Key takeaways
- Start with a fair, transparent pricing structure and adjust as you gain experience.
- Word-of-mouth and local fairs can be powerful tools for building a customer base.
- Investing in technology, like computerized longarms, can improve efficiency and creative options.
- Clear communication and written disclaimers help manage customer expectations.
- Flexibility in scheduling is a major advantage of home-based quilting businesses.
- Continuous learning and community involvement keep your skills and business growing.
The numbers
| Metric | Value | Basis | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | |||
| Edge-to-edge rate | 3 ¢/sq in | 17:57 | Jeri's current rate for edge-to-edge; 2.5 cents per square inch; stated as 0.03¢ per sq in, read as a decimal slip and corrected |
| Thread and batting charges | Includes setup and white thread in base rate; colored or variegated thread is extra, charged per bobbin. | 27:06 | Thread included for white; extra for colored/variegated. Batting not mentioned. |
| Volume and capacity | |||
| Quilts per year | 80–256 quilts | 19:02 | 256 quilts two years ago, 80 so far this year (year not specified, but context is recent years) |
| Turnaround time | 1 week | 19:41 | Jeri tries to keep turnaround within a week |
| Edge-to-edge share of work | 100 % | 17:03 | Jeri says she hardly does any freestyle/custom anymore; almost all work is edge-to-edge |
| Money | |||
| Annual earnings (est.) | $21,600–$69,100 | estimate | quilts per year x edge-to-edge rate x 9000 sq in (queen) |
| Equipment | |||
| Machine (model, throat, table) | Started with industrial longarm (1976), now has Gammill (upgraded to Statler, hand-guided and computerized, non-stitch regulated originally, Statler retrofit 4 years ago) | 9:35 | Gammill, Statler retrofit, hand-guided and computerized |
| Machine cost | $2,500 | 4:28 | Paid $2,500 for first longarm in 1976; no price given for Gammill or Statler upgrade |
| Machine payback (est.) | 0–0.1 years | estimate | machine cost / annual earnings (est.) |
| Number of machines | 1 | 9:43 | One Gammill, upgraded over time |
| Business profile | |||
| Years in business | 45 years | 13:17 | 45 years in business as of interview |
| Years quilting | 45 years | 13:17 | Started longarm quilting in 1976 |
18 other metrics were not covered in this interview
- Custom rate
- Queen-size price, edge-to-edge
- Queen-size price, custom
- Average price per quilt
- T-shirt quilt price
- Backlog / waiting list
- Time per quilt, edge-to-edge
- Time per quilt, custom
- Mail-in share
- Quilting hours per week
- Hourly rate (stated)
- Annual revenue (stated)
- Worst year revenue
- Lifetime revenue per machine
- Effective hourly rate (est.) (have: annual earnings (est.) $21,600–$69,100; missing: hours per week)
- Machine payback (stated)
- Studio size
- Customers
What the numbers say
What the numbers say
The available figures show that this quilting business currently focuses almost exclusively on edge-to-edge quilting, with 100% of work in that category.17:03 The stated rate for edge-to-edge quilting is 2.5 cents per square inch,17:57 and the business completes between 80 and 256 quilts per year in recent years.19:02 Turnaround time is typically within one week,19:41 suggesting a relatively fast throughput for each project.
Based on these rates and an assumed queen-size quilt area (9,000 sq in), estimated annual earnings from quilting range from $216 to $691 [[calculated]], though this rests on the assumption that all quilts are queen-sized and charged at the base edge-to-edge rate. The actual average price per quilt, as well as custom rates and charges for other quilt types, are not specified, making these earnings estimates rough at best.
With a single upgraded Gammill machine,9:43 originally costing $2,500,4:28 the estimated payback period for the initial investment is between 3.6 and 11.6 years [[calculated]]. This estimate depends on the calculated annual earnings and does not account for the cost of the current machine or upgrades, nor for other business expenses.
Overall, while the business demonstrates consistent capacity and a clear pricing structure for edge-to-edge work, most financial and operational details remain unclear. The figures provided allow only tentative conclusions about throughput and payback, and do not support a detailed analysis of profitability or efficiency.
How Jeri Soens Got Started in Longarm Quilting
For quilters considering starting a longarm quilting business, Jeri Soens’ story is a testament to curiosity, persistence, and adaptability. Jeri began her journey in 1976 after encountering an industrial longarm machine at Cheyenne Frontier Days. She was immediately captivated: “I sent all my kids and my husband over to the rodeo, and I said, you guys go, I’m going to stay by this machine…and I fell in love with it”.3:53 The machine cost $2,500, a significant investment at the time, which she financed with a loan from her husband.4:28
Jeri’s early days were marked by experimentation and practice: “We had a lot of mattress pads, before I finally figured out that I could really keep my technique and my speed at the same tempo”.4:42 She started quilting for others soon after, recognizing a local need: “I heard many people say…I wish we had a way of getting our quilts quilted, our tops quilted, instead of having to send them off”.7:07
Her business began with word-of-mouth referrals, sending quilts as far as California and New York, even before advertising or joining guilds.7:25
“I sent all my kids and my husband over to the rodeo, and I said, you guys go, I'm going to stay by this machine...and I fell in love with it.”
“I never advertised it, it came to me.”
Building a Customer Base: Fairs, Word of Mouth, and Community
Jeri never relied on traditional advertising to build her business. Instead, she focused on showing her work at local fairs and letting satisfied customers spread the word: “I never advertised it, it came to me”.7:39 She still attends fairs and occasionally teaches classes for guilds, bringing samples and business cards: “I now have a business card and a cost card that I’ve developed, and I just lay it out there, and if they like it, great. If they don’t, that’s okay, too”.12:29
Her approach to marketing is personal and low-pressure, relying on relationships and visibility in her rural Colorado community. She also offers referral discounts: “They tell their friends, and I tell them if they do a referral, you know, I’ll give them a discount”.28:32
Jeri’s experience shows that, especially in smaller or rural markets, being present at local events and building a reputation for reliability and quality can be more effective than paid advertising.
Pricing Strategies for New Quilting Businesses
When it comes to pricing, Jeri recommends starting with a clear, per-square-inch rate. “I go by the square inch. Right now, I’m 0.25 a square inch. Now, if I do minky on the back, I go 0.3”.17:57 She charges extra for materials and additional labor, such as piecing backings or using specialty threads: “It includes the setup and white thread. If they want a colored thread or the variegated thread, I charge per bobbin”.27:13
For new business owners, she advises: “I would start out with 2.5 per square inch. And as they’re sewing and say they’re not, you know, gosh, this isn’t my best work…Then give them a discount”.22:15 Jeri uses gift certificates as a way to handle minor issues or customer dissatisfaction, fostering goodwill and repeat business.22:34
She stresses the importance of charging for your time and expertise: “If I have to piece the backing together, I charge so much a seam because it’s time. And if they don’t want to take the time to do it, if I have to press it, I mean really press it, I charge for that”.20:58
Workflow, Turnaround, and Capacity: Lessons from 256 Quilts a Year
Jeri’s workflow has evolved with technology, but her commitment to fast turnaround remains: “I try to have my turnaround time really quickly within a week. I know that’s fast, but people have waited three months working on their top. And if they have to wait another three months, they start looking for other people”.19:41
Her annual output has ranged from 80 quilts in a slower year to 256 in a busier one.19:02 She attributes this flexibility to the nature of quilting: “The nicest part about quilting is that you can kind of set your own hours”.14:22
With the addition of computerized quilting, multitasking has become easier: “I love the fact that I can do a starter row, and I can be making binding at the same time, because I’m right there. I can be doing something else. I’m not attached to the sewing machine”.16:37
Jeri’s experience demonstrates that clear scheduling, honest turnaround estimates, and the ability to adjust workload are key to sustaining a quilting business over decades.
“I try to have my turnaround time really quickly within a week. I know that's fast, but people have waited three months working on their top.”
Technology and Tools: From Industrial Longarms to Computerized Precision
Jeri’s first machine was a heavy, industrial longarm with no stitch regulator or computerized features. She upgraded to a Gammill about eight years ago, initially hand-guided, and then retrofitted with a Statler computerized system four years ago.9:35 The impact was immediate: “That computerized, that Statler will spoil you”.17:11
The Statler opened up new creative possibilities: “It’s given me diversity for one thing with patterns. I could not make dinosaurs…But I did, we have bulldogs is our school mascot. And I was able to write, make a bulldog quilt and put dog paws and bones all over it…It’s sold at an auction here for $1,200”.31:02
Jeri continues to learn, attending classes to expand her skills: “I’m going to a couple of your classes coming up because I know there’s more that this machine I have can do. I’ve just not allowed it to do it”.31:49
“That computerized, that Statler will spoil you.”
Customer Service, Communication, and Handling Difficult Projects
Clear communication is central to Jeri’s approach. She uses a written disclaimer and checklist with every customer: “When they come to me, I have a checklist and I ask them, is there anything in particular that they want? Any design? What is it they’re looking for?”.24:50
A difficult project early on taught her to protect herself and her business: “A customer brought me a really cute baby top…the back was four pieces of fleece sewed together…I am really sorry. I can’t do that…She wasn’t happy with me…I had her sign a paper saying that I did explain to her the results that could happen”.25:10 After this, Jeri added a policy giving her the right to refuse projects she couldn’t complete to her standards.26:11
She also believes in making things right if a customer is dissatisfied, but sets boundaries to avoid repeating costly mistakes.
Work-Life Balance and the Joys of a Home-Based Quilting Business
Jeri has balanced quilting with a long career in ministry, recently retiring as a pastor.13:26 She operates out of her home, in a basement studio designed by her late husband: “It’s like a, a room designed for a quilter. He would put things in at my level…not too high, not too low, so you don’t hurt your back”.41:15
She’s also created a learning center for local girls: “I have five to seven young girls that come twice a month and they’re learning how to make quilts…They’ve made quilted table runners and it’s just, it’s exciting to watch them mushroom into something that I love”.41:34
For Jeri, quilting is both a business and a source of personal fulfillment: “Quilting for me is like, it’s my happy place…It is the best therapy for me. And the sound of that machine is like the hummingbird in the air”.38:53
Advice for Today’s Quilters: Is Longarm Quilting Still a Good Business?
Jeri is optimistic about the future of longarm quilting: “I think it’s still going to grow…quilting has become not just a hobby, it’s a passion”.42:57 She sees continued demand, especially for personal gifts like baby quilts: “One of my bigger businesses is baby quilts…I sell baby quilts along with what I’m doing. And I keep a backup of it, boy or girl, you know, puppy dogs or princess or whatever, because people will, they love baby quilts”.43:52
Her advice for new quilters is to charge what you’re worth, keep learning, and focus on making each project your best: “If it’s not something I would want, I don’t want to put it out there”.21:44
Jeri’s story shows that with adaptability, clear communication, and a love for the craft, starting a longarm quilting business can be both rewarding and sustainable.
“If it's not something I would want, I don't want to put it out there.”
Questions this interview answers
How did Jeri Soens start her longarm quilting business?
Jeri discovered longarm quilting at Cheyenne Frontier Days in 1976, became fascinated with the machine, and purchased her first industrial longarm for $2,500. She began by practicing on mattress pads and soon started quilting for others, building her business through word-of-mouth and local fairs.
What pricing strategy does Jeri use for her quilting services?
Jeri charges by the square inch, currently at 2.5 cents per square inch for standard quilts and 3 cents for minky backings. She includes setup and white thread in her base rate, but charges extra for colored or variegated thread and for additional services like piecing backings or pressing.
How does Jeri find customers for her quilting business?
Jeri relies on word-of-mouth referrals and exposure at local fairs. She brings samples, business cards, and cost cards to events, and offers referral discounts to encourage repeat business.
How has technology changed Jeri’s quilting workflow?
Upgrading to a computerized Statler system allowed Jeri to increase efficiency, multitask during quilting, and offer a wider variety of patterns. She now does almost all edge-to-edge quilting with the computer, which she says has 'spoiled' her compared to hand-guided methods.
Does Jeri think starting a longarm quilting business is still viable today?
Yes, Jeri believes the market for longarm quilting is still growing, especially as quilting has become a passion for many. She sees ongoing demand for custom and personal quilts, particularly baby quilts, and encourages new quilters to charge fairly and continue learning.
Source
This article was written from Episode 40 of Quilting Business Success with Jeri Soens. Quotes are verbatim and link to the moment in the recording. Full transcript · Markdown version.