How to Load a Quilt Top on a Longarm

Longarm machines are commonly used on large or detailed quilts.

Longarm quilting differs drastically from sewing machine or hand quilting in price, technique and continuous training needed to perfect skills. At 8 feet in length, this machine looks intimidating, but the top, batting and backing are still layered into the familiar sandwich before quilting. The machine's frame, rollers and some common sewing pins hold each layer taut as the next layer is added. There are a few methods of loading a quilt top onto a longarm machine, but "floating" the top allows for stitching right up to the quilt edges once the quilting has begun.

Things You'll Need

• Longarm quilting machine, loaded with backing fabric 3 inches to 4 inches larger than the quilt top on all sides
• Quilt batting, 6 inches to 8 inches larger than the quilt top, centered on the backing.
• Quilt top
• Sewing pins

Instructions

1. Check the quilt top to ensure all the seams are pressed to one side and loose threads are trimmed. Lay the upper portion of the quilt top on the backing fabric or a large surface and measure the width from one raw edge to the other about 4 inches down from the top edge. Move the top up and take additional measurements at the middle and bottom portion of the piece.

2. Average the width measurements and divide that number in half. Measure that halved distance out from the center point of the canvas leader toward the left edge of the canvas and vertically insert a sewing pin at the spot. Do the same on the right side of the canvas.

3. Line up the left, lower edge of the quilt top with the vertical pin and secure the fabric to the canvas with a pin horizontally placed about 3/4 inches in from the bottom edge of the quilt top. Do the same on the right side. Line up the center of the quilt top at the bottom edge with the center mark on the canvas and pin the quilt top to the canvas.

4. Place more pins across the bottom edge of the quilt top, easing in any fullness and keeping the pins in as straight a line as possible until the entire lower edge is secured. Remove the vertical pins and slowly start rolling the quilt top onto the roller bar, gently smoothing the fabric out from the center.

5. Stop rolling the quilt top when at least 1.5 inches of backing fabric is visible above the upper edge of the top. Check to see if the center of the quilt top matches the mark on the canvas.

Tips & Warnings

• Use long sewing pins when longarm quilting; it will save time and use fewer pins.

• Avoid tugging at the edges of a squared quilt top while loading; it will stretch the fabric.

References

• Longarm University, Inc.: Putting a Quilt Top on a Quilting Machine
• Created by CJ: Floating a Quilt Top
• The Ultimate Guide to Longarm Machine Quilting; Linda V. Taylor

Resources

• Hart Cottage Quilts: Machine Quilting in the 19th Century