Professional

Accuracy Accuracy while creating your quilt top is the single most important issue for any machine quilting. The elements of the quilt (top, batting and backing) are secured to three rails which are exactly parallel to one another. For this reason, the top and backing must be perfectly square to ensure a satisfactory outcome.

Squaring Your Quilt How can you tell if your quilt is square? Fold it in half, then in half again, if the corners all line up perfectly after smoothing from the center out, that's a good start! Then measure from corner to corner, all four corners (like running the bases in baseball). Do they correspond to their opposites? Then measure from corner to corner diagonally. The measurements should be exactly equal. If in any of these cases the measurements show that the quilt is not square, trimming will be necessary. (Tip: square up your center before you add the borders!)
A quilter's or carpenter's square is a great tool to have. If you don't have one, you can make one by using two of your rulers together. Repeat the process pictured to the right for all four corners.

	Borders Borders that are not properly measured may appear wavy (slightly too long), or pinched (slightly too short). In either case, quilting will not fix it. For accurate borders, measure your quilt in three places along the length - add these three measurements and divide by 3 to get the average. This is the length you should cut your side borders. Mark the center of the quilt side, and the center of the border - line up at center point and pin, easing as necessary so the ends line up. Repeat the process for the top and bottom borders (now you are including the side borders in your measurements).

Backing and Batting Backing and batting should measure 8" larger than quilt top. Backing fabric should be 100% cotton (please, no bed sheets), seamed (remove the selveges), squared and pressed. When choosing backing fabric, think about color and contrast in relation to the quilt top, and try to choose something that coordinates or is similar - this provides the best results when choosing thread color and type for the top and bottom - the closer, the better. If your backing is a very dark fabric, please consider a black or gray batting. Longarm machines require the use of very large needles, and even with the sharpest needle in the world, some batting may poke through to the back. To avoid white dots here and there showing through on your backing fabric, a dark batt may be just the answer. (Tip: Torn versus cut edges - tearing the fabric for borders and backing can create a couple of problems - it can damage and distort the edge, and the raveling threads can interfere with the rollers and movement of the machine.)

Finishing Touches Press quilt top and backing fabric well and trim all threads. Carefully fold accordian-style (length of quilt) and hang on a padded hanger or fold carefully.

Binding If you would like your binding to be machine sewn to the front of your quilt top, cut your fabric in 2½ inch strips (width of fabric) and attach at right angles. Cut one strip more than the measurement around the perimeter of your quilt top. Press in half (right side out) to create a doubled strip measuring 1¼ inches.
How to Measure Your Quilt measure the length in inches measure the width in inches multiply the length X the width to get square inches