Horizontal Backing Seams Preferred by Longarmer

Sometimes when a customer has to piece together their backing, he or she mistakenly believes that a vertical seam will be the better choice for the longarmer. She thinks it will help the longarmer center things on the frame. Actually, longarmers prefer a horizontal seam. I thought it might be good to explain why.

Imagine the fabric attached to a back leader pole and a front one. Every time the longarmer advances the quilt, the seam will become thicker and thicker as it turns on top of itself over and over. This causes puckering and pulling toward the left and right side where the backing is thinner. Occasionally, it can even cause a wrinkle to be stitched into the back. Batting and the quilt are on top of this, making it impossible to spot as it happens. When I get a vertical seam, I repeatedly crawl under my longarm to watch the stitching process on the back. I check side tension at every turn. It takes a lot more effort for a longarmer to watch a vertical seam.

If there is a horizontal seam, it only passes over the leader pole one time during the whole quilting process. No problem. There are occasions where it is not possible to avoid a vertical seam. If the back is cotton (thin), it is not as critical, but puffy backing or fleece can be a nightmare.

When preparing your quilt for the longarmer, measure the top, and make sure you provide at least 8 extra inches of backing lengthwise and 8” extra on width. Before making a seam, check your math and try to make the pieces that will run horizontal, long enough when added together for your quilt top length plus the 8 inches. This will make your longarmer so less stressed. Our goal is to make this quilt beautiful for you.