
Trimming threads and pressing as you go will really help you get back a beautiful result; but paying attention to borders is a big thing; again there are many tutorials out there, but measure in three places and take an average then finding the center of both the border and the top , sewing from center out seems to work well. If you can lay it on a floor and you see the sides ruffling, it's going to do it worse on the longarm, and no we can't quilt it out. It just doesn't work out well like that!
Other than these two things, there is really not much more to bringing in a quilt; you bring your back and top separately in your bag, no basting is needed LOL; and we will take it from there, you can pick a design and thread color, or have me pick it out for you and we will quilt your treasure.
We are not here to be critical of your quilting either; we are here to provide you with a quality quilting experience and help you achieve your dream quilts! So don't be nervous, I am always here to help in any way that I can!
I wanted to have a site to place info other than Facebook so that quilters could come and find the information they need regarding our longarm services. And a place to share eye candy and inspiration for quilt makers and quilt lovers alike.
So here we go!!!
Today I want to place some info about bringing your quilt to the longarmer; these are general rules that most longarmers go by, some have more specifics that they request, so its always best to call or email them to find out in advance for sure , but in general;
Your BACK and BATTING:
they need to be BIGGER than your top; around 4-6 inches on EACH side or more; more is always better;
(IF USING FLANNEL: WASH FIRST THEN CONSTRUCT< REMEMBER FLANNEL SHRINKS)
If you are making a back, pay attention to your grain line and trim off selvedges prior to construction; they don't quilt as well nor do they wash well later on in the life of the quilt.
When you construct your back, I like to have it placed so that I can load your quilt with the seam running horizontally, this means one turn and the seam is quilted in and done rather than having it run top to bottom and keep building up as I roll and quilt the quilt often causing issues as we go.
Square off your back and press it for the best result. There are many great tutorials on the internet to help you with this subject. The thing about backs is that it is also a foundation of your quilt and can add to its longevity, making it an heirloom.
BATTING; There are so many things to say about batting; in general, batting can make or break your quilt, It is the unsung hero! It provides stabilization and warmth. It can add to the longevity of your quilt as well. Choose batting based on the end use of your quilt and the environment in which it will be used. Choose a quality batting that will stand the test of time. Cotton was once the gold standard, but now we have access to all kinds of materials including recycled plastics! In show quilts, it's common to use two batts to show definition of the quilting stitches and to provide stability to the quilt which will most likely spend its life being hung on a wall. Generally wool and a blend of 80/20 cotton - polyester is used for this application. Consider also if the intended recipient has allergies, there are battings available that claim a allergen free experience. Also, even if you want to quilt it at home by hand or on your machine remember, there is a certain space of quilting needed for each type of batting so that is also a factor in your choice. We generally carry Hobbs or Pellon 80/20 blend in 90 in wide by the yard which is a good quality all purpose quilt batting for every day use, it is what most of our quilters request. We also have precut Warm N Natural, Warm N White, Soft N Bright and 100% polyester batting that is 48 in wide. We will special order any other batting that the customer requests as well.
QUILT TOP PREP
When you make your quilt top, take your time and enjoy the process!!! If I could talk to quilters before they start that is the one thing I would tell them; take your time, enjoy the making of a beautiful piece of art! Whether it's big or small, they all deserve the time to make them the best that you can on that day. We tend to rush and try to race through to get to the next one and often that shows when I get to it; the seams that weren't sewn fully shut or borders that are ruffled so badly it's impossible to quilt them without putting in tucks.
Trimming threads and pressing as you go will really help you get back a beautiful result; but paying attention to borders is a big thing; again there are many tutorials out there, but measure in three places and take an average then finding the center of both the border and the top , sewing from center out seems to work well. If you can lay it on a floor and you see the sides ruffling, it's going to do it worse on the longarm, and no we can't quilt it out. It just doesn't work out well like that!
Other than these two things, there is really not much more to bringing in a quilt; you bring your back and top separately in your bag, no basting is needed LOL; and we will take it from there, you can pick a design and thread color, or have me pick it out for you and we will quilt your treasure.
We are not here to be critical of your quilting either; we are here to provide you with a quality quilting experience and help you achieve your dream quilts! So don't be nervous, I am always here to help in any way that I can!
