What is a fair price to pay to get my pieced top FMQ'd?
 

I love designing and assembling the quilt tops, but my small machine makes the quilting process a real chore (plus I only know how to straight stitch quilt, not FMQ yet). I have a top I would like to get FM quilted. Questions: (1) How do I find a qualified FMQ expert (I live in Tulsa, OK), and (2) what is a fair price for this work? I am guessing it depends upon the size of the quilt and the complexity of the FMQ design used? My top is 95" x 95", and I think a simple swirl FMQ pattern would be my choice. Should I go to my LQS and ask for referrals? Thanks for any information!

I had a quilt FMQ'ed, it is 111" x 111" and it cost $200.00 . That price included the batting and it was done in a simple swirl.

Quote . "I am guessing it depends upon the size of the quilt and the complexity of the FMQ design used? My top is 95" x 95", and I think a simple swirl FMQ pattern."

Well you are right on both accounts Jeannie. Also you need to take into account the batting and backing cost and whether or not it is a specialty thread you desire it quilted with. Most quilter's web sites have listed as to what different services are and the additional cost.
Then if you are mailing it off the post office will get their share too.

I would think about all this before contacting the quilter and have ready your answers. They are super busy and every customer is important. Some great quilter's are backed up for a year! I would ask the turn around time, for sure!

There are a lot of things that play into price, size, complexity, whats included(batting, thread, binding, etc.) experience, regional pricing. most charge by the inch

Thanks nyelphaba--that is in the range of what I was expecting so that helps a lot.

Thanks Tartan. I will check out the QB list too, didn't know there was one!

I think this is not too far from you and sounds very reasonable - http://www.persimmonquilts.com/about.html I too ONLY make the top and never have done LAQ myself. I LOVE my LAQ and she has lots of patterns, allows me to bring my own batting and is so good at helping select patterns and thread! Good luck! I had a 110 X110 done and provided my own batting and it ran about 180.

Thanks Racerh for the referral to persommonquilts, you are right, she is not too far from me! Her website even mentions picking up items at the local quilt shop I use. I will contact her.

I sent you a PM with some info.

have you tried maybe tying your quilt top just an idea

Good thought, nellie, but this is a very modern, geometric design quilt and I think this one needs FMQ design on it. I have never tied a quilt, but will remember that in the future as an alternative. Thanks!

I just got a quilt (85x108) back from my LAQ. She charged my $89 to quilt a pattern and make the back (I supplied the fabric.). This price also included backing. If she does a custom design I believe she charges about 10 cents an inch, but I've always just done patterns.

Thanks cynical beauty--your LAQ sounds very reasonable. I too think I would just use patterns, so hopefully that will make the cost a little less. I appreciate you responding.

Wow Cynicalbeauty, Sounds like you got one heck of a deal! That seems to be way to low of a price for the LongArmer. That's a lot of time and material for that price.

Some times the cost is based on how much per sq inch. I usually charge 1.5 cents per sq inch for a swirl or "mindful meandering" I call it. 95 x95 is 9025 sq in and depending on what it costs per inch at 1.5 would be $136.38, at 2 cents it would be $180. Most of the time you can add from $4 to $10 for thread (you wouldn't believe the cost of that for a long arm) and the batting (unless you purchase the batting). This gives you a little idea of what it can cost. When you pick a long armer, please ask for references and call them. There are terrific long armers and not so terrific, so make sure after you spent all that time making your quilt you have a good person doing it. It is easier to find a LAQ locally because shipping is really steep for sending quilts (I am a long armer for Quilts of Valor and shipping can cost $12-18 one way.) Hope this helps a little. I always recommend treating this like you are giving a job interview.

The last two quilts I had done was $225 for a double and $80 for a 52x80 coverlet. It was the meander stitch. Edie

I agree with everything that Tartan listed. I use to quilt using my Bernina and I got lots of referrals from my LQS. I quilted many of the samples that were displayed in the shop so my work was readily available to be examined.

I have paid a little as $40.00 for a queen size up to $400.00 for a queen size. Most were about $200 more or less. The $400.00 was a one time deal, detailed Farmers Wife Sampler Quilt. Still saving up to have the Pony Club Quilt done by the Long Arm Quilter. A neighbor has a Long Arm and is very reasonable at a penny per square foot. Love the Wyatt lady who does it for the $40.00 for some income and something to do. Even that amount has too be figured into a retirement budget with limited dollars for hobby.

I have done many quilt tops, some I quilted myself with FMQ and then I found a Long Arm quilter ( actually two) in the state of Washington where I live and I have never been more satisfied in my long career of Costuming and Quilting. Charisma Horton in Ephuta (she is on this board too) and also "Quiltermama" Beth North and she is Cheny Washington also on this board, both are so very creative and both are very affordable (more than you would think).
Charisa has a website too. You can see all her quilts. Here are a couple of pics of their work.
Hope this helps.
R

I think the cost varies. The lady that does mine charges me 1 cent an inch.

My long arm quilter charges $90 for that size and does a beautiful job

I usually pay around $125-$140 to have a King size quilted and bound, which includes the batting.

The one time I had a quilt done by a LAQ it cost 1.5 cents per square inch, doesn't sound like much but it adds up quickly.

Hello Jeanne S I have found a great LAQ on ebay. She lives in Alabama and has very very reasonable prices. If you would like more info, please contact me and I will give you more info.

200.00 for a simple meandering....that is too high. Check around you can get good quality work done for less. I have found that LQS seem to have the best prices. and to think I thought 40.00 was too much for my twin quilts that I had done...they looked wonderful, but I knew if this was going to be my hobby there was no way I was going to pay for them to be quilted (who can afford to do that once a month), so bought a sewing machine so I could do my own simple meandering. It was either that or I was not going to keep on quilting...so glad the hubby bought me my 7700 and hopefully someday a sweet sixteen machine

I'm 40 miles from you and just paid $215 for a custom job with 3 thread colors and binding attached to the front but not hand-stitched on the back. It was 101" square. You should be able to get swirls done for less in the Tulsa / Broken Arrow area. Tulsa has several excellent longarmers.

The Tulsa quilt guild on their website has a page listing local and expanded area longarmers. I know when Sewflakes was still open in Broken Arrow they had drop-off and pick up service for some of the longarmers outside of the immediate area, it was your job to communicate with the longarmer in advance of dropping off quilts, it would save on shipping. They might have similar agreements with some of the stores in Tulsa.

Thanks for the great advice! It is a little scary turning over your top to someone. But I agree, checking references should provide the assurances.

Robert,
Thanks very much for the information and the lovely pictures!! I am envious of the quilts!

Simple designs in my area is two cents per square inch. A 111 by 111 quilt would be approximately $246.42. This is strictly an approximate guide.