ManiacQuilter2

It really doesn't matter if you are a LAQ or one like me who did quilt using my Bernina 1530. I charged $8.00 hr + thread and it was difficult to be competitive with the starting of the boom of longarms. I became disable in 2002. You are not going to make a pile of money, your body will begin aching in places you never thought would ache. And you WILL NOT have any time to work on your own projects. Sorry, not a very pretty picture..... :-)

ScubaK

I charge by the square inch and it's not fancy quilting. Most think my prices are too high and I charge for the batting if I have to supply it. One lady I did a couple of quilts for and I even went to her retirement home to pick them up and drop off.
At the end of both quilts, I did not even make the states minimum wage per hour.
Kirsten

crashnquilt

This can be a very touchy subject. I would like to throw my hat into the ring as well. Personally I do think it is quite fair to be compared with nail techs, massage therapist, and hair stylists. Granted, longarmers do not pay for a "longarm license" but we do have to pay for our education. I saw that someone said tuition for stylist is about $20K. Longarm machine pricing goes from about $8K up to $30K range or higher. Most longarm quilters seek out classes and education for the art either online or in person. I have taken many classes myself. The prices range from $25 up to and including $300.
If a longarmer has a computerized machine then there is the added expense of learning to program designs. Most of those machines use some type of CAD software. This is the same software used by engineers. So, a longarmer becomes an engineer without the degree. The computerized system for a longarm can range from $2500 to $15K.
Plus we have to factor in to the economy in our area as to what price we can charge. And you have to factor in the "well he/she is working from home" attitude. Just because I don't leave my house for work doesn't mean I don't work.
BTW, I am also a retired hair stylist. So I do know that of which I speak. Pay scale from hair styling was a whole lot greater than what I make running a longarm

Cindy60545

I can't resist putting in a comment. I do quilt for others from time to time, & charge by the square inch. As a business, I don't do pantos, but semi custom & custom work. My customers know that I turn their quilts out as quickly as I can & don't overschedule myself. Yes, it does take time to decide on design, which the customer & I agree upon, but I load with my red snappers & float both my batting & top. Yes, it takes awhile to go through & stabilize the quilt & then go back & do the design, but worth it in the end. The more complex the quilting, the more I charge. There are a lot of longarmers for hire in my area, but most do pantos or just a simple stipple. There is only one other longarmer doing custom here. Her prices are much higher than mine & she is always backlogged. I wouldn't compare my services to a hairstylist, manicurist or masseuse. I think they are in a different class. As said earlier, I think we're more artistic in nature.

LITTLEOLDME

Don't want to sound uninformed but what are leader grips? I hate the pining part .

JustAbitCrazy

Leadrgrips are used instead of pinning, for both the quilt top and backing. A round rod is inserted into the hem on the leaders, and the fabric held overtop the rod with plastic pieces which snap overtop. There is a website for Leadergrips, and the inventor's name is Regina. Great stuff!

Geri B

...she mentioned...........and she also does presentations for $$$$$, and maybe has a publication or two, or sells templates?.....

Generally........depending on the area you live in will determine your charges.....even if after awhile you build up a good reputation one cannot get "rich" doing l/a for others.....even if you almost end up " living" in your studio....your body will revolt. However now with those who own computerized set ups the bodily stress might be lessened.
BTW I have a bin full of my own pieced things....this years resolution-----between each client I put up one of my own! Come to think of it I think I said the same thing last year! These are just my personal observations, not meant to discourage/disparage anyone

dc989

There is only one long armer in our area who works consistently. She has gotten quite expensive for custom work, but is fairly reasonable on edge-to-edge. When you go to shows in this area many of the quilts are her work. I think she does a very good job, but can be a little slow at times esp near local shows when she's got so many quilts to do. There is another gal I've used several times who does all free hand work. She does not have a computerized machine. She is very good, but doesn't get much business because of her personal issues. They could both do very well and it would cut down on turn around time if both worked. They both charge by the inch and sell batting too. I always buy my batting from them because it is cheaper and then they use a brand they prefer. All that to say I have a longarm machine and considered working at it part time, but changed my mind. I didn't think the return esp $$$ was worth the stress.

oldtnquiltinglady

I, too, like dc989 above, own a LA and when I first got it gave some thought to quilting for outsiders--but got thoroughly disgusted with the attitudes of the ones who wanted their quilts tomorrow (as compared to next week) when they would bring them in. Sometimes I want to go out to my sewing room, and sometimes I don't. And my son does my quilting, so I have to run him down if someone brings me a quilt to be done, then both of us go out there to quilt. When he is quilting, I am usually piecing--I don't like to go out there to work by myself. And no one ever wanted to pay even the $50 which is my normal fee--just spending money for me, not by any means a means of making a living at it. We have had issues with our tension, the wheels had to be replaced on my frame, and my table takes up about half of my huge sewing room. Just sayin' ladies and gents.

Pagzz

I thought I would like to do quilting for others and set up a business, but it was hard to get customers. I know of two long arm groups that meet once a month in my area and I went to a couple meetings. they were friendly and supportive but there were 15 - 20 women in each meeting.

I quilted our guild's raffle quilt in 2010 and got many compliments. The ladies selling tickets at other guilds and quilt shops had my business card to hand out. I never got any calls. I did get two cards from other longarmers complimenting me on my quilting.

The last quilt I did for someone else was a beautiful applique and I stitched in the ditch around all the applique. She didn't want me to do any feathers on the quilt even though she came to me because she liked the feathers I did on another quilt. She didn't want any of my suggested fillers behind the applique though I showed and suggested mctavishing etc. She finally settled on micro stippling which took me a long time to complete. She is, I think, pleased with the quilting but I found it very stressful as she had worked for two years on her masterpiece and she was very particular about how she didn't want it done than how she wanted it. ie "no feathers, no hearts, no mctavishing, must be very organic, must use a different thread for top and bobbin etc" She is a lovely woman but she had poured her heart into this quilt. I also know she took her more everyday quilts to someone else but she brought me this special one. I just felt like it was too much pressure.

I decided that I don't want to quilt for money and closed my business.