On the mark again Scissor Queen! I agree the best longarm quilters are booked in advance. In my area there are 3 that I know of, and they are booked 3-6 months in advance. During this time of year you can forget it. I usually do my own top quilting; however I can't manage a queen/king size quilt. I'm reading up on quilting a bed sized quilt at home by doing it in sections.
Have you tried that yet? I was just curious as to how well it comes out. Longarmers are expensive and the bigger the project, the bigger the $$$. What are they charging in your area? In my area it starts (lap quilt, wall hanging, crib quilt) at $150.00, for basic single design, the more designs the more you pay, and of course you provide all materials. It really gets painful at the king size level.
Kind Regards,
MaryAnna