We have 2 different quilters here ...... one charges by the inch and one charges by the size of the quilt! The quilter who does it by the size of the quilt is just as good as the by the inch lady and and well dont cost $350.00 per quilt for quilting.... by the quilt is $65.00 per quilt ..... Im trying to understand the difference, can anyone explain?

You also have to make sure you are talking panto/panto or custom/custom. Some only do one or the other. Around here 1 1/2 cents per square inch seems to be the starting rate for pantos. Other areas start at 2 or more.

I was quoted 350.00 for a queen size quilt from the by the inch lady that was batting and thread and 65.00 for the same quilt which was u provide the batting she provided the thread of your choice... same design ....... had had a baby quilt done by by the inch and it cost like 95.00 and just wondered what the bigger quilt would be ......am just curious as to cost other places!

I charge $1.99 per square foot and only raise my price for ruler work.

If you want an all over medium to large stipple I charge $1.50 a square foot.

Is one a person using a panto and one a computer panto? Computerized can be more expensive in my area.

$350 would be custom here.

Ok I keep trying to come up with these figures and I must be doing something wrong. If I have a quilt 90x108 how do I figure the price? If I turn that into feet it comes out to 7.5x9 which is 67.5 sf then don't I multiply it by the sf price? Please let me know what I'm doing wrong

There is a wide variety between what LAQrs charge. The ones here in Houston that I've found charge for a simple panto what Green Fairy charges for custom detail work. Needless to say, I don't send my quilts to anyone here! LOL

Seems that you could pick up the 80/20 batting at a JoAnn's sale & save quite a bit from the quilter who provided the batting - ask to see some of each one's work before you decide - they should be proud to show references. The lesser price would tempt me if I were happy with the appearance of the quilting done for others.
That being said, I love everything I've seen here that Charisma has posted.

Different people run their business differently. One may actually be trying to make a profit and a living at it. The other one may just be trying to pay for her own quilting habit. It's their business and their business how they run it and what they charge.