Long Arm Quilting

Our Quilting Services:

Meet Birdie – our Gammill Quilting Machine

She has a Statler 30” head, 12 ft. table, and the latest in Creative Studio Software

We do Edge-to-Edge Quilting (allover design) @ $0.02 per square inch.

Example: Width of quilt top x Length of quilt top = total x .02

65 x 90 = 5850 x .02 = $117.00
Tight x .2.5 = $146.25

When you select a tighter design, the price goes up. This is due to the increased use of thread and the additional time needed to finish the quilt.

Batting: We also provide batting in all sizes and can be added to and paid for at time of pick-up. We use Warm & Natural Batting.

Warm & Natural is the finest needle-punched cotton batting! Only 15% of all cotton grown in the USA is the proper length, thickness, and color. Out of this 15%, only 5% is clean enough for Warm & Natural! 3% shrinkage can be expected in the first wash with cold water. To achieve an antique puckered look, use warm water for 5% shrinkage. Warm & Natural won't distort when hanging, hooping or when used in quilt frames

Backing: You provide backing of your choice, already seamed if needing to be seamed.

The shop offers 108” widebacks in a variety of colors/prints and custom seamed wide backs to give you a greater choice to choose from.

We use Omni and KingTut quilting thread, solid colors, and variegated, same color thread on top and bottom. Thread is included in quilting price.

Additional Services Available: We have two ladies that do beautiful binding (not through the shop). This service and fee are between the customer and the person doing the binding. The Quilting Studio & Fabric Mercantile does not take payment for this service. There is a form to be filled out at front desk for those interested in the machine binding service. Trimming the quilt, making binding, and/or attaching the binding charges are discussed/chosen on form.

Helpful Hints on Preparing your Quilt to be Longarm Quilted:

Please send the top, backing, and batting as separate items (although they can be in one package). DO NOT pin or baste the layers together.

Quilt tops should be free of any buttons, beading, ribbon, ric-rac, or any other embellishments. (These should be done after quilting)

Backing and batting need to be at least 10” wider and longer than the quilt top. That means at least 5” all the way around. If larger, that is fine – but not smaller.

When buying wide-back, please have backing torn so fabric will be on straight-of-grain.

Backing can also be pieced from same fabric yardage. Borders of a different fabric will not end up being symmetrical looking. We are unable to guarantee that a backing with different borders will be centered. We cannot load the quilt in a manner that would allow for this, and we cannot see the back when quilting.

Also, if piecing be sure and square up all yardage – on all sides. Leave the outside selvage edges on the backing. Pieced backing should also be at least 10” wider and longer than the quilt top.

No sheets.

Press well and fold neatly.

Helpful Hints on Preparing your Quilt Top to be Longarm Quilted:

The most important attribute is square up your Quilt Top. Having a square top begins at the piecing level, if you square your blocks as you go, make sure your seam allowance is uniform. Cut your border fabric parallel to the selvage edge of your fabric. There is less “stretch” to the fabric this way as opposed to cutting the width of the fabric. Make sure your borders are not longer than the sides and piece borders from the middle out.

Please avoid using selvages in your piecing.

Borders should be sewn onto your quilt top squarely. If the borders are longer than the top, or put on without accurate measurements, the top will not lay flat and may create puckers in the top when quilting.

We try our best to ease out any fullness when quilting, but we cannot guarantee that any puckers or pleats won’t occur. Just remember that the flatter your quilt top lies, the better you quilt will look when quilted.

Please make sure that seams on the edges are secure. For any seams on the edge of the quilt top, it is a good idea to stay stitch, or baste, about 1/8” from the edge to make sure these seams don’t pop open when the quilt is loaded onto the longarm.

Please clip all stray threads from the back of the quilt. These stray threads will show through the quilt top if the top is light-colored.

Mark the top of your quilt top with a safety pin, if not evident.

Press quilt top well. As you are pressing, check for gaps and loose stitching. Make sure all seams are pressed to allow for the least amount of bulk where seams join. Fold neatly.

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