Frequently Asked Questions

Just the FAQs!

Do you make vestments?

No, we do not make vestments for full-grown men or acolytes (altar servers). We do make dress ups for little boys still aspiring to be altar servers, and we have a kit available that makes a set of vestments that measures about 12" tall for use in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd curriculum.

Do you make altar cloths for churches?

We do not carry the heavy duty liturgical fabrics typically used for altar cloths, vestments, and other cloths used in the church. If you are looking for a lighter material that can be washed, we can talk to you about a custom order of fabric or a finished cloth. Please contact us using our contact form.

Do you sell finished Catechesis of the Good Shepherd materials?

No, the Antiochian Archdiocese Formation Leader for Orthodox CGS has asked that we do not sell fully finished materials. It is our understanding that finishing the materials is part of the formation of the catechist and so we honor that while also providing a kit that accounts for all sewing skill levels. Each of our kits comes with the hardest parts already completed, and includes detailed instructions with photos.

Will you have things back in stock soon?

If you see something you like that we have sold out, signing up for a back in stock alert and/or reaching out to us to ask about a restock is the best way to get it back in stock quickly. Any listing that says "Sold Out" has a button on the listing that says "Notify me when available" and asks for your email address. We do not sell or use your email for any other purpose!

Longarm FAQs

Do I need to piece my backing?

We can do the geometry puzzle and piece the backing for you for just $10! If you piece the backing yourself, please make the seams horizontal. This makes the overall quilting a more seamless process (pun intended) than using a vertical seam because of the way the tension translates across the take-up bar.

How large of a quilt can you longarm?

We can load any size quilt up to a California King! If your quilt top is 112" wide then the backing needs to be 120" wide, and that will fit on our 13' wide longarm table. (Length does not matter.)

How small of a quilt can you longarm?

We can load any size quilt, even something very tiny...although you might as well quilt it on your domestic! The backing minimum size is 9" x 9", because we need the backing to be 4" larger than the top on each side, so that would assume a quilt of 1" x 1". We do charge a minimum fee of $50 for small quilts. Check out our quilt cost estimator to get a free quote!

What kind of thread do you use?

We use Glide #40 polyester thread. It is medium-weight, strong, durable, and has a slight sheen so that it gives a nice look. Some of them glow under black light! We have a variety of colors in stock, and can help color match when we have your quilt in the shop. We can also get any custom color you need. Most of the time we use the same thread color on the top and the back, but sometimes we can also do two different colors if it won't show through to the wrong side. White is always a good choice, and we'll have some top-sellers to recommend when we see your quilt...or we'll try to convince you to use Safety Orange!!!

Do I have to provide my own batting?

Not at all! We have a large roll of Quilter's Dream Cotton Select batting, 100% cotton with a mid-loft for beautiful quilting and a lovely drape. We charge by the square inch based on your quilt backing, usually costing less than a pre-cut package of batting at a quilting store. We can also order any pre-cut package of batting directly from Quilter's Dream if you are looking for a different material or loft.

Can I provide my own batting?

Yes! Please ensure the batting is larger than the quilt top. We will trim it down to size if it's too big.

What kind of batting do you use on the longarm?

We have a large roll of Quilter's Dream Cotton Select batting, 100% cotton with a mid-loft for beautiful quilting and a lovely drape. We cut pieces from the roll to fit your quilt, and charge by the square inch based on your quilt backing size. We can also order any pre-cut package of batting directly from Quilter's Dream if you are looking for a different material or loft; the batting does not have to come from a roll.

What is a pantograph?

A pantograph is a stitching pattern used to quilt the three layers of a quilt together. On our Bernina Q24, it is a computerized stitching pattern that runs autonomously back and forth across the width of the quilt, one section at a time (sections are up to 17.5" deep). Quilt designers all over the country have provided an unlimited number of patterns, so this can be one of the hardest decisions to make! Our advice is to go with the first one that catches your eye.

There are so many pantographs, which pantograph should I use?

There are a few rules of thumb, listed below, but our usual advice is to go with the first one that catches your eye! You really can't go wrong.

• If your quilt has a lot of squares, use a pantograph that has curves, or use a square on point.
• If your quilt has a lot of floral patterns, use a floral pantograph and then scale it to complement the quilt.
• If your quilt has a flag design, use a pantograph that has movement like the wind rippling through a flag.
• If you are going for a themed quilt, use a cute pantograph that matches the theme.
• If your quilt has a strong element in the color scheme or in the piecing, don't use a panto that could get "stuck" in the strong element. For example, if it has a lot of strips, avoid a skinny repeating panto that will make the strips more strippy.
  

How does longarming work?

Is it a longer arm? Yes! The longarm quilting machine is basically a mammoth sized sewing machine, with the needle/foot/bobbin oriented 90* from a domestic machine (like you are sewing by sitting in front of the left side of your machine). The throat of the longarm sewing machine is 2 feet deep and the "stitch plate" is 13 feet wide, but we have found that the actual swath of stitching is 17.5" deep. We load the top of the backing onto the uptake bar by pinning the top edge to a canvas flap, and the bottom edge of the backing onto a canvas flap on the bottom bar. Then the backing is rolled onto the two bars so that it is taught and creates a flat working surface that is 2 feet deep and as wide as the backing for the quilt. We position the top of the backing into the stitching area, lay the batting on next, and then lay the quilt top on top and baste the layers together in the stitching area. The longarm will stitch as many rows of the pattern that can fit into the 17.5" deep stitching area, then we pull the sewing head off the quilt, roll the quilt up 17.5", baste the new section, and reset the sewing machine to run the next swath of up to 17.5" deep of stitches. This repeats all the way to the bottom of the quilt.

How dense of stitching should I use?

Let the density be your style mark! Traditional quilting is typically low density, with stitching as far apart as 4", while modern quilting has taken to very dense stitching, sometimes so that all you see is the thread. Stitch density will change the look and feel of the quilt, so you have to consider what the quilt will be used for. Most of our customers are making quilts to be used on beds or in living rooms, gifted to a special person or for a special occasion...so the most common density we do is "medium". This means stitches 1"-3" apart, depending on the pattern.