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Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
We would like to return the best quilt possible to you at a reasonable price. In order to do so, we ask that you please read over this information carefully. If you have any additional questions, please contact us.
MARK THE TOP, BACKING AND BATTING (if provided by you) with a safety pin along the top edge of your pieces. This is so we know which sides match with which, and how to load the quilt. If not done, this takes time to measure each piece.
BACKING AND BATTING (if provided by you) needs to be at least 4”-6” larger than the top. This is to insure that there is plenty of fabric to load the quilt properly and get the proper tension on each side. Quilts, especially those with a lot of seams, may stretch during the quilting process. This is VERY important.
“BUSY” backs are highly recommended. Busy backs hide any stitch imperfections, stops and starts. Solid backs, depending on the quality and color of the fabric used, may experience bearding.
PIECED BACKS SHOULD BE PIECED WITH A ½” VERTICAL SEAM WITH THE SEAM PRESSED OPEN. This allows for the “stretchy” part to be loaded horizontally. If the back is pieced horizontally, there is no guarantee that the seam will be located in the center of the quilt. Additionally, if the backing is pieced off grain, there is a potential for the back seam to “wave” on the back. Selvedge edges MUST be removed.
PROVIDING YOUR OWN BATTING DOES NOT NECESSARILY SAVE YOU MONEY. We know what batting works best with our machine. If you provide your own batting, it MUST be marked (as above) and labeled with your name. If your batting is not cut large enough, we will substitute our batting and return yours. We offer several different types of battings at reasonable prices.
WE PREFER TO USE OUR THREAD. We know which threads our machine likes. If we use your thread and run out at 4am, we cannot take your quilt off the frame to wait for you to provide us with another thread. We are basically out of business until we receive your thread and finish your quilt. For these reasons, we prefer to use our thread.
EDGES OF TOP AND BACK MUST BE TRIMMED STRAIGHT. We need straight edges to properly load your quilt top and back onto the frame. Please take the time and trim all your edges straight. If we must take the time to straighten your edges, we must charge you for this service at $5.00 per edge.
WHITE OR LIGHT COLORED QUILTS. Please give special attention to the wrong side of your quilt top on light or white tops. Frayed seams/fabrics and piecing threads must be clipped otherwise there may be thread shadowing through the top. If we must take the time to clip these threads, you will be charged $25 per hour.
IN GENERAL. There are many factors which will effect the outcome of your quilt. We’re going to cover some of the more important ones here.
1. Batik fabric has a very high thread count (approx 200) while regular quilting cotton is approx 78 – this creates an imbalance and could effect the tension and stitches. We recommend if you have a batik on top, a cotton on the bottom will give you a nicer result, as compared to another batik.
2. If you have any bias edges on your top, please stitch around the outside edge to stabilize your quilt, otherwise it will stretch when on the frame. If we do this for you, there is a charge of $25 per hour.
3. It is the customer’s responsibility to be sure all seams are tight before sending it to us. If seams come apart during the quilting process, we cannot take the quilt off the frame – the seam must be top stitched.
4. Please let us know ahead of time if there are any “problems” with your quilt, such as a wavy border, “B” cup in a block. If we know ahead of time we can work with it and make adjustments.
5. DO NOT embellish your quilt until the quilting is completed.
6. If your quilt top is not straight and square when you bring it to us, you will not receive a square quilt back. Please be sure that you measure your borders before applying them to the quilt. If you don’t your quilt will be distorted. Please contact us for an instruction sheet on how to properly apply borders.
7. Any extra work that we must do in order to prepare your quilt for quilting is billed at $25 per hour.
CUSTOM SHOW QUILTS Show quality quilts start at $0.05 cents per square inch. These quilts take much longer to do. WHY IS THERE A THREAD CHANGE CHARGE? It’s not as easy as 1-2-3. Each thread change requires us to test the bobbin color and tension settings. This can take anywhere from 10-20 minutes. EXPLAIN THE PANTOGRAPH PRICING. Pantos are priced according to the size and density of the pantograph. The smaller or denser the pantograph is, the higher the price. This is because it takes us longer to go across your quilt, as well as the time taken to advance the quilt on the rollers. EXPLAIN THE CUSTOM/SHOW QUILT PRICING. Custom and show quilts are given intense individual attention. Your quilt is first designed in Electric Quilt and then quilting designs are auditioned with hand drawings. If required, the quilting design is then marked on the quilt. After the quilting, the markings are removed. Obviously this takes a lot of extra time. We make every attempt to price the quilts to a fair price to you and to insure that we are reasonably compensated for our services. ENTERING SHOWS. If you enter your quilt in a show, please give us the appropriate credit for the quilting. Usually your work order will indicate which one of us quilted your piece. We’d also love to have a photo of you, your ribbon (if applicable) and quilt for our website. We will give you a $5.00 gift certificate for sending the photo (and permission to use it). EXPLAIN “TURNING CHARGE” On custom quilts, in order to quilt the borders with certain designs, we must unpin your quilt from the frame, turn it 90 degrees and re-load the quilt. Depending on the size of the quilt, this takes approximately 45 minutes to one hour or more. |