Prepare your quilt 

 Yay! You’ve made the decision to rent one of our APQS Longarm Quilting Machines to finish your quilt! What’s next? On this page, you will find clear instructions on using Zipper Leaders, as well as our tips for your Best Finish.

Zipper Leaders

Using the Zipper Leader system on our machines will allow you to get to the fun of quilting even quicker by reducing the amount of time you spend loading your machine (which gives you more time to quilt during your rental session).  Our Zipper Leaders will be available for purchase when you sign up for the Certification Class. We will teach you everything you need to know about using Zipper Leaders during the Certification Class and, just to get you started, more information is available at the link below.

Using Zipper Leaders will allow you to pin your top to the Leaders while you are at home, and then you just Zip them onto the leaders on the machine! It’s so easy and economical because you will use the same Zipper Leaders every time you rent. Plus, if you don’t get finished you can unzip your quilt and bring it back a different day to get going again.

For specifics on using our Zipper Leaders, click here.

Tips For Best Finishes

You have most likely invested a good amount of money, time and energy into creating your quilt top. In order to Finish Strong, keep these things in mind as you prepare for your rental session.

• Your Backing and Batting need to be at least 6” to 8”larger than your Top.
• Bed sheets typically are not the best choice for your backing due to the weave of the fabric.
• If your back needs to be pieced, a ½ inch horizontal seam(s), after salvages are removed, will give you the best results. Vertical seams can cause issues when rolling your backing onto the machine. Press the ½ inch seam open. Wideback fabrics are available in our shop if you prefer to avoid seams.
• Your backing needs to be:
  • Squared on all sides. To square your backing means to have all corners at 90° and the edges straight.
  • Selvages should be removed, except side selvages on your quilt back can be left.
• Your top should be pressed with all seams flat. Uneven piecing, puckers and wavy borders may not quilt out easily or at all.
• To avoid wavy borders follow these simple instructions:
  • Measure through the middle of the quilt from top to bottom.
  • Cut your 2 side borders that length. Find the center of the quilt and pin each end and the center, easing in any fullness. Most times, there should be no fullness to ease in if cut and handled properly. Backstitch the ends of the outer border seams.
  • Iron the ¼ inch seam toward the border.
  • Measure through the middle of the quilt from side to side.
  • Cut your top and bottom borders that length. Repeat the rest of step 2 & 3.
• DO NOT baste the quilt top/batting/back together. Bring it to your rental session in three separate pieces.
• Remove any stray pins that may have been overlooked.
• Take the time to snip loose threads from the back of your quilt top. These may show through the lighter colors of your quilt.
• Please make sure your quilt top, back and batting are smoke-free and free of pet hair. Smoke odors can permeate the leaders on our machines and are impossible to remove. Please understand that due to allergies among our staff, we retain the right to refuse rental services for any materials brought into the shop that contain smoke odor or pet hair. 
• Check for and re-stitch any loose or broken seams.
• Backstitch the ends of all border seams so that stitching doesn’t pull loose during quilting.
• If you have a pieced border, for best results, stay stitch ¼ inch or serge around the edge of your quilt top. This helps keep the borders from stretching while being quilted.
• Make sure you pin your Zipper Leaders correctly if your top or back is directional. It is helpful to indicate the Top (as opposed to the bottom) with a piece of paper marked “TOP” pined with a safety pin.
• Quilt top should be free of embellishments, such as large buttons, bows, beads, crystals, ribbons, etc.
• If your plans are to scallop the edge of your quilt, DO NOT CUT SCALLOPS UNTIL AFTER QUILTINGIS COMPLETE, just mark your scallops.