they send them out to be quilted, that alone shaves quite a bit of time from making the quilt, I have been quilting steadily for 24 years and I have made 82 quilts, I used to piece and quilt by hand and no rotary cutter, now I don't make large quilts anymore and I machine quilt. I like to do my own quilting which is not as beautiful as some of the quilts I see being done professionally, but I love the process and the satisfaction of seeing the last stitch in.