What we need from you:
Your well pressed quilt top, outer edge seams secured and with all threads trimmed. As in all things the better the preparation the better the result.
Please ensure there are no surface embellishments on your quilt top unless they have been securely stitched down and can be safely stitched over. Such items include buttons, charms, lace, ribbons, rickrack, braids etc. Non-removable items will require the top to be custom quilted at the appropriate rate. Tops made from recycled clothing, particularly jeans, when pockets, zipper flies and thick seams are incorporated will have to be custom quilted as it is not possible to stitch over the additional thickness and maintain correct tension, or zips without damaging our machine. Tops made with fabrics of greatly varying thickness such as cotton with woollen fabrics may also have to be custom quilted. Those made with thick fabrics, wool, corduroy etc will have to be custom quilted as the seam junctions are too thick to quilt over.
Batting, butt-seam pieced if necessary, trimmed and squared off, by you, to exactly 10cms (4″) larger all round than the quilt top. See Note 1. We stock Warm & Natural cotton batting and Hobbs 100% wool batting if you would prefer to use ours. We only charge for the area of your quilt thus saving you having to purchase any more than you need for each project.
Backing fabric, washed if your top fabrics have been, selvages removed and pieced if necessary, well pressed and squared off by you to exactly 10cms (4″) larger all round than the quilt top. For very large pieces of backing is it easier to rip than cut to achieve a straight edge. See note 1. Any seams should be ½ inch wide, pressed open with the selvages trimmed. There will be an additional charge if you wish us to launder and/or piece your backing fabric. The excess fabric will remain on the quilt for you to remove and use as you wish, unless you require us to bind the quilt for you when it will be removed and returned to you or used for the binding; although additional fabric may be required in this instance. In which case the binding preparation charge will apply.
We are agents for Widebacks Australia, and can order your backing from a wide range of samples, available on their website, from manufacturers such as Benartex, Mode and RJR. These fabrics are between 108” and 112” wide in most instances removing the necessity to piece your backing. The only additional charge for this service is the postage charged at cost, the fabric is charged as per the price listed in their website.
Your instructions regarding stitch pattern and thread colour.
A bag of sufficient size to accommodate your finished quilt.
If you have questions or concerns not addressed here, please do not hesitate to contact us. We want you to be totally happy with your quilt.
*Note 1: It is necessary to have straight edges to load onto the machine frame to accommodate the quilting process. If the quilter needs to trim, square off or adjust in anyway, your batting and/or backing an additional charge will be levied. It is also possible that trimming an out of square batting or backing may not leave sufficient fabric to quilt the project. An out of square batting or backing can result in there not being enough on one edge and an excess on the other ie: imagine your quilt top is square and your batting/backing is a rhomboid or parallelogram and you will understand the outcome. If your backing in particular does not have straight edges, this can make it difficult to get the right tension and may result in little ‘hammocks’ forming which may produce tucks or pleats. This is not a desirable outcome. An out of square batting may result in ‘lumps’ as the excess is squeezed between the top and backing surfaces. Batting should be butt seamed keeping the pieces as flat as possible. Traditional seaming will result in ‘lumps’ as described above.
*Note 2: Due to the requirements of long arm quilting machines, we regret it may not be possible to quilt your project if the batting and backing are less than the dimensions given above. If there is enough fabric to allow a temporary calico strip to be applied to extend it to the required width quilting can proceed. An additional charge will be levied to carry out this work.
Conditions for accepting patchwork for quilting:
It is assumed that the person presenting the project for quilting is the owner. If they are the owner’s agent, it will be assumed they are fully aware of the owner’s requirements in all respects, will be treated as the owner and will be required to accept the conditions and pay the deposit prior to work commencing. It is the responsibility of the owner/agent to ensure there is sufficient backing and wadding for each project unless either or both are being supplied by Artistic Quilting. Artistic Quilting reserves the right to return any quilt top un-quilted if issues come to light which were not evident during the intake process. This does not mean the project cannot be quilted; remedial action maybe required before quilting can be undertaken.
In some instances seams may require attention so they do not separate during the quilting process as this is difficult to rectify once the quilting is completed. However, this may not always be evident until quilting has commenced, in which case the project will proceed and every effort made to minimize the problem. If wadding or backing is not adequately blocked, or undersized, the addition of a temporary wadding or calico strip may be required. If this work is undertaken by Artistic Quilting it will incur an additional charge at the current hourly rate plus materials. All edges, of all 3 components, should be trimmed square with 90 degree corners; any trimming required will be charged at the current rate. Please do not provide more backing or wadding than is required for the project as additional charges will be incurred reducing the material to a workable size. You may find it easier to rip large pieces of backing. Poorly pressed quilt tops and backings may produce a less than desirable result.
Please understand that pleats, and pieces ‘stretched to fit’, will not be eliminated or hidden by the quilting process and, in some instances may be accentuated due to a ‘ballooning’ of the fabric within the quilting stitch design. Quilt centres which are out of square will result in distortion of both inner and outer borders. Borders which are too long for the quilt centre will result in pleats being formed in an effort to maintain general squareness and those that are too short will cause the centre to have excess fabric where it joins the border causing a ‘pinching’ effect. Any remedial work that can be carried out by the quilter will only be done with the agreement of the owner, and charged at the current hourly rate.
If, in the quilter’s opinion, to continue with the project would produce a less than satisfactory result, you will be contacted as soon as possible and the problem(s) discussed before proceeding. Please note that tops returned un-quilted for any of the above reasons will incur an administrative charge of 50% of the current minimum charge. Deposits paid over that amount will be refunded if you opt not to proceed with the project. Quilt tops, which in the opinion of the quilter, present insurmountable problems will, regrettably, be returned un-quilted incurring the administrative charge.