Longarm Quilting Cost Guide: What to Expect

If you piece your own tops but send them out to be quilted, the price range you'll see quoted is wide - and for good reason, since "longarm quilting" covers everything from a simple repeating pattern stitched edge to edge in an afternoon to a fully custom design built around your specific fabric. Most shops price by the square inch of the finished quilt (width times length), plus a handful of add-on fees.

Typical pricing by service level

These are general ranges seen across US longarm shops - always confirm the specific shop's current rate sheet, since it varies by region and by machine (computerized vs. hand-guided).

• Edge-to-edge (E2E) - a single repeating pattern stitched across the whole quilt: roughly $0.015-$0.035 per square inch, with about $0.02/sq in being the most common rate.
• Semi-custom - different patterns in the borders vs. the body, some custom shaping: roughly $0.05-$0.10 per square inch.
• Full custom - unique motifs stitched to match your specific fabric and blocks: roughly $0.10-$0.25+ per square inch.

What else gets added on top

Beyond the per-square-inch rate, plan for a minimum charge per quilt (often $25-$50, so a small crib quilt won't necessarily be cheap just because it's small), a batting fee if you don't supply your own (roughly $30-$60 depending on size and fiber type - see our batting guide for which type to pick), and a surcharge if you need an unusual thread color mixed or ordered specially. As a rough anchor: a 60"x80" throw quilted edge-to-edge at $0.02/sq in works out to about $96 before batting, thread, or binding.

How to prep your top before drop-off

The single biggest thing that slows down a longarm job (and can trigger extra charges) is a top that isn't actually square. Press seams flat, trim stray threads, and check that opposite edges of the top measure the same length - a longarm frame can't fix a top that's an inch wider at one end than the other, it can only stitch through the problem. Most shops also want backing fabric at least 4-8 inches larger than the top on all sides so it can be loaded onto the frame with margin to spare; ask the specific shop's requirement before you cut your backing, since it varies by machine.