1. Press the back of your quilt top well. Please make sure that all seams are pressed flat on the back and facing in the desired direction.
2. Cut off trailing threads from back of quilt. If there are light areas on your top, dark threads can really detract from the finished product. These are called "varicose" threads. Not a pretty sight!
3. Indicate the Top (as opposed to bottom) with a piece of paper marked "TOP". Attach with a safety pin.
4. Fold top carefully and put on a plastic or pant hanger.

BACKING:

1. Choose to use 100% cotton for your backing fabric. Poly/cotton & 100% polyesters stretch differently than cotton and can cause tucks & puckering during the quilting process. Polyester fabrics can also "pill" & encourage "bearding", or migrating of the batting fibers to the surface of the quilt.

Please note: Use of sheets or sheeting is strongly discouraged. Some may be fine, but most cause poor tension & constant thread breakage.

2. Remove ALL selvages, both from seams and along the edges.
3. Please cut your backing AND batting at least 4" larger than your top on all sides. (Packaged batting does not need to be cut.)

**Cut them as SQUARE (90 degree corners) as possible. If you piece the backing, please make sure all pieces are the same length. In other words, straighten the edges.

4. Press well. Backing seams should be pressed open.
5. Fold carefully & place on hanger with quilt top.

**A TIP on attaching borders: Make the quilt fit the borders, instead of the borders fitting the quilt. By the time you finish your quilt top, the edge will usually have stretched somewhat, especially if there are any bias pieces on the edge. If you measure the edge to get the measurement for your borders, you will almost always end up with a quilt that will not hang or lay flat. To avoid this, measure through the centre of your top, and cut the borders this length. Then mark both the border strips and the quilt edge in eighths. Match pins and ease quilt to fit borders. Don't forget to "stay-stitch" the edge as soon as you're done attaching the border. This will prevent any stretching from further handling.

Remember: The better job you do on preparation, the better job I can do for you.