Longarm Quilting Services

Mormor Sewing Studio by Leann McClain

On this page I list all of the longarm quilting services I offer as part of my business. To see my "from scratch" quilting options refer to the custom quilts page.

Quilter's Dream 100% washable Wool batting

"Hexie-Daisies" by Leann McClain

Simple pantograph - back of quilt

.015 cents per sq. inch

Simple pantograph (top made by Penny Schimank)

.015 cents per sq. inch

Longarm Quilting Services

Quilting only: Prices are by the square inch. You provide the quilt top and the correct size backing cut larger on each side than the quilt measurement. Do not provide the sandwich already sewn together as all layers of the quilt attach separately to the longarm machine.

1. .015 - .02 cents per sq. inch - Edge to edge, no separate border treatment
Great for finishing a quilt that is to be given to a charity or where you want the piecing to be the star. Very basic and does not overpower the piecing. Think stipple or loopy meander. Does not take into account the piecing or any appliqué. Any piecing and appliqué will be stitched through as though it is not there. Simple edge to edge of quilt for great texture. Includes simple meader, simple pantograph, modern straight lines (not stitch in the ditch), wavy lines, continuous curves or twists. Freehand swirls or stipple
2. $0.025-$0.05 per square inch - varies depending on complexity and density. More complex pantographs or simple custom designs
There are many options available for themed designs of pantographs. They are single designs based on a pattern of choice. If pantograph needs to be ordered there will be an additional cost of design + shipping and handling.
Echoing an appliqué or embroidery + a simple stipple
Pantographs vary in price by manufacturer and your cost will be determined by density of stitching.
3. $0.035 - $0.06 per square inch - Feathers, stitch in the ditch, dense designs
Stitch in the ditch is more complicated because the stitching line travels between the blocks and must be hand guided with a completely steady hand. Pictorals are pictures drawn on the quilt top. (Manufacturers include: MeadowLyon, Urban Elementz, Willow Leaf, Quiltin4Fun, and others)
4. $0.05-$0.12 per square inch - Customized heirloom quilting, extensive ruler work, pictorals, micro stippling (priced by the hour)
Every block and strip in the piecing is customized with a separate design (Client dictated designs fall into this category). None of my designs are done with a computer to drive the machine and are done freehand. Density and complexity determine price point.

Example of how to calculate quilting only charges:(when you provide the finished quilt top)

1. Multiply the length x width to get the number of square inches. (a lap quilt sized 72 x 60 = 4320 square inches)

2. You desire Level 1 quilting, a basic stipple, so multiply 4320 x $0.015 to yield the total quilting cost of $64.80

3. + Thread price varies and have different price points varying from roughly $8-$15, if you want 2 colors and each color is $9 then 2 colors of the same price thread = $18

4. + Batting (varies by type cotton, wool, or orient blend) charge per longest side's linear inch (72"+12"=84" @ .35 per inch for cotton batting = $29.40)

5. + Texas sales on $112.20 = $7.57

6. + Shipping to arrive at the total = $119.77

In our example:
Quilting = $64.80 + 2 thread colors = $18
+ Cotton batting @ $0.35 x 84 linear inches = $29.40
Total before Texas sales tax of $.0675 = 112.20
+ Texas sales tax $7.57
+ what fits in a USPS shipping Priority Mail large flat rate box) = $17.90 at the time of this post (includes $50 insurance, but more insurance at your request will cost whatever USPS deems necessary) Only small quilts will fit into this type of box. Other shipping may be higher.
TOTAL example cost = $137.67
You may personally pick up your quilt from me if you prefer to avoid shipping charges.

Batting prices:
I will only use battings approved for longarm quilting to keep from sustaining damage to my machine. No high loft polyester batts. I do offer a mid-loft wool batting that gives great definition.

Hobbs 80 /20 Blend - $0.35 per linear inch
Consists of 80% Cotton & 20% Polyester
Mid loft, minimal shrinkage and gives a traditional look to your quilt

Quilter's Dream Wool - $0.60 per linear inch
Higher loft than cotton giving nice definition, No shrinkage when washed and dried in cool water and warm dryer, Light weight, soft, strong, warm, breathable
Wool batt should be machine washed in cool water & dried on cool setting or laid flat then fluffed in dryer

Quilters Dream Orient Blend - $0.75 per linear inch
Luxurious, velvety bamboo (warm in winter, cool in summer), silk for drape and strength, Tencel (eucalyptus wood pulp for strength) & cotton blend. It is low in loft, crease resistant, soft drape, warm, breathable Approximately 3% shrinkage when washed in cool water and dried in cool dryer

For additional custom quilting extras please reference this finishing services chart:

Minimum quilting services charge - $50

Borders - $20 each set, mitered borders $30 each set

Thread - $8-9 per color, if color changes very frequently there is an additional charge

Cutting and sizing backing to fit the quilt -$20

Make binding (customer provides materials needed)- +$45 to binding charges below

Machine attach binding to front of quilt (binding pre-made by client) - .25 per linear inch

Machine attach binding to front of quilt then stitched by hand to back (binding pre-made by client) - .35 per linear inch

Hanging sleeve - .60 per linear inch

Embroidered block - For simple redwork (single color) generally figure $1 per 1000 stitches, then add $15 for labor. Embroideries are based on stitch count. (10,000 stitches=$10 + $15 labor= $25 total) If stitching is more complicated there is an additional labor charge, starting at $30 an hour, based on complexity and time spent.

Machine done Raw edge appliqué -Pricing based on a $30 per hour basis. Fees are based on complexity. This is a technique that can be highly complex and require large amounts of time. Studio does not offer turned-edge appliqué as a service

Quilt label - $25 (fabric label printed with ink jet printer on fabric from Electric Quilt company specifically made and treated for printing)

For all other work not listed here, the rate of $30 per hour for my labor will be applied. Please be sure to remove all selvage edges before constructing backings, trim loose threads, and press seams well before sending to me. Tops that have inaccurate seams and are not pressed well can cause cupping and require a seam to be added to make the top lay flat and square. I will not be responsible for inaccuracies in the construction of a top you send to me.

My enjoyment of the fabric arts has been with me a very long time. I began sewing in 1963 at age 10. As the years went by I began I constructed several bride's dresses, veils, bridesmaids'dresses (14 for one wedding), men's suits, and made most of my children's clothing for many years.

I have enjoyed sewing for clients since 1972, and have been longarm quilting for clients since 2013. Also enjoying the embroidery arts, I machine embroider for clients, though doing embroidery by hand is one of my favorite downtime relaxations. I have been to quilting conferences and taken classes. My quilts have been published in the magazine Machine Quilting Unlimited, featured by companies such as Craftsy, 24 Blocks, Embroidery Library, and American Professional Quilting Systems on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram pages. My quilt, "Fandango Transformation" will be on exhibit in November, 2017 at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, TX. I quilt totally by using free motion, without the use of any computer software on my machine. I like sharing information by teaching longarm quilting classes and quilt making.

When thinking about hiring the services of a longarm quilter try to keep several things in mind. There is a reason quilting services charge you what may seem to be high amounts of money for their work.

What is your budget? Let the longarmer know up front what your budget will allow. Usually there are 2 or 3 ways and price points a quilt can be finished, but the longarmer needs to know what you are thinking.

How much time do you expect the longarmer to spend on your project? Consider this: If you go to a quilt shop and want to piece a top that would be a knockout in high end batiks, but your budget only allows you to buy close-out, discounted calicos, does the shop owner give you more expensive fabric for the cheaper price because it would make the project look better? Does the butcher shop give a customer prime rib at the same price as hamburger because it would be nicer for your dinner party? Are you asking a longarmer to quilt your masterpiece for very little cost? Federal minimum wage is around $7.25 an hour for entry level unskilled positions with no experience (Walmart or McDonalds). Would you want someone with no skill working on your masterpiece that took hours to complete? King sized custom quilts can take 20 hours to more than 40 hours to complete. For example, 20 hours at the rate of $15 per hour amounts to $300 just in labor alone before figuring cost of the batting and thread used). Customized work tends to take 2-5 times longer than edge to edge. Stitch in the ditch is much more difficult on a longarm than a domestic sewing machine as it requires a ruler and slower stitching for accuracy. Custom quilting is not heirloom work, though heirloom quilting IS customized.

Longarm quilters are NOT unskilled. Our equipment can run from about $5000 for an entry level bare bones machine to over $30,000. Learning to use the machine can take a very long time to become comfortable doing simple quilting. Custom quilting takes a lot of expertise. Longarm quilters earn an average of one half of their charges as take-home pay, have overhead expenses, and are self-employed therefore are responsible for costs beyond quilting. (here are some examples: insurance, advertising, computers, internet, machine and website maintenance, utilities, self-employment tax rates of 15%)

Realize that if you desire a drop-dead show-stopping quilt and are unable to quilt it yourself, you need to be willing to pay for labor expenses and not expect the longarmer to donate time spent. When considering whether or not to shop locally remember that yes, you can send out a quilt to a longarmer in another area of the country for what may seem like a very reasonable price, but those cheaper prices usually reflect computerized quilting of an edge-to-edge pattern or pantograph. By sending out your quilt to a longarmer you do not know, you will not get the same personal touch or rapport as you would with a quilter who meets with you, knows you, and collaborates together with you to understand your preferences and get that personal touch.

"Scraptastic!" 80/20 Hobbs batt

Quilting by Leann McClain, pieced by Christina Reitz

Moda fabrics-Batt is Quilter's Dream Orient Blend

Circle Christmas Tree Skirt by Leann McClain

Custom quilting

3-D Prairie Points in center

Custom feathers, outline motifs, pebbles, lines, in the ditch

Custom quilted 52" x 52"

Star and Points Spinning on a Square

Want yours to look like this? Call for an estimate.

Custom quilting

3-D Prairie Points in center

Custom feathers, outlined motifs, pebbles, lines, in the ditch

Cost for the quilting only on a 52" x 52" (2704 sq. inches) like this

is $108.16 + cost for batting, thread, tax, shipping.

To make a similar quilt from scratch, call me for an estimate.

Center block

Star and Points Spinning on a Square

"Hero Star" is a Quilt of Valor was designed, constructed, and quilted by me and has been donated to the Quilts of Valor Foundation.

What a difference color makes. As you see here, "Hero Star" is a quilt designed with the same pattern as "Star and Points Spinning on a Square" as shown on this page. Since it is larger, at 60" x 84", the design appears quite different than the 52" x 52" quilt.

Close up on quilting of "Hero Star"

Quilt of Valor

Pictograms and feathers

Mormor Sewing Studio - Owned and operated by Leann McClain
Business Phone: (979)242-5097 If no answer, please leave a message!
107 Tomahawk Lane, La Grange, Texas 78945