QUILTING TIPS Articles 5 min read

Tips for Collaborating with a Longarm Quilter: Teresa Silva’s Expert Advice

tips for collaborating with a longarm quilter

We all know it can be a balancing act finding time to quilt in between work and family time. There are so many quilts to be made, and it often seems like there’s so little time to make them all! This is just one of many reasons why sending your quilt to a long arm quilter can be so helpful. If you find yourself wondering how to collaborate with a longarm quilter, expert Teresa Silva is here to share her wisdom on the subject. From exploring different quilting styles to preparing your quilt top, this article covers essential considerations.

Teresa Silva Shares Her Top Tips

How often do you finish a quilt and wonder, “How should I quilt this?” Your first option would be to quilt it for yourself on your domestic machine, but that is only sometimes the easiest or best choice when working with a larger quilt.

You might want more intricate designs than you could do on your domestic machine, and that’s a lot more manageable on a longarm machine. The next option is to hire a longarm quilter to finish your quilt. So, without further ado, here are 10 tips for collaborating with a longarm quilter!

I had so much fun custom quilting this one using the shapes as my guides and accenting them with ruler work. I finished it off with feathers on the outer border. This gorgeous quilt was English Paper Pieced by Nora Bauser. Pattern is La Passacaglia by Willyne Hammerstein.

Teresa Silva’s Top 10 Tips on Collaborating with a Longarm Quilter

1

Ask yourself, “What style am I looking for?” Modern, traditional, art quilting? Check out potential longarm quilters’ social media posts or websites to see their work. It’s never a good idea to bring a quilt to a quilter and tell them to quilt it exactly like someone else. For one thing, our quilting is like our handwriting, and it will look different.

tips for collaborating with a longarm quilter
This adorable little Cat Quilt was made by Janet Vandonge. Pattern is called Pins and Paws by Missouri Star Co. I quilted an edge‐to‐edge design called Love Always by Karlee Porter.

2

How should I prepare my top? Every longarm quilter has specific needs, so it’s always a good idea to ask. Typically, the backing should be straight on all sides and 3-4 inches larger than the top. A horizontal seam is generally best, making loading the backing straight (parallel to the roller bars) easier.

Quilt was made by Kathleen Richards. Wooly Stars Quilt pattern by Coriander Quilts. I had fun custom quilting the sheep with some swirls to resemble their fleece. It gave it such movement and really brought the sheep to life.

3

What kind of batting will be used? It would be best if you discussed what the quilt will be used for so that your longarm quilter can suggest some good options. Wool, bamboo, cotton, cotton/blend, polyester, et cetera.

tips for collaborating with a longarm quilter
This table runner was created with both custom quilting and the aid of computerized quilting for the center circles. The Circle design is by Sherry Rogers‐Harrison. I quilted a fun grid with rulers and filled it with custom feathers, paisleys, and ribbon candy.

4

How much will this cost me; is this quilt worth the investment? This may also help you decide if you should have it quilted with an edge-to-edge design versus custom quilting. Most quilters charge per square inch with different rates for custom and edge-to-edge.

I made this cute little love quilt Pattern is by (Sew Kind of Wonderful). I created a grid design in the background with a straight ruler to get the zigzag effect. Then I filled it in with freemotion quilting.

5

Do they quilt computerized or freehand with ruler work?

Do I want my quilt to look precise, or have some inconsistencies with some free-motion quilting made to fit my quilt? Free-motion quilting is done freehand without the aid of a computer. Some quilters custom quilt with the assistance of computerized designs. There is a difference, and you should know what you’re getting. I custom quilt all freehand.

Computerized custom work is preset designs stitched out digitally. They may only fit the inconsistencies of your piecing if you are a perfect piecer, but they can be adjusted very close.

Edge-to-edge designs are computerized designs that repeat over the entire quilt. This is the most cost-effective way to finish your quilt.

tips for collaborating with a longarm quilter
I love to create wholecloth quilts. I start by drawing the design out beforehand and then quilting it out on my longarm freehand. Lots of work but oh so satisfying!

6

How much creative freedom am I willing to give? Do you want to turn the creative freedom over to the quilter to make your quilt come alive, or do you want to help design? Make sure you pick a quilter that is comfortable quilting designs you have come up with. It’s easy to tell someone your ideas, but if they can’t draw it, it probably isn’t going to look the best quilted out. And it’s usually a good idea to pick your quilter by their style, look at their work, and see if that would fit nicely on your own quilt. When working on a customer quilt, I love to have the creative freedom to let the quilt speak to me as I work on it. My best designs usually come out when I’m not overthinking the quilting and just quilting from the heart. If a customer sets restrictions for the quilter, it’s hard to be creative.

I loved making this fun little log cabin variation quilt. I used all solid fabrics so my quilting would really show up. I used several different freemotion designs in each color. Pattern is by Lazy Cozy Quilts and is called Mod Cabin.

7

What is the current wait time? Most custom quilters will have a wait time, so that’s always a good thing to ask to ensure it fits your time frame. Custom work (versus edge-to-edge quilting) takes more time, so that needs to be scheduled out.

8

Does my longarm quilter do binding? Not all longarm quilters offer this service, so this is an essential question if you don’t want to bind it yourself.

tips for collaborating with a longarm quilter

9

What kind of thread do they use, and is there an extra charge for each bobbin? Is the thread included in the price of the quilting?

10

Thread color. Does your longarm quilter like the thread to blend to create texture or to show more like thread painting. That can be a big problem if a quilter uses red thread on a white quilt. It takes away from your piecing and makes the quilting more of the show instead of your quilt. I prefer to accent a customer quilt and bring out the best of it with nice quilting textures.

I love to doodle while I’m quilting. This lap size quilt was all freehand quilted making it up as I went along. I used two layers of batting, one layer of cotton and one layer of wool on the top, to give it a nice texture.

“For the best results, always look at a longarm quilter’s work and make sure you like their style.” 

– Teresa Silva, of Quilting is My Bliss

Final Thoughts

I’ve included some photos of my work for you to see different types of quilting. For example, I’m more of a modern quilter and love having large open areas (negative space) to create fun designs.

tips for collaborating with a longarm quilter
Teresa Silva

The most important of my tips for collaborating with a longarm quilter is to find someone who loves what they do and is passionate about finishing your quilts in the style you will love!

Want to Learn More?

Teresa’s work has been featured in books and magazines and is the author of the oh-sew helpful Longarm Quilting Workbook, which features basic skills, techniques, and motifs for modern longarm quilting.

Longarm Quilting Workbook by Teresa Silva

She lives in Yakima, Washington, with her husband. Teresa has two full-grown sons, two beautiful daughters-in-law and a beautiful granddaughter. We hope you’ve found these tips for collaborating with a longarm quilter helpful! Be sure to follow Teresa at quiltingismybliss.com, on Instagram, and on Facebook.

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