Longarm Terms Defined

I realized recently that phrases I use about longarm quilting often aren't used by everyone. Many people who don't own longarm machines aren't familiar with the terminology that has become commonplace to me. The phrases I'll be addressing in this post include edge to edge, border to border, semi-custom and custom quilting. I want to give you some definitions here about how they relate to me using my computerized longarm.

First, let's define a longarm machine. Essentially, a longarm is a sewing machine that moves along rails. I call mine the flying purple people eater. It can move forwards and backwards and side to side. Because of these properties many designs can be accomplished. The sewing machine, usually referred to as the machine head, has throat clearances between 18" and 30". There may be smaller or larger machines, but this is what I'm aware of. My machine head has a 26" throat clearance. This means I can quilt no more than 26" of a quilts length before I need to move the quilt forward to get to the next 26" portion. Also, I have a computerized longarm. This means that a computer controls where the machine head will move. Without a computer the machine head is directed where to stitch by someone moving the handles attached to the machine head.

Edge to Edge quilting, some times referred to as E2E, involves continuous quilting done from one edge of the quilt to the opposite edge of the quilt. Then this edge to edge pattern is repeated for the full length of the quilt. A meander is the most common edge to edge pattern. Some meander patterns have other elements included like flowers or circles. These are continuous patterns that repeat the width and length of your quilt top.

These designs are both edge to edge designs. The one with the honeycomb and bees shows how edge to edge patterns have evolved over time.

Border to Border quilting, sometimes referred to as B2B, is similar to Edge to Edge in that it also has a continuous pattern. This continuous pattern is contained by the borders of the quilt. The borders will be quilted with a different design.

As you can see in the red, white and blue quilt, the edge to edge quilting stops at the white border. The white border has a very simple border design to surround the center portion of the quilt top.

Semi-custom quilting is completed by placing different designs in separate blocks, sashing and the borders. Each block may have the same or different designs. Usually the sashing has the same design in each portion. And the borders usually have one design that encircles the quilt top.

As you can see in the star quilt block there is straight line quilting in the block. The sashing has a totally different design.

Custom quilting is not usually done with a computerized machine. It is a much more intricate placement of designs. Custom quilting is free motion quilting using the handles to direct the machine head and make designs. One example of this type of quilting is when the quilting is encircling an applique.

This white background quilting may look only like a meander but because it is encircling the teardrop applique it becomes custom.

The green leaf quilting is custom because the leaf design is surrounded by background quilting to enhance and emphasize the leaf design.

The lines on this blue star quilt may seem semi-custom but are actually custom. All the points meet up and can only be done by someone meticulously making sure they will connect properly.

I offer Edge to Edge and Border to Border quilting services. I find semi-custom work, which I occasionally do for my own quilts, to be cost-prohibitive for customer quilts. Between designing the quilting and then stitching out that design, it can sometimes take up to a week to finish. For instance, I'm about to finish my own king size quilt with semi-custom quilting and I expect it to take 2 weeks to finish. I haven't ever done custom quilting.

I hope this gives you some insight into terminology that may have been confusing to you. Please feel free to reach out to me with any quilting questions that you have!