How Sandy Kuhl Built a Thriving Longarm Quilting Business in Missouri

From Family Quilts to a Full-Time Business

Sandy Kuhl’s journey to starting a longarm quilting business began with a simple family project. Her daughter wanted a t-shirt quilt for high school graduation, and Sandy, who had sewn since childhood, took on the challenge. “I made it too big that I couldn’t quilt it on my domestic machine like I thought. And so I hired someone out to do that, but that kind of got the bug of me going and making those for friends of my kids,” she recalls.3:33

As demand grew, Sandy found herself overwhelmed by the physical strain and time commitment of quilting on a domestic machine. “It took way too long, hurt my shoulders holding that heavy quilt. And told my husband, I said, I really need a long arm or I’m going to have to give up what I love to do”.4:00 With her husband’s support, she began researching longarm machines, determined to find equipment that would last and support a growing business. “Doing what I was planning to do is to start a business with these t-shirt quilts. I felt I needed something that was going to last and hold up and, you know, stand the test of time”.4:44

Sandy’s business started small, with craft shows and word-of-mouth referrals. She remembers, “the first year I got a couple of quilts, the second year I did it, I got a couple more and then people held on to my business card and made business cards and, you know, from there and it just grew word of mouth”.7:10 Even when craft shows paused during COVID, her business continued to grow thanks to the reputation she had built.

Choosing Equipment for Growth and Comfort

Sandy’s first longarm was a used Gammill Classic with a 26-inch throat and a 14-foot table, chosen for its durability and industrial build.8:55 She emphasizes that getting a longarm was a “game changer” for both productivity and physical well-being: “It just took the pressures off my shoulders and my back and it was great”.8:46

Initially, Sandy hand-guided all her quilting, using pantographs and a laser light for decorative work. As her business grew, she upgraded to models with more features, eventually moving to a computerized Gammill Ascend in 2022. The decision to upgrade was not immediate: “I always had this…thing of, I wanted to say the quilt was all done by me. I wanted to have my hand in that stitching…But I might be able to multitask. I might be able to back a t-shirt quilt while that’s quilting”.10:28

The computerized machine doubled her output and freed up her time. “Since I’ve had the Ascend, I have probably doubled, maybe a little more than double what I was doing without it”.14:39 Sandy also keeps a second machine at her daughter’s house so she can sew while watching her grandson.17:15

Workflow and Capacity: How Sandy Gets It Done

Sandy typically quilts 15–20 hours per week, with her busiest times around graduation and the holidays. “I can quilt three to four times a week all day, two to three quilts a day… once it comes October people are starting Christmas and it can really pick up”.28:17 Last year, she quilted 168 quilts—her highest volume yet.34:15

Most of her work (about 90%) is edge-to-edge quilting, but she is gradually taking on more custom work as her confidence grows: “I’m practicing and doing and I have done some for people probably friends that are like it’s okay do whatever you want…I want to make sure that that’s to the quality I’m comfortable with to be paid for and to send out”.29:02

Sandy’s workflow is highly efficient thanks to her computerized machine. She can multitask—prepping another quilt, handling customer communication, or even starting dinner—while the machine is running. “If you make quilts either for yourself or for business it’s a game changer in time it really is”.26:58

Turnaround time is a key differentiator for Sandy: “If you can turn those around in two to three weeks you have happy customers”.46:00 This reliability, combined with her willingness to meet customers at convenient locations, helps her stand out.

Pricing: Charging What You’re Worth

Sandy charges by the square inch for edge-to-edge quilting, with queen-size quilts typically running $200–$230 for quilting alone, plus batting if the customer doesn’t provide their own.33:44 She is candid about the temptation to undercharge, especially when quilting is also a passion: “If you’re undercutting yourself you’re hurting the business and I’ve learned that through the years so I do my best not to do that”.30:56

For custom quilting, Sandy is considering an hourly rate to better reflect the time involved: “I’m toying with doing by the hour…it’s a lot more time involved”.30:09 She’s learned that customers who initially balk at her prices often become loyal clients after considering the value of her service and the convenience she offers. “I have not got anybody that said no that’s okay I’ll keep driving you know an hour hour and a half and every one of them got every one of them and they’re good repeat customers”.32:04

Sandy also offers batting for sale and will piece backings or do binding for customers who need it, adding value and convenience.35:55

Finding and Keeping Customers Without Advertising

Sandy’s business has grown almost entirely through word-of-mouth, repeat customers, and her visibility on Google search. “I don’t advertise. It’s word-of-mouth. I have a Facebook page, I have an Instagram, but I don’t post to it honestly—I just don’t have time… it’s the Google search and repeat customers”.22:22

She does not distribute business cards in quilt shops or participate in guilds yet, but plans to do so when her grandchildren are older. For now, her reputation and quick turnaround keep her schedule full. “I’ve not had any issues of growing it or getting customers at all”.22:29

Sandy also makes drop-offs and pickups easy for customers by meeting them at convenient locations, like Panera, especially for those who live farther away. “I will meet my customers there…it’s quick, it’s fast, it’s convenient, they’re right off the highway and I think that has helped a lot too”.47:12 About a third of her customers use this option, which she feels sets her apart.

Balancing Business and Life

Flexibility is one of Sandy’s favorite aspects of running her own quilting business. “It gives me the chance to work when I want to work… if I want to go out to lunch with my girlfriends I can, and then know that maybe I’m going to work after dinner that night”.43:38

She is able to watch her grandson, travel, and still keep her business running smoothly. Sandy credits her husband Doug as her biggest supporter, especially in machine maintenance and encouragement: “Doug has been the number one person who’s encouraged me…he helps just he loves to come down and you know oil the machine and clean it and he…helps me take the quilts off…he’s just very helpful and supportive and it’s great”.42:52

Financially, the business has provided extra income for home improvements and family needs: “It definitely has helped you know to where we’re not you know having to use credit cards and loans and things like that so it really has just given just that little extra that’s nice to have”.44:48

Lessons Learned and Advice for New Longarmers

Looking back, Sandy wishes she had upgraded to a computerized machine sooner and encourages others not to wait: “Don’t be afraid… upgrade as soon as you can… I wish we would have taken a loan out for it because we would have paid for this machine way sooner than I would have ever thought”.45:19

She also stresses the importance of quick turnaround, maintaining quality, and not undervaluing your work. “If you’re doing a good job and you have a good turnaround time I think that’s important…if you can turn those around in two to three weeks you have happy customers”.46:00

Sandy’s experience with market saturation is reassuring: “I have not had any issues of growing it or getting customers at all”.22:29 She believes that as long as you provide good service and keep your promises, there is room to succeed.

The Future: Room for New Quilting Businesses

Sandy believes there is still plenty of opportunity for others considering starting a longarm quilting business. She notes that many established longarmers are retiring, creating openings for new entrants, and that younger generations are also becoming interested in quilting. “This past December when I received so many new customers because their long armor was retiring or no longer doing this basically retiring I guess and it was just like wow”.48:22

She encourages others to start if they are passionate about quilting: “If you love doing this, if you want to make this a business, I encourage you to jump in… don’t wait”.50:29 Sandy’s story demonstrates that with dedication, quality work, and a willingness to adapt, it’s possible to build a thriving business even in a changing industry.