Needle in a Cornfield

Current Needle in a Cornfield guidelines, instructions, pricing, and FAQS as of 1 January 2023.

- T-shirt Quilts are $12.25 per block, plus the cost of longarm quilting (the fancy stitches that hold it together).
* Please note that I won't know what you owe for quilting until my longarm quilter (Julia) is finished with your top.

- Your $12.25 includes:
° The quilt batting (the fluffy stuff

between the shirts and the cotton backing)
° Muslin backing fabric
° Interfacing (heated onto the back of every shirt, for stability)
° Hand cut/sewn binding around the edges

- If you want to use one side of a shirt (one block) = $12.25

- If you want to use both the front & the back of a shirt (two blocks) = $25.00

* When choosing your shirts, please keep in mind that the finished block size is 12”. IMPORTANT NOTES BEFORE BRINGING ME YOUR SHIRTS:

* A $50 deposit is required at the time that you drop off your shirts. This allows me to purchase any supplies that I may need for your quilt without using my own money. The $50 will be deducted from your total.


* PLEASE write your name on all of the bags that you bring, or put a note inside each bag! At any given time I have 2-10 quilts worth of shirts, and I don't want to mix them up. If you want me to use only the FRONT of some shirts, mark one bag "FRONT". If you want me to use only the BACK of some shirts, mark one bag "BACK". If you want me to use BOTH SIDES of some shirts, mark one bag "BOTH". This step may seem overwhelming at first, but it eliminates the need to message you multiple times with pictures of different shirts. This step not only gives you an idea of how large your quilt will be but it cuts down on time, and allows me to finish your quilt quicker.

* If you have shirts with sleeves cut off that require repairs/add-on fabric to square them up, a charge of $5.00 per shirt [that requires repair] will be added to your total. It's tedious and time consuming, and slows down the process.

* I will contact you with the total for your quilt top when it is ready to go to the longarm quilter. (Checks can be made to Maria Hill. Thank you!) The remaining balance of your quilt, along with the cost of quilting, must be paid upon pickup. If you wish to send payments between those two times, that's fine as well. All checks returned for NSF will incur a $36 returned check fee (that is what my bank charges me). FAQS

- "How big should I make my quilt?" That's totally up to you! There is no right or wrong size for your quilt, and no guidelines. Some people want to use x-amount of shirts, some only want to spend x-amount of money, and some want to fit a certain size bed. They can be any amount that equals a square or rectangular shape, but no more than 72 pieces (8' x 9' quilt) - the size is up to you.

- "How many shirts is a queen size?" I can't tell you how many shirts you need by the size of your bed because there's so many mattress variations nowadays. If you want it to fit a certain bed, I always tell customers to measure across the top (allow for however much overhang you want on both sides), and from the top of your pillow to the bottom of where you want it to end. Since blocks are 12" finished, it's easy to decide how many shirts pieces you need for your bed.

- "How big is too big for shirt designs?" The square that I use when cutting is 12.5", and the finished size will be 12" - A portion of your design may be lost if you choose an 'all-over' or large design. I always send photos of any shirts I'm not sure about before I cut them but if you're not willing to lose a part of a large design, please choose another shirt. The worst shirts for sizing are the school state shirt backs, Harley Davidson, NASCAR, and concert shirts. All can be cropped but, generally speaking, the entire design doesn't usually fit.

- "What's the difference between a t-shirt quilt and a t-shirt blanket?"
1) I don't/won't make t-shirt blankets.
2) Blankets are thinner, not quilted, and distort your shirt's vinyl/screenprint with wash and use over time.
3) Because of #2, quilts are more expensive than blankets. (Same as purchasing one of each from a box store.)

- "When should I order my child's quilt for graduation?" Graduation t-shirt quilts should be ordered no later than 28 February to guarantee pick-up before graduation.

- "When do I need to place my order for Christmas?" Anything ordered after 31 October cannot be guaranteed for Christmas. Its a several week process to cut and prep the shirts, piece them together, get the quilt top to/back from my longarm quilter [in Spencer], and then finish them.

- "How do I get you my shirts?" We live at the end of Lone Tree Road (heading south), across Highway 48, and down 1.1 miles on the left, next to Crowe's Equipment (Jasonville address). You just bring them there, to my shop. Also, I'm happy to meet you somewhere if I'm able.

- "How long does it take to get my quilt?" This honestly depends on how many quilts that I have going at once (it takes longer at graduation and Christmas, obviously), and how busy I am at work (I sometimes work up to seven days a week, depending on the season). I try to give the best guess that I can, but sometimes, especially last year, life happens. I met all of my deadlines, per usual, but it was really difficult to nail down timelines.

- "How do I pay you?" I require a $50 deposit up front, as mentioned above. I'll let you know when I take you top to my longarm quilter, and that's when half of your total is due (this gives me the money to pay for the longarm quilting so I'm not out of pocket). If you have a large order and want to send payments throughout the process, that's perfectly fine. The rest of your payment + the cost of quilting will be due when you pick your quilt up. I accept cash, and checks made to "Maria Hill" as payment. Thank you so much for your time, consideration, patience, and business these last 12 years! Maria
NIAC