Quilter's Paradise |
Making Quilting Simpler |
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Cutting and Kitting Services
Frequently Asked Questions
General
Why should I use cutting and kitting services instead of doing them myself?
This is the classic "make vs. buy" decision that each business must answer for itself given its own unique circumstances and situation.
Cutting and kitting sound and look simple,
but require significant investment (labor, space, tools/equipment, etc.) and know-how to do right and cost-effectively in volume.
We've already made those investments and have many years of experience satisfying many demanding customers.
A key thing to consider is the "opportunity cost" in doing it yourself ...
that is, consider what you could be doing and investing in -
such as merchandising, marketing, selling, serving your customers -
instead of doing the cutting and kitting yourself.
Do you have quilting and sewing expertise?
Yes!
We have people on staff who are experienced and expert quilters, have designed patterns, do Longarming and have taught classes.
We use this expertise to provide additional value to our customers, such as:
What kind of kits can you make?
Simply put: pretty much any kit you want.
We are the only company that can offer the full range of pre-cuts and kits - and in large volumes.
Not only do we make standard pre-cuts,
such as 5" and 10" squares, 2-1/2" strips and fat quarters,
but our computer controlled cutters can cut virtually any shape you want
including half-square triangles (with the tips cut off), rectangles and hexagons ...
even curved shapes such as circles, Drunkard's Path, melon ... and much more!
For kits,
we make cut yardage, laser-cut appliqué, and fully pre-cut pieced kits.
How much does the service cost?
Each project is unique and the cost depends on your requirements along with the design and production time and materials required to do the job.
We provide you a free, written cost estimate based on the design you submit to us.
How long will it take to get my job done?
It depends on the size and complexity of the job
as well as what is already in our production schedule.
However, once we have all the materials in hand,
the great majority of jobs are completed within 2-3 weeks,
1-2 weeks for smaller jobs.
When we prepare a cost estimate for you,
we will also give you an estimate of how long it will take us to complete the job.
If you require a job to be done on an expedited basis,
we will attempt to work this out with you.
How are materials and goods shipped to and from you?
We can accommodate receiving and shipping a few boxes, to many pallets to a full shipping container.
Shipments from FedEx, UPS, USPS and a number of trucking companies arrive and leave our facility every day.
We will work with you to determine the most cost-effective method to meet your needs.
To save time and shipping costs, can I have a manufacturer ship fabric and materials directly from their warehouse to your facility?
Yes!
This is something that's routinely done.
And, we are located near a number of well-known fabric manufacturers.
Also, to save time and shipping costs, can you drop ship directly to my customers or fulfillment centers?
Yes.
How do I determine how much yardage is needed for a project?
Based on the quantity that you require,
we will do the calculation for you.
That calculation takes into account the cutting layout that we develop that optimizes the use of the fabric
and it also takes into account the need for a small amount of overage to account for such things as fabric flaws.
Can you take bolts and rolls of fabric?
Yes.
In developing the price for your job,
we will tell you whether bolts or rolls (aka ROT which stands for "Rolled on Tube") are preferred.
Cutting
What do you use to do the cutting?
What we use depends on the job's requirements.
If all that's required is to cut yardage from a bolt or roll of fabric,
this is generally done using electric hand cutters or possibly a rotary cutter.
If specific shapes are being cut,
we our state-of-the-art lasers and Gerber Cutters.
These machines are computer controlled and are very accurate.
As summarized in the table below,
each machine has certain attributes and strengths that make it more appropriate for some jobs than the other.
| Attribute | Laser | Gerber Cutter |
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| Computer controlled | Yes | Yes |
| Cutting Mechanism | Light beam (heat) | Auto- and self-sharpening blade |
| Cutting Area Size | 18" x 24" |
70" x 80"
Can be extended using the "cut and advance" feature. |
| # 100% Cotton Layers Cut Simultaneously | Up to 10 | Up to 100 | Design Intracacy | Very intricate | Moderately intricate |
How do these machines compare to die cut machines?
The biggest difference is flexibility and speed: both the lasers and Gerber Cutters are computer programmable meaning they'll cut whatever shape you draw. And, they cut quickly and accurately. By contrast, a die cut machine uses fixed size and shape dies. If you want to cut a particular shape, you need to have a die that exactly matches that shape - which may require the manufacturer to make a custom die for you (assuming they're willing). Also, except for costly, higher end commercial die cut machines, a human must physically operate the machine to make it cut. Years ago, we owned an AccuCut die cut machine which was great for low volumes of a limited number of shapes, but not appropriate for higher volumes.
What materials can be cut?
Woven and non-woven fabrics can be cut including, but not limited to:
- Organic - cotton, wool, leather, silk.
- Synthetic - polyester, rayon, nylon, vinyl leather.
Who provides the fabric and materials?
When performing a service job, the customer provides the fabric and materials (e.g., pattern, notions, embellishments). Once we lay out how the project is to be cut, we inform the customer of how much yardage is needed based on the desired quantity.
Packaging materials can be supplied by either the customer or by us; this is something that we discuss with you when planning the project.
Packaging
Packaging is important to me. Is this something you will work with us on?
Yes! We understand that "presentation matters" and, hence, packaging is very important. We also understand that there are cost constraints and so the goal is to find a solution that both presents well and is cost-effective. We spend time up front with you to understand your requirements and what you want to achieve. Then, we work with you to come up with the best possible packaging solution for your project.
What packaging capabilities do you have?
We can provide just about any packaging that you desire. Following is a general list of typical packaging items that we review with customers:
- Bags and boxes - there are many, many types of bags and boxes and we will work with you to explore options and select the best alternative.
- Shrink wrap - we own and operate a high volume shrink wrap machine.
- Banding - we own and operate an automated banding machine that can wrap a product with a clear plastic band.
- Tying - as an alternative to banding, a product may be tied using ribbon or twill.
- Labeling and tagging - we work with you to determine what labels and tags, if any, need to be applied and we have high quality, full color printers to print them on.
- Barcoding - if your product needs to be barcoded, we can help you with that.
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Web site last updated October 30, 2023
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