Skip to content
White Timber CottageCaroline · Quilts
DeutschEnglish
ContactMenu

Made for you

Quilt services: basting, quilting, binding

Your top is pieced, and now it still needs the layers basted, the quilting or the binding? I baste, quilt by machine or by hand, and give your quilt its final, carefully made finish with the binding.

Caroline’s hand stitching a pink binding with a narrow red edge onto a blue floral quilt, a spool of pink thread beside it.
Eva’s Quilt: the binding stitched down by hand on the back

My services for you

What I do for you, and what it costs

A quilt always has three layers: the top at the front, the batting in the middle and the backing at the back. I join the layers, quilt them and sew on the binding. You choose which steps I take on for you.

Binding

Binding service

Your quilt is done, and I give it a final, carefully crafted finish.

Machine-stitching the binding you have prepared to the front
€10 per linear meter
Making the binding from the fabric you choose, straight grain
€10 per linear meter
Making the binding from the fabric you choose, on the bias (always 45 degrees)
€15 per linear meter
Making the binding (straight grain), machine-stitching it to the front and hand-stitching it on the back
€20 per linear meter
Making the binding (bias, cut at a 45-degree angle), machine-stitching it to the front and hand-stitching it on the back
€25 per linear meter

On Eva’s Quilt, I sewed a flange binding: a narrow second edge that works like a picture frame.

Detail of Eva’s Quilt: patchwork in blue, striped and floral fabrics with an appliquéd red flower and the pink edge along the top.
Eva’s Quilt with its pink binding

Basting

Preparing the layers for quilting

Or would you like to quilt your quilt yourself, but you’re done crawling around on the floor wrestling the three layers into place? Leave the basting to me. I prepare your quilt carefully for quilting and baste the three layers together properly: smooth, neat and ready for your sewing machine or your hand quilting.

Thread-basting with cotton thread
€15 per m²
Pin-basting the layers with your own safety pins
€15 per m²
Spray-basting the quilt sandwich
€14 per m²
A quilt in cross-section: top, batting and backing, joined by quilting stitches and wrapped at the edge by the double-fold binding1234567

A quilt in cross-section

  1. Top: your pieced front
  2. Batting: the soft layer in the middle
  3. Backing: the fabric underneath
  4. Quilting stitches: join the three layers, by machine or by hand. That’s the quilting
  5. Binding: a strip of fabric, folded in half and wrapped around the edge
  6. Front seam: the binding is machine-stitched through all the layers
  7. Back stitch: folded over and stitched down by hand

Machine quilting

Machine quilting service

On a domestic sewing machine with a walking foot, straight lines
€40 per m²

I charge for matching thread by the amount used and the brand.

That’s how I quilted A Star is born: straight lines on my domestic sewing machine, using the walking foot.

The quilt A Star is born in purple, pink and cream with one large star, quilted in a grid of straight lines.
A Star is born: straight lines with the walking foot

Hand quilting

Hand quilting service

Or I finish your quilt by hand.

Hand quilting, big stitch quilting
€125 per m²
Amish quilting with waxed YLI thread
€200 per m²

I charge for matching thread by the amount used and the brand.

I quilted the Vignettes Quilt by hand. If you’d like to learn hand quilting yourself, I’m planning a class for that too.

The Vignettes Quilt with improvised blocks in white, green and pink, quilted by hand.
Vignettes Quilt: quilted by hand

Good to know

  • I charge for matching thread by the amount used and the brand.
  • We measure your quilt together beforehand, when you bring it or before you send it, so everything is completely transparent.
  • For the binding, I go by the edge all the way around: twice the width plus twice the length.
  • We’ll also talk in detail beforehand about where your batting comes from and which one I think works best.

Sitting and sewing in a lovely, even rhythm is one of my favorite things.

Caroline
AI

How it works

From your inquiry to the finished quilt

Before I start, you’ll know what it costs; only the thread is charged by the amount used. I’m happy to answer any questions when you get in touch.

  1. You send me measurements and wishes. Smooth out your quilt and measure it from edge to edge (here’s how). The calculator shows you a guide price and copies your measurements and choices into your inquiry.
  2. We talk about fabric, batting and thread. Which fabric the binding is made from, how wide it should be, where your batting comes from and which one I think works best: we talk about all of it in detail beforehand.
  3. We measure together. When you bring the quilt, or before you send it, so everything is completely transparent.
  4. Your quilt comes to me. You can drop it off by arrangement, or send it to me as a parcel.
  5. I do what we agreed on. Basting, quilting, binding. Then your quilt goes back to you.

Price calculator

What will your quilt services cost?

Enter the measurements of your quilt and choose what you’d like me to do. The calculator shows you a guide price based on my rates and, if you choose a binding, how much fabric you need for it. Then copy your measurements and choices into your inquiry with one click.

How to measure your quilt

If you’d like me to baste or quilt, measure your top. If only the binding is missing, measure the finished, quilted quilt.

Whole centimeters are fine. We’ll measure the exact size together anyway.

How to measure your quilt: laid flat, the width straight across the middle and the length from top to bottom through the middle, each from edge to edgeWidthLength1234
  1. Lay it flat: on the floor or a large table, smooth it out without pulling
  2. Width: straight across the middle, from edge to edge
  3. Length: from top to bottom through the middle, from edge to edge
  4. All the way around: for the binding, the calculator works it out for you

Smooth out your quilt or quilt top and measure it from edge to edge, as in the sketch above, in centimeters (1 inch = 2.54 cm).

What would you like me to do?

Preparing the layers
Quilting
Binding

Enter the measurements of your quilt and choose what you’d like me to do. You’ll then see a guide price here: basting and quilting are priced per square meter, binding per linear meter all the way around.

Common questions

Things you might like to know

What do the quilt services cost?

Basting and quilting are priced per square meter, binding per linear meter all the way around. All prices are listed further up this page, and the calculator shows you a guide price for your quilt. We measure your quilt together beforehand.

Does my quilt need to be quilted before the binding?

Yes, the binding is the last step. If your quilt isn’t quilted yet, I can do that too: by machine in straight lines or by hand.

Can I choose the binding fabric myself?

Yes. I make the binding from the fabric you choose, on the straight grain or on the bias at 45 degrees. Or you prepare it yourself, and I machine-stitch it to the front. The calculator shows you how much fabric you need.

Do you sew the binding on by hand?

I machine-stitch it to the front and hand-stitch it on the back.

What’s the difference between big stitch and Amish quilting?

Big stitch quilting uses large, clearly visible stitches and thick thread. Amish quilting is the fine, traditional hand quilting with small stitches; for that I use waxed YLI thread.

Who provides the batting?

We’ll talk in detail beforehand about where your batting comes from and which one I think works best.

Can I drop off my quilt or send it?

Both work. If you live near Wetter in Hesse, we’ll set up a time, otherwise just mail it to me. We measure it together beforehand, when you bring it or before you send it.

How long does it take?

That depends on the size of your quilt, on what I’m doing for you and on what’s already on my table. If there’s an occasion, mention it in your inquiry right away. Then I’ll tell you honestly whether I can make it.

Inquiry

Tell me about your quilt

With your measurements and choices, I can tell you most quickly when I can take on your quilt. You can email me a photo later, once I’ve been in touch.

  • Your message comes straight to me, and I read it myself.
  • I’ll get back to you personally, by email or by phone, whichever you prefer.
  • What you write to me stays with me.

I’m in Wetter, Hesse, north of Marburg. To see which towns are only a short trip away, take a look at my service area (in German).

How can I reach you?

Email or phone: I only need one way to reply to you.

How big is your quilt? (optional)

Smooth it out and measure from edge to edge (here’s how). You can also take the measurements from the calculator above.

Should I prepare the layers? (optional)
Should I do the quilting? (optional)
And the binding? (optional)
How wide should I cut your binding strips? (optional)
And the batting? (optional)
How will your quilt get to me? (optional)

For example, a color from the quilt for the binding, or a thread that should stand out.

For example, a birthday the quilt should be ready for.

When you send this, your details come to me so I can reply. You can read more in the privacy policy.

More from the cottage

You might also like