I'm Back!

Man, has it really been over a month since I posted?  Huh, guess it has.  I am so SORRY I have neglected this blog lately.  But, I have a really good reason!

First of all, for those of you who do not know already, I am pregnant.  Yes, we are really excited.  This is our second.  We have a boy, and are expecting a girl.  They will be 5 years apart.  I am perfectly fine with this.  I am not due until January, so (hopefully) I won't go into labor until after Christmas.

Whew!  Now that that is out of the way! hahaha

I have also been busy coordinating our first ever quilt retreat in conjunction with the Annual Salem Days Quilt Show.  Both took place earlier this month, and both were really fun to be involved with.  Sadly, this will be my last year coordinating the quilt show, as I don't foresee being able to do it with a 7 month old baby next summer.  I took lots of pictures at the retreat, and a few at the quilt show, so watch out for those posts to be up on this page....eventually :-)


Also, in case you haven't been here for a while, or this is your first visit to the blog, please note that there are more pages across the top of the blog.  Be sure to check them all out!  There are new payment options, hours of operation, Christmas pre-booking is going on, and there is a brand, spanking new FAQ page!

If you have downloaded the old order form, please take a moment to grab the new one from the link in the sidebar.  (or you can just go here).

Hopefully I'll have lots of more fun stuff throughout the coming months to post here, so please keep visiting!  Thank you for stopping by.  And remember, if you have any questions, you can always contact me! :-)

New Price List

Below is the new price list, effective March 1, 2009. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at designsbylaurajo@gmail.com.

Designs by Laura Jo
Price List for Quilting Services
Prices effective March 1, 2009 (prices subject to change)

Preparing the Quilt

Seam Backing Fabric:
$5.00 per seam for normal fabric
$10.00 per seam for minkee
$10.00 to match fabric design

Seam Batting:
$5.00 per hour to seam

Press quilt top and back, trim excessive loose threads:
$10.00 per hour

Square quilt top and/or quilt back:
$15.00

Batting (tax applies)

Cloud loft (polyester with loft of 1/2 – 5/8 inch):
Queen size (90x108) $15.99
Hobbs Heirloom 80/20 (cotton/poly blend):
Crib size (45x60) $9.99

Twin size (72x90) $14.99
Full size (81x96) $16.99

Queen size (90x108) $22.99
King size (120x120) $27.99
Off the roll (check for availability) $10.99 per yard, 120 in. wide

Off the roll (check for availability) $6.99 per yard, 96 in. wide
Hobbs Heirloom Wool:
Queen size (90x108) $39.99

Thread and Needle (tax applies)

Solid color: $3.00
Variegated color: $5.00
Needle: $1.00 any size (3.0-4.0)


Quilting

All-over (same design in each block) or edge-to-edge design (meander) $0.015/ sq. inch
Custom includes stitch in the ditch, ¼ in quilting, ruler work (i.e.: cross-hatching), and 1 border design $0.02/sq. inch
Interpretive includes heavy quilting, original designs, multiple borders, concentric circles $0.03/sq. inch

Additional borders (All-over and custom only) $10.00 per border
Turning quilt $10.00

Binding the Quilt

Prepare only: $0.04 per running inch
Prepare and attach: $0.075 per running inch
Complete binding: $0.15 per running inch
Curved binding: +$20.00 on top of normal cost

Additional Services

Shipping:
$15.00 priority mail USPS
Insurance starts at $8.00 for $500 worth of insurance

Rush:
1.5 times the quilting charge – see example below

Example:
Crib size quilt: 40x50= 2000 sq in
Batting: Hobbs Heirloom 80/20 crib size: $9.99 (+ tax)
Needle: $1.00 (+ tax)
Thread: Variegated at $5.00 (+ tax)
Quilting: Custom quilting at $0.02/sq in
Binding: 192 running inches at $0.15 = $28.80

Quilting total: $40.00
Rush charge: $20.00
Subtotal: $104.79 + tax

Custom Quilts

T-shirt quilts:
$14.00 per block
Includes: interfacing; fabric for sashing, backing (minkee/specialty fabric may be an additional charge), and binding; piecing and preparation of quilt top; all quilting services, including batting, quilting and binding.
Please allow 2-3 weeks for completion.

Commissioned quilts:
Prices vary depending on desired design
Labor starts at $10.00/hr to prepare quilt top/back (cutting, piecing, appliqué, etc.)
Does not include fabric, batting, or quilting charges.
Please allow 4-6 weeks for completion.

Quilting Questions

Why does my backing fabric need to be bigger than my quilt top? Can't it all be the same size?

No. In order to load the backing fabric onto the rollers, I need at least 3 inches extra at the top and bottom (total of 6 inches). While it is still quiltable if the quilt top is the same width as the backing fabric, it is preferable (and much easier to quilt) if the backing fabric is also 3 inches wider on each side (total of 6 inches).

The same general rule goes for the batting, only instead of 6 inches total, it needs to be at least 4 inches bigger.

Why is it more expensive for you to seam Minkee than regular fabric?

Minkee is a thicker, heavier material. It is also quite "slippery." It requires a double seam, and takes quite a long time to prepare for seaming. Regular fabric is generally cooperative and doesn't move much when pinned. It can be single or double seamed, and takes less than half the time required to seam the Minkee.

Why does the thread charge include a new needle?

The needle needs to be changed after every quilt. This is typically done to ensure that the needle is not over used. Also, some needles dull quickly, especially if going through thicker seams or heavier fabrics. As a general rule, I change the needle every time I change a quilt.

How do I figure out how much it will cost me to have my quilt done?

Here's an example of how to figure out your quilting cost.

1. Measure the quilt top. sample: 48x48
2. Multiply measurements. 48x48=2304 square inches.
3. Multiply the square inches by the cost of your desired quilting.
all-over $0.015 = $34.56
custom $0.02 = $46.08
interpretive $0.03 = $69.12
4. Add in any extra services. sample: all-over design plus 1 border: add $10.00 to all-over total. = $44.56
5. If you would like to purchase batting from me, figure it out this way:
48 + 4 extra inches = 52 inches.
Batting at $10.99/yard
52 inches/ 36 inches (1 yard) = 1.44444
1.44444 yards at $10.99 = $15.87
(NOTE: I usually round to the nearest 1/8, 1/4, or 1/3 yard, for ease of computing)
6. Add thread and needle charge of $4.00 (additional $2.00 if variegated)
7. If quilt is a rush order, take quilting total and times by 1.5
all-over (including add. border) = $66.84
custom = $69.12
interpretive = $103.68
8. If binding services are desired, here is how to figure out approximate total:
Measure quilt top. sample 48x48
Take perimeter (all 4 sides added together) sample: 48 x 4 sides= 192 inches
Add at least 1 inch per side sample: 192 + 4 = 196
Multiply total inches by $0.15 sample: 196 xd $0.15 = $29.40
9. If I am seaming a backing fabric, or batting, or doing any other service, add those in.
10. Add up all of your figures. For our sample we had a 48 x 48 quilt rushed using an all-over pattern with an additional border, batting, thread, needle, and 196 inches of binding. The batting, thread, and needle are all taxed at 6.45%.
subtotal: $116.11
tax: $1.28
total: approximately $117.39

Remember, I cut batting to the nearest fractional increment, and binding inches are an approximation.

If binding inches are an approximation when I figure it out, how do you know for sure how many inches you do?

When I make the binding, I measure how much I have made. Then I attach it to the quilt. Whatever is left over is subtracted from the initial amount. That leaves me with my total running inches.

example: made: 215 inches of binding
leftover: 31 inches of binding
total running inches: 184 inches

Winter Quilting Hours

Normal business hours will be changing from 9 AM - 5 PM to:

Monday thru Friday: 11 AM - 4:30 PM

I may be on site before 11, but because the building is usually too cold to turn the machine on until 11, I will not be starting quilting before then. Also, I may occassionally be on site until 5 PM, but most days will be leaving at 4:30 so as to avoid driving home in the dark.

Saturday: I will be on site most Saturdays, but am using my shortened day as an office day. If you would like to have me do a quilting consultation, or drop off a quilt, I will usually be available, but I will not be quilting most Saturdays (after Christmas. Before Christmas I will be quilting Saturdays).

Regular hours will resume once the weather warms up, around April.

HOLIDAY HOURS:
December 24th: 11 AM - 2 PM
December 25th: closed
December 26th: closed
December 27th: closed
December 28th: closed
December 29th: regular winter hours
December 31st: 11 AM - 2 PM
January 1st: closed
January 2nd: regular winter hours

Please feel free to call me or email me if you have any questions about my hours, pricing, or anything else!

Lines and Feathers

After a week of intense quilting, I have finally finished this beautiful quilt by my client "Joy". She wanted it quilted similarly to the quilt pictured on the pattern she used. The quilt pictured had diaganoal lines across the quilt 1/8 in apart with a very intricate feather pattern (they called it angel wings) in between the lines.
I did the lines 1/4 in apart, with a similar feather pattern, although not exactly the same.

I quilted the lines clear out to the edge of the quilt so that no matter where she puts the binding it will look like they go right into it. This actually made it quite easy for me, since I did the lines first, because I didn't need to use any pins once the lines were completed.

This is the back of the quilt. I think this is my favorite view.

The fabrics she used were so beautiful, too. She wanted an off-white, pearl color. The thread I used is called "eggshell" and it matched beautifully on the front and the back of the quilt.

Notice that the feathering pattern alternates direction every section. I did one direction all the way from bottom to top, then took the quilt off, repinned it, and quilted the other direction.

Q&A about this quilt:

Q: How did you get the lines so straight?

A: I have a tool called a Gam-guide, made for Gammill machines. That is how I did the center line on all of the sets of lines. Then, I used my normal 6 1/2 x 24 1/2 in Omnigrip ruler to add in the rest.

Q: You said you didn't need any pins. What does that mean?

A: I generally float the batting and quilt top on top of the backing, which is pinned at the top and bottom to my canvas leaders. By quilting all the way to the edge of the quilt top, I didn't need any pins, as the stitching across the top had already secured it to the batting and the backing fabric.

Q: What do you mean when you say you worked from the bottom up? Is that normal?

A: Usually you would start quilting at the top, and work your way down a section at a time. With this quilt, to make sure that the feather design flowed well and was spaced correctly, I started at the bottom and worked my way to the top.

Q: Why did you have to take the quilt off and turn it around?

A: In order to get a more uniform pattern, it was better to take the quilt off and repin it so that I could again start from the bottom and go up. The end result is the same as if I had left it on, but started at the top and worked my way down, doing the feather pattern backwards and upside down, only with better results.

Have another question about this quilt? Feel free to leave it in the comments, or contact me by email: designsbylaurajo@gmail.com

Welcome to Designs by Laura Jo!!

Welcome to Designs by Laura Jo. I'm sure there are a few things you might be wondering. Like, Who am I? What type of equipment do I use? How much do I charge for my services? Well, I hope to be able to answer these questions and more.

Who is Designs by Laura Jo?

I am the mother of an adorable little boy, aged 2. I have been sewing and piecing quilts for over 4 years. I have been machine quilting for 2 years. Recently I have begun designing my own quilts, several of which are currently for sale in my Etsy shop. I love to sew and quilt, and I know how hard it can be at times. I know how frustrating it is to have something not work out exactly as I would have liked. That is why I want to do everything I can to help you complete your quilts.

What kind of equipment do you use?

I own two sewing machines. My first sewing machine I was given several years ago when I began sewing is a Janome Harmony. It helped me complete many projects, and was a great starter machine. I recently purchased a Singer HD110, professional grade sewing machine.

I also own a Gammill Classic Plus longarm quilting machine. I have been quilting on the Gammill for about 2 years now.

What do you charge for your services?

I have listed my prices and fees in the sidebar to the left. If you have any questions, please let me know.

Where do you do your quilting?

I currently work out of a local boutique and floral. I have my own little area at the back of the shop. Our shop has several little shop puppies, but they are not allowed in or near my quilting area. Our shop hours are:

M-F 10 AM - 5 PM Mountain time
Sat 10 AM- 2 PM Mountain time

I don't always work out of the shop. Sometimes I work out of my home, finishing quilts to sell in my Esty shop, or seaming quilt backings or binding quilts for clients. My home is pet and smoke free.

Do you have samples of your work?

Samples are coming soon! Please check back later for updates!


If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact me. Thanks for stopping by!