You will need to ensure that get the quilt top flat. The flatter the top is from the start the better you will be able to  do your quilting. Remember your iron is your best friend for this job. Do not add embellishments such as buttons, beads, ribbons to the quilt top prior to your quilting process as they will get in the way of the sewing machine needle.

If you washed your top fabrics then you should wash the your backing fabric as well. If seams are needed to get the back large enough, then trim the selvage edge from the seams and press them open. It is easier to do this if you stitch the seams at 1/2 inch. Your backing must be 4 to 6 inches larger than the quilt top. This will allow space for the pinning process and for the layering that takes place. Make sure the back is trimmed and straight.

Batting also needs to be 4 to 6 inches larger than the quilt top. Batting is one of those items that you “get what you pay for”. Be aware, the cheaper the batting, the poorer the quality. The quality of a batting will have an effect on your finished quilt. I will be discussing batting in a future post. So stay tuned.