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Quilting The Quilt

fuellingdesigns
Feb 13
2 min read

Updated: Feb 16

Today many quilters take their finished tops to a professional long arm quilter who quilts the sandwich made up of the backing, batting and top.

I am a professional long arm quilter. I quilted for hire for over 15 years. I did custom quilting and specialized in show quilt quilting and have won many awards for my quilting.

What is a long arm quilting machine? It is a very large machine with a long arm or throat space which allows for a wide 16’’ to 24’’ width to be quilted.

A long arm quilting machine with fabric pinned to rollers.

The quilt sandwich is pinned to rollers on a large frame, and the long arm machine which is on carriers is moved across the fabric. After the space is quilted the sandwich is rolled and quilted until the quilt is finished.

My machine is an A-1 long arm, she is 18 years old. I have had her gutted and upgraded twice in her lifetime.

I started long arm quilting when I was working part time for a quilt shop. Their quilter left and they asked if I wanted to learn how to long arm. It was a huge machine, and I had never considered myself mechanically inclined. It terrified me! I said yes, it was one of the best decisions I have made.

Pictured is a quilt top that I made recently and the steps to its completion. A friend gave me an assortment of quarter fabric cuts of 1990’s border prints. The challenge was on to see what I could make. The border prints form the outer rectangles of each block. I added more 1990’s border prints and florals from my fabric stash to complete the top.

The backing and top are ready to pin to the take up bars. Backing, batting and top are loaded and ready to quilt.

The backing and top layers of fabric ready to pin and be loaded onto the long arm quilting machine.

I buy batting in 30-yard rolls. I do not use 100% polyester batting. I like the natural fibers and carry bamboo in two weights, cotton, a 50% bamboo/50% cotton blend, and an 80% cotton/20% polyester blend.

I chose to do a computerized edge-to-edge design. A simple leaf and feather design complemented the florals in the quilt top. The computer guides the machine, but I do not leave the machine unattended. I have a domestic sewing machine and worktable set up nearby so I can keep watch. I block out a 5-hour time slot for quilting a king size quilt.

Computerized long arm quilting machine designs.

The quilt is quilted and off the machine. Next, I trim away the batting and backing. Corners are squared up first, then the outer edges are cut.

I finish the cut outer edge with a double fold binding. The binding is sewn to the back, wrapped around to the front and topstitched. The final task is to attach a label and the quilt is completed!