It’s finally time to get your quilts ready to bring in to the Metro Quilt Expo. Tuesday is drop off day and judging will begin that evening. Here’s some things to do before you bring them into the judging room.

• Check your quilt over one last time for any loose seams or binding.
• Examine your quilt closely to make sure you have removed all markings, and erase any you may have missed.
• Make sure you have trimmed all loose threads on both the front, back and binding of your quilt.
• Sew a label on the back of your quilt with the quilt’s name, date of finishing, and your name. You may also wish to include any other information that describes the quilt such as who it was made for or an artist’s statement.
• Give your quilt a good sniff to make sure it is free of pet odors, smoke, or fragrances. If you detect any odor, lay it out in the sun on a protective sheet for a few hours to air it out. If that is not possible, run it through a dryer cycle with no or very low heat setting. Don’t put a quilt with loose embellishments in the dryer.
• Lightly iron your quilt to press out any folds or creases from storage. To give your quilt a flat finish, you can use a little starch spray or Best Press.
• Run a lint roller over your quilt to remove pet hairs, fabric snippets, and loose threads.
• To protect your quilt during transport, place your quilts in a large clear bag or wrap them in a sheet. DON’T drop off your quilts in any kind of opaque trash bag. There have been stories about quilts in trash bags mistaken for garbage.
• Please note: Many shows require a hanging sleeve added to the back of your quilt. That is not required for entries in the Metro Quilt Expo.