Or a massage!

I would definitely furnish all the supplies to do your quilt (thread, batting). I like the suggestions of help around the house but also might ask if I could stay and watch her do it and learn how to use her machine. In the end you might be able to barter some machine time from her and do your own quilts and develop a real quilting buddy. Perhaps she doesn't like to piece so you might piece a quilt for her and she quilt one for you.

If you decide to pay her, either with cash or gift cards, determine what it would cost to send the quilt out to a LA. A baby quilt with an all over meander shouldn't be too costly. But I'm of the age where having someone just do 'stuff' for me would be SO appreciated and there are a lot of great suggestions here.

Bring a covered dish when you bring the quilt top, or a loaf of homemade bread, (or both). Bring a new plant for her flower garden if she has one. Find out what chores she hates to do and do some of them for her, cooking, cleaning, laundry, change bedding, etc. There are lots of ways you can pay for her work and she will be very happy for the assistance.

Paper Princess you are a gal after my own heart. I hate to cook also, but it seems like both DH and I love to eat on a daily basis, so what can one do. I truly wish there as someone here in our town or even really near by that did LA quilting I would love to just go and observe a few times.I don't have a LA nor the space for one, but wishful thinking perhaps someday.
Knitwitrosie : I think all of the ideas suggested so far are just great. Here are a few that I haven't read yet- perhaps the lady needs some errands run, grocery shopping, taking things to the cleaners, or some ironing done. Maybe she needs some hand sewing done or some blocks cut for one of her own quilts. Also as others have mentioned about thread for her LA, perhaps purchase some batting or a kit for a new quilt if you know what she might like. It is so nice to know that there are still a lot of people who do not want to take advantage of those kind people who offer their services free, especially when the individuals are friends, relatives or almost related.

A gift card for something special.

Thank you all for the wonderful suggestions!!! I've got a list made of ideas, and as soon as I get thru a couple of the quilt tops I want to do and bring them to her for finishing.... I'll be prepared :)

You ladies are awesome!

I have a long arm and also do free work for friends and was just thinking the other day when someone had asked me to do a quilt that it would be great to exchange hour for hour house work for quilting. She may also like help when she is longarming, though some of us do not do our best with audiences. Offer and you may be surprised.

Paper princess,
i love to cook and have several quilt tops that need to be quilted. Is it too far to walk to Michigan from Massachusetts???

Had to laugh when I read your post! My DH must be fed daily too! LOL I love the barter system too, I am trading a treadle sewing machine (Singer blk model 66, great shape) in a cabnit for a quilt to be quilted. She's a friend who wants to treadle and i have more than one. Told her to think about a deal for a featherweight she wants one and I have 3. I have many tops.