How to Prepare Your Quilt for a Longarm Quilter (Without Losing Your Mind)

So you've finally finished piecing your quilt top. Congratulations! You've survived choosing fabrics, second-guessing your layout seventeen times, and somehow not throwing your rotary cutter through a window. Now comes the fun part: getting it quilted.

If you're anything like most quilters, you've probably spent way too many hours on this quilt top to trust it to just anyone. Sending it off to a longarm quilter can feel a bit like dropping your kid off at college—exciting, nerve-wracking, and you might cry a little. (Just me? Okay.)

The good news? Preparing your quilt for longarm quilting is way easier than you think. And I promise—we longarm quilters aren't judging you. We've seen it all, and we're just excited to help your quilt cross the finish line.

Let me walk you through exactly how to prep your quilt top so it comes back looking absolutely stunning.

Step 1: Press Everything Like Your Life Depends On It

I know, I know. Pressing is nobody's favorite part of quilting. But here's the thing: a well-pressed quilt top makes ALL the difference.

Here's what you need to do:

Use a hot iron with steam for cotton fabrics
Press from both sides—front and back
Avoid "pushing" the fabric with your iron (this stretches things out)
Make sure all seams lie flat with zero puckers

Why does this matter? When your quilt is loaded onto a longarm frame, any twisted or unpressed seams create lumps that show up in the finished quilt. Nobody wants lumpy quilting.

Pro tip: Give your quilt top one final press before you box it up. Future you (and your longarmer) will thank you.

Step 2: Hunt Down Those Sneaky Loose Threads

Flip your quilt top over and take a good look at the back. See all those little thread tails hanging out? Yeah, those need to go.

Why? Because if you don't trim them now, they can:

Show through the front of your quilt (especially on light fabrics)
Get caught in the quilting machine
Create weird shadows in your finished quilt

Grab your snips and go to town. Check seam intersections especially—those spots love to hide rogue threads.

This step is tedious. I won't lie to you. Put on a good podcast and commit to the thread hunt. Your quilt will look so much better for it.

Step 3: Square Up Your Quilt Top

Here's a secret: most quilt tops aren't perfectly square. And that's okay! But we do need to fix it before quilting.

Here's how:

Lay your quilt on a large flat surface (the floor works great)
Use a long quilting ruler and rotary cutter
Trim edges so all corners are 90-degree angles
Make sure opposite sides are equal in length

The measuring trick: Measure your quilt in THREE places for both width and length:

Width: top edge, middle, bottom edge
Length: left side, center, right side

Write down ALL these measurements and give them to your longarmer. This tells them exactly how much backing and batting you'll need, and helps them understand if your quilt is pulling in weird ways.

Step 4: The Stay-Stitch (Optional, But Your Longarmer Will Love You)

Okay, this step is technically optional. But if you want to be your longarm quilter's favorite person? Do the stay-stitch.

What's a stay-stitch? It's just a simple straight stitch about ⅛" from the edge, all the way around your quilt perimeter.

Why do it?

Prevents seams from popping open during handling
Stops bias edges from stretching
Keeps everything secure during shipping

Use a thread color that blends with your quilt edges, keep your stitching straight, and you're golden. (Don't worry—this stitching gets hidden inside your binding later.)

Step 5: Fold It Up Smart

When it's time to ship your quilt, here's what you need to know:

Fold, don't roll. Folding keeps everything flat and prevents wonky edges.

Here's the smart way to fold it:

Fold your quilt so the back and raw edges are tucked inward
This protects the edges from fraying during shipping
Place it in a plastic bag to protect from moisture
Pack it in a sturdy box with enough padding so it doesn't shift around

Step 6: Don't Forget About Your Backing!

Your backing fabric needs to be 8-10 inches larger than your quilt top on all sides. Yes, really. That's 4-5 inches of extra fabric on each edge.

Why so much extra? Longarm machines need to "grab onto" something when they quilt. That extra backing gives your quilter room to clamp your quilt securely onto the frame.

Important backing tips:

If you're piecing your backing, do it BEFORE you send it
Press those seams open and flat
Never sew the selvages into your backing seams (they don't stretch and will cause puckers)
Square up your backing just like you did with the top

The easy route: Buy wide backing fabric (108" or 120" wide). No piecing required, and one less thing to worry about.

Step 7: Mark the Top and Include Your Info

Before you seal that box, do these two things:

Mark the top of your quilt by pinning a small piece of paper to the upper left corner. This tells your quilter which way to orient your quilt (trust me, it's not always obvious!)
Include your contact info inside the box—your name, address, phone, and email. This helps your quilter identify your quilt and reach you if they have questions.

Bonus tip: I recommend buying shipping insurance. Your quilt is an investment of your time and money—protect it!

What to Send Your Longarmer:

Let's make this crystal clear. Here's your checklist:

Required:

Prepared quilt top (pressed, trimmed, squared)
Backing fabric (8-10" larger than top, pressed, squared)
Contact information inside the box

Optional:

Your own batting (8-10" larger than top)
Or choose from your quilter's batting options

Don't Panic About Perfection

Here's something I want you to hear: your quilt doesn't have to be perfect.

Seriously. Seams that are a little wonky? Quilters work with them. Borders that wave a bit? Quilters smooth them out. A few small mistakes? They disappear into the quilting.

The longarm quilting process is designed to make your quilt look amazing, not to highlight its flaws. A good longarmer's job is to help your hard work shine.

So take a deep breath. Follow these prep steps. And know that when you send your quilt to a professional longarmer, you're trusting someone who genuinely cares about making it beautiful.

Ready to Get Your Quilt Finished?

If you've made it this far, you're basically a quilt-prep expert now. Go ahead and give yourself a high-five.

Whether you're working with a local quilter or shipping your quilt across the country, these prep steps will help ensure you get back a beautifully finished quilt that makes all those hours of piecing worth it.

If you're in the Jefferson, Wisconsin area (or anywhere in the U.S.!) and looking for longarm quilting services, I'd love to hear about your project. You can reach me at farverdesigns@gmail.com or visit farverdesigns.com for more information.

Happy quilting, friends!

—Greg
Farver Designs / Longarm Quilting
Jefferson, Wisconsin

Quilt Preparation Guide