Frequently Asked Questions

IS MY QUILT GOOD ENOUGH TO BE PROFESSIONALLY QUILTED?

Yes, yes, yes! Did we mention YES?!? Every quilt top is good enough and deserving of the special treatment of longarming.

WHAT QUILTING SERVICES DO YOU OFFER?

We offer professional edge to edge quilting on a Bernina Q24 with Qmatic longarm machine. For custom quilting, we are happy to make referrals to talented custom quilt artists.

WHAT THREAD IS USED FOR QUILTING?

We exclusively offer Glide 40wt polyester thread from Fil-Tec. Glide thread maintains consistent tension throughout quilts, producing the highest quality result, and has a wonderful sheen that compliments every quilt.

We routinely keep the most common colors in stock - white, linen, black, and various shades of gray, blue, and green. For special requests, just let us know what color you'd like when booking your quilt. We can order Glide thread in any color of the rainbow!

WHAT BATTING DO YOU OFFER?

Which Batting is Right for My Quilt?

We routinely stock three types of Quilter's Dream Batting: Cotton Select, 80/20 and Wool. Each batting has it's own attributes that might make it more suitable for your quilt. For instance, cotton batting shrinks when the quilt is washed so it is likely to produce a pronounced crinkle, while wool doesn't generally shrink or crinkle much. 

Quilters Dream Cotton Select Batting

This is the most popular batting and loft, versatile and breathable and very warm. It has a 1-3% shrinkage factor so it will produce a nice crinkle after washing. Read more from the manufacturer here.

Quilters Dream 80/20 Batting

This batting is 80% cotton and 20% fine denier poly microfiber. This batting is soft and silky, with an excellent drape. It's designed to wick moisture away from the body to keep cool in the summer and is breathable since there is no scrim. There is a 1-3% shrinkage expected with this batting to produce a nice crinkle after washing. Read more from the manufacturer here.

Quilters Dream Wool Batting

Dream Wool is a warm and lofty batting that has been thermally bonded for warmth. The wool is scoured and super-washed for cleanliness, then blended with low melt poly fibers for thermal bonding. This unique processing creates wool batting that is light weight, machine washable, has very little shrinkage. This batting has 1/3"-1/2” of loft to showcase quilting but can also hide some of the imperfections in piecing. Read more from the manufacturer here.

ARE THERE ANY REQUIREMENTS FOR MY QUILT?

We strive to be as accommodating to all quilters as possible, but do have a few practical considerations. If your quilt top or backing doesn't meet the requirements, just send us a message and we will do our best to work with you to find a solution!

Quilt top size: Our quilt frame can handle quilt tops up to 108" wide.

Backing fabric: Must be 4" wider than the quilt top on all sides. This is needed to properly load the back onto the quilt frame.

Smoke-free environment: To maintain a studio free from as many allergens as possible, we accept quilt tops from smoke-free homes only.

HOW DO I PREPARE MY QUILT FOR LONGARMING?

There are a few easy steps you can to ensure optimal quilting of your quilt. We are very flexible

  • Press all seams.

  • Check for any fraying or loose seams that should be secured before quilting.

  • Trim loose threads from the back of your quilt top. This is most important if your quilt top is constructed of light colored fabric.

  • Square your quilt top and back. Need help with this? Just let us know!

  • Mark the top of your quilt to and back with a pin or clip to declare the quilt's direction.

  • Use a lint roller on the quilt top.
  • HOW MUCH WILL THIS COST?

    Longarm quilting pricing can be mysterious! Sometimes the final bill comes and there are charges that weren't expected or weren't understood - things like a thread fee, a charge per bobbin, confusing pricing for batting, and a "to be determined" return shipping cost. 

    All-inclusive pricing means you know exactly what to expect since the only cost for your quilt to be longarm quilted and returned to you is the price per square inch.

    On average, longarm quilting at Steel City Quilt Company costs 5-10% less than a traditional quilter - without all the guesswork.

     

    What's Included

    Our pricing of 3 cents per square inch includes an optional design consultation, professional edge to edge longarm quilting on a Bernina Q24 with Qmatic longarm machine (including purchase of a design we don't already have), Quilter's Dream batting (cotton, 80/20, or wool), Glide thread and unlimited bobbins, a fresh needle, and return shipping in a watertight package via USPS Priority Mail or pick up and drop off of your quilt at Plain Janes Quilt Co in Leavenworth KS!  

    Edge to Edge Designs

    We offer a suite of edge to edge designs that complement any quilt top and can discuss any other design you'd like! View our library here.

    Batting Types

    We routinely stock three types of Quilter's Dream Batting: Cotton Select, 80/20 and Wool. If you have a special request, let us know when booking your quilt and we will reach out to confirm your selection.

    Thread

    We exclusively offer Glide 40wt polyester thread from Fil-Tec and keep the most common colors in stock - white, linen, black, and various shades of gray, blue, and green. For special requests, just let us know what color you'd like when booking your quilt. We can order Glide thread in any color of the rainbow!

    Minimum Charge

    Our minimum charge for quilting services is $100. If your quilt or smaller table runner or wall hanging doesn't meet this threshold, consider sending two small items to be quilted on a single backing.

    Get a Price Quote

    Click here for an immediate quote.  The only information you need to provide is your quilt top dimensions!

    Ready to Book your Quilt?

    We are so excited to work with you! You can book your quilt here.

    WHAT IS A DESIGN CONSULTATION?

    Have you ever wished you could see how an edge to edge pattern would look on your quilt top before it's already being quilted, wanted to test different scales and densities of patterns, or preview thread color? Our Design Consultation service will produce three mock up images along with the longarm quilting parameters needed to quilt a design.  

    This service is for any quilt, whether you have your quilt longarmed at Steel City Quilt Company, want to do it yourself on your longarm, or have a local longarm quilter. Three mock ups are included in the all-inclusive longarm quilting pricing at Steel City Quilt Company, or this service can be purchased for $15.

    Steel City Quilt Company can audition a quilting design before your quilt even arrives in our studio!  

    The process is simple.

    For quilts being quilted at Steel City Quilt Company, just note your design consultation preference on your booking form and be sure to upload a photo of your quilt top.  For best results, stand on a chair (safely!) to get a photo straight on of your entire quilt top.  Don't worry about cropping or editing your photo; we will take care of that!

    For design consultations without longarm quilting, purchase the design consultation service here

    See how the process works from the quilt top to completion!

    The original photo is sent to Steel City Quilt Company.

     

    Three mock ups are sent back to the maker.

    The quilt design is selected (Propel) and the quilt is quilted!

     

     

     

    WHAT IS THE TURNAROUND TIME FOR LONGARM QUILTING?

    Turnaround time is generally 7-10 days from receipt of your quilt top. For rush orders, send us a message and based on current quilts in our queue, we will let you know if we can commit to your desired return date.

    I'M IN! HOW DO I BOOK MY QUILT?

    We are so excited to work with you! You can book your quilt here.

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