When I have my quilts done, I check first on the price and design of the quilting pattern. I lucked out - my favorite is Meander and it turns out that it is the least expensive - One cent per inch. Times your width times your length - I had 9,438 square inches - move the old decimal point and you come up with $94.38. I actually have a quote right in my hot little hands here. The thread is between $10. and $15.00 (mine was $13.00 - variegated) and the basic fee is $15.00 for a total of $122.38, plus $8.41 for tax - total - $130.79. This quilt will be done the middle of November and all I have left to do on it is put on the binding and sew it down on the machine and then hand sew it.
I also check to see what color goes best. On my cancer quilt (picture enclosed in here - somewhere - my quilter suggest a honey colored thread. It turned out beautiful. Even on the black it isn't that noticeable, but it pops. My memory quilt is done in ecru - same meander stitch and the one that has the variegated thread is gorgeous (the thread). She pulled some thread from the bobbin and threw it up and just let it fall on the quilt - meander - it was a perfect thread.
These quilters know what they are doing and check some quilt stores and see who they recommend. Actually, a sewing machine store recommended my ladies!!!!
This quilt is for our son and daughter in law for Christmas. I am so excited to see it.
I will send a pic. It is a 35 block Sampler Quilt.
I wish you good luck and I hope you find as terrific a shop as I did. They are so nice, so helpful and I will give you the name - Quilt Yourself - www.quiltyourself.com. I recommend them highly. Edie