How to estimate longarm quilting costs
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For a quote priced per square inch, multiply your quilt top’s width by its length, then multiply that area by the quilting rate. Ask the quilter how minimum charges and extra services affect the final bill.
Calculate the quilting part
For a 60 by 80 inch quilt, the area is 4,800 square inches. At a quoted rate of $0.025 per square inch, the quilting part would be $120:
60 × 80 × $0.025 = $120
That calculation is not a complete quote. It excludes any separate charge for batting, backing preparation, binding, tax or delivery.
Read the shop’s rate categories
Stitch Spot in Colorado Springs lists basic edge-to-edge quilting at $0.018 per square inch, standard at $0.025 and dense work at $0.035, with a $30 minimum. Custom work is quoted separately. These are one provider’s published rates, checked October 12, 2026.
Firestine Studio in Tucson lists quilting from $0.03 per square inch and says design and complexity affect pricing. Its starting rate is not a national benchmark.
Compare the same finish when requesting quotes. Tell each quilter whether you want a repeating edge-to-edge pattern or custom work in particular areas.
Ask about the rest of the bill
Before agreeing, confirm:
- Whether you supply the backing and batting or buy them from the quilter.
- Whether backing preparation or seams cost extra.
- Whether binding is included, machine finished or hand finished.
- The minimum charge and any tax or delivery charges.
- The current queue, your deadline and how changes are approved.
Write those items beside the quilting rate. A lower area rate can still produce a higher total if the quote includes different extras.
Get preparation instructions first
Ask the quilter for its required backing and batting size, pressing instructions and intake form before cutting materials or sending the quilt. We do not give a universal extra-border measurement because the quilter needs to confirm its own setup.
See Stitch Spot’s profile and Firestine’s profile for the listed details. Compare finishing options in Colorado Springs, Tucson and Albuquerque. For fabric and classes, use our quilt shop checklist.