Longarm Services

Amanda, one of the owners of The Quilting Bea, is our in-house longarmer and loves working on your quilt for you! Right now, we are only providing Edge-to-Edge services.

Please note at this time, we are NOT accepting quilt tops that have any embellishments such as buttons, embroidery or other raised embellishments that could interfere with the quilting process.  This includes t-shirts, children's clothes, loom-work, Minky or anything that is not 100% Quilting cotton.  We are not working on flannel quilts at this time - they are very linty.

Your completed quilt will be trimmed to the quilt top edge, unless specified otherwise.  We will trim to the quilt top edge but are NOT responsible for squaring up your quilt, only for trimming to what was provided.

We have a $50 minimum on all machine quilting jobs due to the time spent loading the project.  Basic patterns are $0.025 or 2 1/2 cents per square inch; the more elaborate the pattern, the more expensive per square inch.  Amanda will advise once you decide on the pattern.

How to prepare your quilt for longarming for the best outcome:

 

Pressing & Prep:

• Please square up your quilt – if your sides are different lengths, it will result in an uneven quilt pattern and be subject to tucks or pleats to complete the longarming.
• Before you bring in your quilt top, please lay it on the floor at home.  If you have any waviness and cannot press it flat, please know that Amanda cannot “fix” that with the quilting and the quilt may be subject to tucks or pleats to complete the longarming. 
• Please check your quilt top for any loose threads both front and back. Loose threads can cause snags, skipped stitches, and possible damage to the quilting machine as well as come through lighter toned fabrics which will then be locked in place after quilting.
• Stabilize pieced borders or pieced blocks at the quilt-top edge with a stay-stitch 1/8” to a scant 1/4" from the edge. This will prevent the edges from coming apart prior to quilting.  Your binding will cover this stay-stitch if you place it properly.
• Remove any stains or animal hair from your quilt top and backing.
• You quilt Top AND Backing MUST be pressed before bringing it to the shop - if we determine either need pressed prior to quilting, there is a $20 pressing fee. 

 

Pieced Backing:

• For pieced backing, use a 1/2" seam and press open & do your best to have a horizontal (Left to Right) seam on the backing (this makes it more even going on the frame).
• If you provide a pieced backing, we do not guarantee centered alignment and we charge a $20 loading alignment fee.  Please plan accordingly.
• Backing needs to be 12"wider and longer than your quilt top. This allows 6" on all four sides of the quilt top.  This allows the backing and batting to absorb any stretching of the quilt top and allows for the pinning and clamping to the rollers on the quilt frame.

Borders:

• Square your quilt top up before you add your borders!
• Make the borders fit your quilt by measuring the quilt top across the left side, right side, and center. Take the average of these three measurements and cut both side borders. Pin the borders onto your quilt top before stitching.
• Repeat the same process for the top & bottom borders.

Batting & Backing Size:

• We only use our batting on the roll to ensure there are no folds or kinks in the batting.  We currently offer a very lofty Polyester blend, 80/20 and 100% cotton both bleached white and in natural.  You can make your selection when you drop off your quilt top.

Thread Color:

• We use Superior Threads Omni and Omni V (Variegated) Tex 30, 40 weight, poly-wrapped poly core thread in our quilting.  Designed for quilting, serging, and sewing, OMNI has quickly become a favorite go-to thread for longarm quilters and quilt makers alike. This 40 wt. polyester thread is a cleaner, brighter, and stronger alternative to other poly-wrapped poly core threads, making it perfect for those who love quilt making. Designed to withstand the rigors of high-speed quilting, and available in a vast array of 172 solid colors, OMNI offers the perfect match for any quilt maker's color needs.
• We have over 70 spools of thread in stock and can usually order anything that we don’t have in the shop.  Please note that variegated thread tends to break more frequently than the solid shades, so you may have more quilting restarts on the quilt if you choose a variegated thread.
• You can also choose to use one color in the quilt top and a different color in the bobbin for the back of the quilt for no additional charge.

 

 

Quilt Pick Up:

• As soon as your quilt is available for pick-up, we will contact you. The promised finished date is a closely estimated date; as of February 2025, we have an approximate 12 to 14 weeks wait time. Please do not call to "see how it is going;" we promise we will call you as soon as it is ready.  If you are in a rush, please see the Rush Fees section below.
• The cutoff deadline for Christmas quilts is October 1st unless otherwise communicated.

Rush Fees:

• If you are in need of a rush, there will be a 35% additional up-charge of the quilting fee. The quilt will be completed within two weeks of the drop off. We will call you as soon as your quilt is ready.

Mail-Order Longarm Services:

·        We have started to accept quilts by mail for quilting - please keep in mind we will only use our store batting, so only mail the quilt top and backing, following the guidelines on this page.  Please send an email with the information listed below BEFORE you send in your quilt top. 

·        We do require prepayment for mail orders, so Amanda will prepare a custom item for you to purchase online prior to shipping your quilt.  There is a flat $20 fee for mailing the quilt back to you priority mail which will be included in your price.  Please proceed to pay and send in your quilt to the address provided. You will be notified once it is received.

·        Quilts are quilted on a first come first serve basis so once you fill out your form ship off your quilt ASAP (ship it in 3 or less days with tracking if possible, like a priority-mailer) to ensure it is placed in the que accordingly.

 

Every quilt we take in is documented and tagged and stored in a temperature-controlled environment. We ensure your quilts are treated with the upmost care!

Thank you for considering us as your longarm quilter!

For a quote:

To receive an approximate quote for long-arm quilting please send us an email via the link below.

Please include the following:

• Length x Width of the quilt top
• An estimate of what design you would prefer as well as density (ie: florals, animal, geometric)
• A preference for batting

This is an approximate quote; it is a general idea of what your quilt will cost.

This will not apply to an in-store quote.

 Send an email to Amanda@TheQuiltingBea.com  if you are mailing your quilt top and then she will send you an invoice for prepayment and confirming details.  Local customers can stop in and we will complete the form upon review of the quilt top and backing.