Embroidery fee?

Old 12-03-2013, 02:12 PM
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Default Embroidery fee?

I do not own an embroidery machine, nor do I hand embroider as of yet. But I want to give personalized tea towels (oversized lightweight cotton dish towels) to my girls for Christmas.

A friend of mine has a Bernina embroidery machine and Says she will gladly do the 12 towels. I just need to pick a design. I know many of you wouldn't want to do alterations for anyone, but is embroidering for someone different to you? Of so, what should I offer my friend? Her hubby is recently laid off and a Vietnam vet fighting for 100 percent disability, so they need the money. What would be fair to pay her? She would not charge nor refuse it.
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Old 12-03-2013, 02:30 PM
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You should pay any charge to buy the embroidery design, and then let her keep them. Same for any colors of embroidery thread that she doesn't already have.

I don't know what fee would be appropriate for doing the embroidery. If giving cash doesn't seem right, maybe something they wouldn't buy for themselves - a steak dinner (either provided or going out), chocolates, ...
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Old 12-03-2013, 02:32 PM
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She said she gets free patterns every day and has "a hundred colors" of thread, including the ones I want.
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Old 12-03-2013, 02:34 PM
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I used to be a professional casket embroider. we had a flat rate of $50/design for the casket. other items were charged per stitchcount. so 6342 stitches would be 6.32 ( I had all of Dakota collectibles designs )
I like sue's idea, if you can afford it, $25 plus a nice dinner out as a grateful gift.
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Old 12-03-2013, 02:40 PM
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At least $5 per towel.
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Old 12-03-2013, 02:41 PM
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I hear once that the price is $1.00 per 1000 stitches. It may have gone up since I heard this about 6 or 8 years ago.
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Old 12-03-2013, 03:10 PM
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You should find out how long each design will take. Then pay her accordingly. Say a 5 min design $5.00 then on from there. It takes time to hoop it and also stablizer besides the thread.

Last edited by valleyquiltermo; 12-03-2013 at 03:14 PM.
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Old 12-03-2013, 05:14 PM
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Some people charge a $5. hooping fee. When I did embroidery at an EmbroidMe store, we charged $12 just to put a name on a Christmas stocking. Considering these things, I would at least give her $5. per towel. She may use a stabilizer under the towel and a wash away stabilizer is always used on the top of towels so these things cost money.
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Old 12-03-2013, 05:22 PM
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Having had our share of "poor" years, I would veto the steak dinner idea. That can end up costing them money by the time they get dinner, drinks and tip. When things were rough for us, I would rather have had the cold, hard cash to put towards bills or groceries. I agree with BellaBoo for at least $5 per towel. Stabilizer isn't cheap and she may use a tear away or cut away on the bottom and a wash away on top. (That's what I use for towels) IMHO
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Old 12-03-2013, 06:43 PM
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If I were in your friend's situation, I would certainly appreciate $5 per towel.
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