Starburst at MQX with Faculty Ribbon, October 2013

All Quilted, LLC

Confession of a Professional Long Arm Quilter

I’ve been a quilter for going on 15 years, off and on when time allowed amidst the hustle-bustle of raising and homeschooling 5 kids, and one would think I would have utilized the services of a long arm quilter myself. Not so. I have never hired a long arm quilter. So, why in the world did I become one?

I wanted my quilts to be all mine, from beginning to end. I wanted to select the pattern, the fabrics, the quilt design, and I wanted to do it all: the piecing and the quilting! So I quilted on my domestic machine. I even bought a machine with the deepest throat space I could find to make the job easier. I have quilted a king sized quilt on my domestic machine! That quilt is on my bed right now.

The problems were these: it is very difficult to finagle a big quilt through a stationary sewing machine. My back, neck, and head would ache by the time I was finished. Worse, I could never stitch the designs I had in my head on my quilts – I just couldn’t make it happen.

Then, my mom bought a long arm quilting machine. Every time I visited her in Florida, I took a quilt top to quilt on her machine. I learned right away, long arm quilting is not as easy as it looks. Again, I found that my quilting stitched out nothing like the beautiful designs I had in my head. But the seed was planted; I wanted a long arm of my own and I wanted to finally make those designs in my mind come to life.

Fast forward to February 2013 – my brand new Innova long arm came home, along with a robotics system that allows those gorgeous designs that I envision to stitch out in glorious reality every time. The 4^th quilt I quilted on my machine is “Starburst” and it won the 3^rd place machine quilting ribbon at a local show in April 2013. It also won a “faculty” ribbon at the Machine Quilters Expo that just happened in Portland last week.

What do you get from All Quilted, a long arm quilter who never hired a long arm quilter? You are in charge. You get to pick the quilting design. And if I don’t have what you are looking for, I will find it or digitize it. My designs are organized by type of design (texture, floral, spirals…) in my design catalogues (www.allquilted.com) and even better, over 90% of the designs are stitched out on large samples. Paper just doesn’t do the designs justice. Their beauty is most evident when they are stitched on fabric. Many of my customers never look at the catalogues. They choose their designs from my quilted samples.

Starburst Detail and Ribbon, MQX October 2013

At All Quilted, you are in charge of the price. The designs are priced by density (stitches per square inch) and start at $0.015 per square inch. My design catalogues are sorted by density, hence price (www.allquilted.com), or the design catalogues sorted by design type clearly indicate the density (hence, price) of each individual design. Each quilted sample is labeled by density as well.

All Quilted currently has “NO Minimums!” This will not last forever. But for now, say you have a 36 by 36 wall hanging and want a more intricate quilting design than you wish to stitch on your domestic machine: the most you would pay for quilting this quilt, even my most intricate design, is $36. Take advantage of the chance to try All Quilted with one of your smaller projects while “No Minimums” is in effect.

All Quilted has fast turnaround time. I can usually promise 2 week turnaround. As we approach the Christmas season, this may extend. However, when you talk to me about your quilting project I will give a firm promise date for completion and you can count on that date; in fact, you can take it to the bank. If I miss my promise date, your quilting is free.

At All Quilted, you are in charge of the quilting design, the price, and the completion date. I would be honored to help you complete your quilting project.

Debbie Scroggy, Owner and Quilter

All Quilted, LLC

www.allquilted.com (web site)

www.allquilted.org (blog)

503 704 4739

What’s the best thing about owning your particular business?

I love how quilting adds texture and makes the quilting project sign. I love, love, love it!

How long have you been in business?

Formally, since February 2013.

What’s been your favorite order/customer/memorable moment as a business owner?

After delivering Karen’s custom wall hanging, for which I created “Lattice” (see fill design catalogue on my website and the border on my Halloween Whole Cloth), I said, “I’m so glad you like it.” Karen came to give me a hug and said, “I don’t like it, I love it! Does your mom know what kind of work you are doing? Is she proud of you?” Regarding my mom, yes and yes.

Halloween Whole Cloth Border

Halloween Whole Cloth Detail

What other jobs/businesses have you worked/owned?

I’m a retired CPA, retired (by my kids) homeschooling mom, current graduate student in Economics (boy has my passion for that waned, but I’m going to finish it if it kills me), and currently, finally, a professional long arm quilter.

What made you want to go into this field of work?

I wanted to master the art of making the designs in my head come to life with stitches on fabric.

Whimsical Log Cabin Back

Do you still have time to do your own quilting and sewing while owning your business?

Some. Now all of my personal projects are selected to showcase some aspect of the final quilting process/design.

Bubblicious Sample

Does your business have classes, get-togethers, or special events you’d like to mention?

I’m running an “Early Bird Gets the Worm” promotional. I gave away a $100 gift certificate in September, will give a $50 gift certificate (drawn from all quilts delivered to me in October) on October 31, and a final $10 gift certificate drawn from all quilts delivered to me in November on November 30, 2013.

Whimsical Log Cabin Detail

What would you like to see PMQG do to strengthen the quilting community in the Portland Metro Area?

I have no suggestions – I love the creative energy of the PMQG members. I am blown away by that energy every time I come to a guild meeting. It is truly inspiring!

Whimsical Log Cabin, October 2013