How to Prep Your Quilt for Quilting — A Guide from Johnson Heirloom

How to Prep Your Quilt for Quilting — A Guide from Johnson Heirloom

Quilting transforms your beautifully pieced quilt top into a finished heirloom you’ll cherish for years. Whether you’re sending your project to be longarm quilted or quilting it yourself at home, proper preparation is essential. It ensures smooth stitching, accurate quilting, and a polished final result that reflects all of the care you’ve put into your project.

At Johnson Heirloom, we see quilts of all shapes and sizes — and we know that a well‑prepared quilt makes all the difference. Here’s how to get yours ready for quilting the right way.

1. Finish Your Quilt Top

Before anything else:

✅ Clean and Press – Make sure your quilt top is clean, pressed, and free of wrinkles. Smooth seams lie flatter and quilt more accurately.
✅ Inspect Seams – Take a moment to check for incomplete seams or popped stitches — fix any loose areas now rather than after quilting.

Your quilt top should be completely finished and square — meaning all edges are straight and seams are secure — before you move on to the next steps.

2. Prepare the Backing Fabric

The backing supports your quilt and must be ready before layering:

✔ Size Matters – For longarm quilting services like ours, the backing should be at least 8″ wider and 8″ longer than your quilt top — for example, a 60″ × 70″ quilt top needs a backing at least 68″ × 78″.
✔ One Piece if Possible – Piece your backing if needed, but avoid seams near the quilt’s edges when possible.
✔ Press and Smooth – Just as with the top, press your backing fabric to remove wrinkles and ensure it lays flat.

Tip: Backing fabric that’s straight on all four sides makes loading and quilting easier and yields nicer results overall.

3. Choose and Prepare Your Batting

This inner layer adds warmth and loft to your quilt:

🧵 Size It Up – Batting should extend beyond your quilt top by several inches on all sides. That extra size ensures you don’t lose coverage while quilting or trimming.
🧵 Match Your Style – Different quilt lofts and materials (cotton, cotton/poly, wool, bamboo) offer different looks and feels. Choose batting that fits your project’s purpose and drape.

At Johnson Heirloom we provide Hobbs 80/20 batting if you’d like us to supply high‑quality batting upon request.

4. Create the Quilt “Sandwich” — But Don’t Baste if Sending to a Longarm

Here’s where your quilt turns into a sandwich of three layers:

1. Backing – Wrong side up

2. Batting – Centered on top of the backing

3. Quilt Top – Right side up on the batting

If you’re quilting at home, at this point you’ll baste the layers together using your chosen method (spray adhesive, pins, or thread) so they won’t shift while quilting.

However, if you’re sending your quilt to Johnson Heirloom for longarm quilting, DO NOT baste or sandwich your layers ahead of time. Our professionals will handle layering and loading for best results.

5. Pack It Up for Longarm Quilting (if applicable)

If you’re mailing your quilt to a longarm quilter:

📦 Fold the Quilt Top Neatly – A clean, pressed, well‑folded top shows you care and reduces wrinkles in shipping.
📦 Include Backing and Batting Separately – Do not combine your layers before sending.
📦 Label Important Details – Add a note with your quilt’s top edge or pattern preference, thread color choice, and any specific instructions.

At Johnson Heirloom we’ll inspect your top and backing on arrival and reach out if anything needs extra attention before quilting begins.

6. Final Tips for a Smooth Quilting Experience

✨ Press last‑minute before quilting – A quick press right before basting or loading removes lingering wrinkles.
✨ Trim loose threads – These can catch during quilting and cause tension issues.
✨ Allow generous margins – Extra backing and batting give quilting machines room to grip and glide — especially helpful for larger quilts.

Wrap‑Up

Prepping your quilt properly is the foundation of great quilting. With the right preparation — from finished seams and pressed layers to correctly sized backing and batting — you’re giving your quilt every advantage for beautiful quilting and lasting results.

Whether you’re quilting by machine at home or sending your work to a longarm service like Johnson Heirloom, this prep saves time, reduces frustration, and helps your quilt become the true heirloom it’s meant to be.