Here are some frequently asked questions about hiring me as your longarm quilter. Please feel free to reach out to me via email if you have additional questions/concerns, (410) 2623-3623 (text preferred) or orders@sirenstitching.com.
What is your turn around time? 3 weeks.
What size quilts can you take? I can quilt anything from a pillow to a king! The max width would be 110″ for the quilt top.
Do you provide batting? I try to always have white 80/20 and cotton batting on hand at all times, I prefer Hobb’s 80/20 bleached white. Prices vary from shipment to shipment so check the Longarm Quilt Request.
Do you do custom quilting? At the moment, I am only offering edge to edge quilting services.
Can you quilt over applique? I prefer not to. If you used a lightweight interfacing I will consider it. I turn down many applique quilts. I will not quilt men’s ties.
How much is the deposit? No deposit is required. Please fill out the Quilting Request Form so I know to look for your quilt. When your quilt is complete, an invoice (sent via email) will be due in 7 days.
How much do you charge for quilting? I charge per square inch (L x W = Square Inches of the quilt). My rate is $0.025 per square inch. The only charges on your invoice will be for quilting, batting (if you request), postage (if not local) and sales tax if you live in Texas. I have a $40 minimum quilting fee.
When and how do I pay you? I accept payment when your quilt top is complete. I will invoice via Quickbooks – locals can pay with Quickbooks, cash or check. Mail-in clients can pay with card or ACH via Quickbooks.
Will you attach binding? I do not offer binding services. I have a local (Stone Oak, North San Antonio area) woman who will take binding clients. She attaches by hand.
How do I prepare my top for a longarmer? Press your top well and trim any loose threads. It’s especially important to get those threads that will show through to your background. If you notice your quilt borders do not lay flat (they are wavy) – you can try to starch and iron them. If that will not lessen the waves then removing and reattaching will be necessary. A flat top is not required to send to me, but they will quilt better. When I get a top with wavy borders or any extra fullness, I will use starch to try and shrink it up so it quilts nicely! Sometimes a tuck will be necessary.
Will you quilt my quilt so I can use the backing to self-bind? No, I’m sorry but I quilt off the sides about an 1″ all around.
You can use a safety pin to mark the top of your quilt top so I load it correctly!
How do I prepare my backing for a longarmer? The back of your quilt is JUST as important as the front! I need 4″ on all four sides to attach to my frame. If you piece your backing, leave the selvage edges on the outside – this gives me a nice straight edge to attach to my leaders. Horizontal seams for the backing produce the best results. Making sure your quilt back is square will also give you better results. Quilts will be returned to clients who do not provide enough backing material. If I load your quilt and have to remove it, additional charges will apply.
Can I use something other than quilting cotton for the back of my quilt? Textiles made for quilting are the best and get the best results. I have quilted minky, flannel, fleece, and cotton sheets. I will not accept double gauze, slippery polyester or any knit fabric.
Do I need to baste my quilt layers? No. I load your top, batting and backing separately onto my frame. One of the many perks of hiring a longarm quilter is that there is no basting for you! I cannot accept quilts that are basted or bound, layers need to be separate please.
Will you quilt minky? Yes! I LOVE minky. Please understand that minky has a tendency to pull through to the front so it’s best to choose a color that will blend in better with your top. Please square your minky back – using 90″ wide minky is my preference because there are no seams for a throw quilt. If you do have a seam, use pins to ensure your two pieces are joined as evenly as possible while you are sewing. Minky with a seam will be loaded so the seam is horizontal to my rollers – this could affect your quilting choice if you top has to be loaded sideways. I have minky available for sale!
Do you quilt t-shirt quilts? Yes! They are some of my favorite quilts! Please be sure to use a light weight stabilizer on your shirts. I cannot accept quilt tops with metal brads, rhinestones or any hard embellishments (buttons, zippers, etc). This could cause my needle to break and that’s not good for my machine or your quilt. I cannot quilt heavy or stiff stabilizer.
I’m not local, can I mail my quilts to you? Yes! I will gladly quilt them and mail them back to you via USPS Priority Mail. You will have a line item on your invoice for postage (most quilts cost $20-30 to mail). I ship quilts in large polymailer bags and put them in box.
How can I make an appointment for local drop off? Quilters local to San Antonio/Helotes can visit my Booking page to make an appointment! Locals do not need to fill out a quilting request, I can get the details from you in person.
Feel free to text with any other questions – (410) 262-3623 ~Megan