pressing the backing and quilt top
 

I am taking mine to the shop and quilt it myself on long arm she said to have it all pressed. Well I did press it then folded it up now it does not look like it has been pressed. How do you keep them looking pressed??

If you can get one of those large cardboard rolls that upholstery fabric comes on (they are generally 54 inches long or longer) you can roll your quilt top on it. Roll it fairly loosely from the front side with the back side showing when it's rolled. This should keep out most wrinkles.

Thanks for the great tip on keeping the wringles to a minimum

I like to press with lots of steam then lay the quilt out on a bed or floor to let it "rest". Surprisingly I dont get hard wrinkles when I fold it for transporting.

I use Magic Sizing most of the time - but I also have tried Mary Ellen's Best Press - and it not only gives it a fresh lavendar smell, but a wonderful press that stays; then I just carefully fold it up and put it into a bag made especially for putting my quilt tops to go to the quilter - and it works wonderfully.

My mom always told me to make sure the fabric was cold before folding. I think the residual heat can continue to set wrinkles. Like they always tell you to take stuff out of the dryer promtly.

I use the sizing and allow the quilt to cool before folding, that seems to do the trick most of the time.

i use the cardboard roller, as well. it does a super job

I don't press the back anymore, unless it's pieced (and then I just press the seams as I am going). After I load the back on the longarm, I roll it so that only the bottom part of the quilt is visible. I mist it lightly with water while the quilt is stretched and the wrinkles just vanish. I let it dry and advance to the next portion of the quilt, repeat until the top part has been misted and dried. Actually I'm not sure that it's important to thoroughly dry the quilt at each advance, but I usually do. Keep in mind I'm not a professional longarmer, so these are my own quilts, charity quilts, or friends' quilts. A professional might be reluctant to put water on a customer's quilt, and might not want to take the time to let the quilt back dry with each advance. However I just did this with a wide back that I had washed, then dried over the banister, so it was full of wrinkles, and the longarm mist/stretch took them all out, as if by magic.

You can also roll your quilt top on one or two of those noodles the kids use in the pool.

delma