The first step is for your friend and her husband to decide how much they can/or are willing to spend to finish the quilt tops they have. To make a quilt top into a quilt you need backing material a number inches bigger on all sides than the top, batting material same size as the backing and material to make a binding.
As your friend isn't a quilter she would have to hire someone to finish the quilts. If the grandmother hand pieced(sewed) the top together they might want to have the quilt finished in the traditional manner. That is, the quilter would make a backing big enough, then layer the backing, batting and top on a large, hard surface. Once layered, she would then put safety pins every 3-4 inches through the layers to secure them. Once, secured the quilter would then hand quilt the quilt(sew through all 3 layers). There several ways to hand quilt, including using a hoop or quilt stand. After quilting the entire quilt the quilter would then make a binding and sew it to the quilt edges to finish them off. As you can see, this is a very labor intensive project. To hire someone to do this would be quite expensive but perhaps desirable if they want a traditional, heirloom look to the quilts.
Regardless of whether the quilt top is hand sewn or machine sewn they can decide to have the tops finished using machine methods that are faster and less expensive. They can also decide to use polester batting which is less expensive than the more traditional cotton batting. They can find a longarm quilter("longarm" refers to the large sewing maching used) through a locoal quilt store or through the internet. Most longarm quilters, in addition to layering and quilting the quilts quite quickly, can piece a backing, supply batting and make and apply binding. Though a very new method, binding can be applied entirely by machine, another money saver. This second method is less expensive than the entirely hand method.
So it all depends on what finished product would satisfy your firend and her husband and their budget. If they can go to a quilt show they could compare the differences between the two methods.
Good luck to them in getting their grandmother's work finished.

Thanks!
 

OK, I understand now. I agree this project should get the best since it definitely is an heirloom worth preserving! Y'all are so great! thanks for all the help!

Hi, I always quilted my quilts myself, either hand quilting or tying, and I still like to hand quilt, however, when I had some quilt tops quilted, I was hooked. The quilting really made the quilt top "pop", and it was so much faster. As other people have said, bring your quilt tops to a quilt shop first. Some of the quilt tops may be very fragile, or too worn to be quilted, if you handquilt a quilt it is going to take a long time, so you want to be sure it would be worth the effort, the same as sending it out. Also sending the quilt out to be quilted, can be expensive. After deciding to quilt the quilt, ask the quilt store for some good machine quilters. Then I would call them and ask what would be involved, and some idea of what it costs. They will tell you what you need for the quilt sandwich. My machine quilter needs 4" around each side of the quilt. You have to provide the quilt backing, and either buy batting, or see if she will supply batting. Then piece the backing if neccesary, iron the top and the backing and send it off. You do not have to baste it. That all said, good luck with all your projects.

Just remember when you finish older tops that need to be quilted the age of the quilts are from the date they were last touched so, if they are finished in 2012 that is the quilts are aged from 2012. The fabric may be older but the quilts are current date.

If she wants them hand quilted she can ask at the local quilt store, they sometimes have a list of hand quilters. Some churches, & senior centers have hand quilting groups. I once stopped in a small town in Kansas for lunch across from the local library and they had hand quilters that met every week and worked on hand quilting in the library. The ladies also taught newbies.

Here is a video that explains getting a quilt ready to quilt. http://www.ehow.com/video_4437824_ma...ich-quilt.html

This is used if you are going to quilt it on your machine. If you are hiring someone to do it -just give them the top, bottom and batting. They will to the rest.

I would call some of the quilt shops and ask if they could recommend someone who either hand quilts or machine quilts. You will probably have to buy the batting and backing.

Sometimes the long arm (LA) quilter will be able to bind the quilt, also. She should ask. There is a Quilt Show in Midlothian in the Spring, I think. I went to one there several years ago. Google to find it. There will be resources there.

There is a great Quilt Shop in you town. They would be glad to help you. Downtown.

How lucky for your friend to get older quilt tops, I would suggest having them hand quilted .