Long arm quilting a GFG
 

I'm very new to long arm quilting. I have my first completed GFG that I want to LA. I watched a video where Jamie Wallen added a layer of muslin behind the top to avoid bearding between the open, hand stitched seams. Would you do this, or I thought about using featherweight iron on interfacing? I don't want to add unnecessary weight with the muslin, or possibly adding stiffness with the interfacing, but it needs to be able to hold up to use and laundering in a regular washing machine.

I am not going to hand quilt it. I made it for the fun of having a traveling project. That does not require me to learn to hand quilt.

Thank you for any help or insights.

think this depends on how tight your stitches are and whether the "flowers" are appliqued onto another fabric or joined together. But since you plan to have this a "user" quilt, I'd go with the light wt. muslin, it won't add much wt (no more than fusible) and won't be stiff--like foundation piecing.

I would use a very inexpensive, lightweight muslin. Wash and dry it first to shrink it. It shouldn’t add enough weight to make a difference and it will last. Featherweight iron on interfacing is not woven and so will eventually disintegrate, losing its ability to prevent bearding. The muslin I am thinking about is very light in weight — not the same kind of muslin you would use as background fabric in a quilt (e.g., Kona muslin).

Thank you. Muslin it is.