Custom Quilt Question: Please Advise
09-10-2014, 08:03 AM
#21
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Mankato, MN
Posts: 76
This has been a huge eye opener for me. I too have been told I should sell my work, but I was happy just making things to give away so far. Now our income has taken a downturn and I'm thinking about selling some.
09-10-2014, 02:21 PM
#22
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Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Illinois
Posts: 2,140
Thought I'd add this link from Caryl Bryer Fallert-Gentry's page. Of course, she's amazing & charges $600-800/square foot for her commissioned quilts (meaning a crib-sized quilt would be $11K), but the principles are still the same:
http://www.bryerpatch.com/faq/marketing.htm
PS -- RosieQ, good luck with your business! We need more people with professional quilting businesses!
It does take a bit of work to educate potential buyers, but I find a lot of clients actually really like learning about quilting processes and techniques. After that, try to start looking & listening for what terms in your part of the country people use to communicate the concept of quality & use those words. I've also found that people in my area tend to value the same quilt at a higher price just by me changing from referring to myself as a "quilter" to referring to myself as a "artist with a quilting business". The more we can frame our work as a business, the better clients are able to understand why we don't work for $1/hour.
http://www.bryerpatch.com/faq/marketing.htm
PS -- RosieQ, good luck with your business! We need more people with professional quilting businesses!
It does take a bit of work to educate potential buyers, but I find a lot of clients actually really like learning about quilting processes and techniques. After that, try to start looking & listening for what terms in your part of the country people use to communicate the concept of quality & use those words. I've also found that people in my area tend to value the same quilt at a higher price just by me changing from referring to myself as a "quilter" to referring to myself as a "artist with a quilting business". The more we can frame our work as a business, the better clients are able to understand why we don't work for $1/hour.
09-11-2014, 04:23 AM
#24
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,061
My advice is DON'T do any custom quilts, but if you think you MUST, please charge enough that you make wages for your work. People who don't quilt think you should be able to make any quilt for the same price they would pay at Walmart. I have done custom work but never again. I tell people that I will help them make a simple quilt but I will not make one for them. Never had anyone take me up on it yet.
09-11-2014, 05:27 AM
#25
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: St. Louis suburbs
Posts: 6,084
I would be very careful doing this. I have read the other posts and when they say put it all down in writing, do it. I had some friends who wanted me to make them quilts and when I told them what the materials would cost, they changed their mind. Some people believe that I have nothing else to do but to make quilts for them free.
09-11-2014, 05:51 AM
#26
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: El Paso Texas
Posts: 987
Unfortunately since your friend is not making these herself, that means she has no idea the amount of work that goes into the making of a quilt. Personally I think $100.00 minimum for each quilt for your labor, with your friend purchasing all the materials. Even at that she is getting a bargain. I am a longarm quilter and occasionally I will be commissioned to make a quilt from the ground up. Now I provide all the materials in these instances but I charge $500.00 for a single or full size and $1000.00 for a queen or king. Of course I am not suggesting you charge those prices, I am a professional with a business, BUT your time, skill, and work are valuable and please don't sell yourself short! Just mt $.02 worth! Let us know how it goes! I once read that if you work for free for your friends because they're your friends, you'll be working for free forever, because your enemies are not going to seek your skills. Think about that. and blessings to you for being such a sweet friend!
and blessings to you for being such a sweet friend!
09-11-2014, 06:20 AM
#27
Super Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Ballwin, MO
Posts: 4,212
Thanks for posting all this info! If we choose to offer our work/time/artistry for pay, we should be properly compensated.
Originally Posted by Bree123
I'm with Jan!
I think part of the point of charging full price for the materials is to help offset the fact that we consistently undercharge for our labor. But the business rationale I've heard for it is that if you sell a quilt to one person & get all the fabrics at a 50% off Labor Day sale, you might be able to sell it for $200. Then, someone asks you to make them the same/similar quilt a month later when there is no sale. So, to cover your costs, you ask for $250 but then they think that's not fair because you just sold the exact same quilt to X a few weeks ago for $50 cheaper & there's "no way your quilting skills got that much better in such a short time".
To be honest, I think $50 plus materials -- even if you did get her to pay you for batting, backing, binding, thread, rotary blades, machine needles, starch, electricity/water/laundry soap/etc, etc, etc -- is insultingly cheap. People will do what they will, but I always cringe when I see a beautiful quilt that someone clearly spent 10-20 hours making being sold for the same amount of money my mom spends for an hour at the nail salon getting a no-chip mani/pedi that lasts 2 weeks at best. It's insulting to me when someone tells me my time and skill as an artist is worth less than a Vietnamese immigrant with a 4th grade education whose work lasts 14 days when mine can easily last 14 years.
Carol Bryer Fallart suggests that quilters should charge at least as much for an hour of our time as we would pay a cleaning service to come clean our home for an hour -- and that's assuming we don't have any real skill at sewing/quilting. I know I've been sewing for more than 25 years. I've taken classes, studied techniques, bought books & patterns until I was skilled enough to work without them... I belong to 2 professional organizations (NQA & TAS) in my industry and much of my work is done by hand. I've spent time researching what others in my area with quilting businesses charge & set my prices accordingly. I charge $0.05 per square inch for the machine quilting (I'd drop it to $0.03-0.04 if it were an all-over design). I charge $3/linear foot for binding (that includes basic, solid colored material for binding -- if they want a print or something special, they pay a premium for that, but I've yet to have someone upgrade). I charge $10 for batting (if you don't already buy batting on a roll, I'd buy a Queen-sized W&N at JAF with a 50% off coupon. I keep the difference to cover miscellaneous/unforeseen expenses like laundering quilt, rotary replacement blades, needles, spray starch, time spent washing quilt/cleaning & oiling machine, removing starch from iron sole plate, etc). I charge $15 for quilting thread (I need approx. 1200m for a baby quilt & use Aurifil). Because I do applique, I use a lot of colors for piecing/applique, but unless it's a really funky color, I usually have something that will work so they don't have to buy a whole spool. That tends to run another $15 total. I expect the client to cover the cost of all fabric. If they want to run out to the store to buy it, they can use whatever coupons they want & pay that price. Otherwise, I charge extra & count the difference to pay for shipping or for my time, fuel & mileage. I will meet a first-time client ONE TIME at the fabric store for a free consultation. After that, I work $15 into the cost of the quilt for my time. For all cutting, piecing, sewing, applique or design work, I charge $18/hour.
So, for a basic baby quilt that isn't heavily appliqued (mine are -- so I tend to get $600-800/baby quilt), I would want the client to buy the fabric. I would insist that the fabric is NEW and of decent quality and assuming those things, I would ask between $200-250 (depending on how many hours it takes you to cut, piece, sew & baste -- if you can do all that in 2 hours, charge $200; if not, add $15-18/hour for each extra hour. Do not include quilting or binding in the number of hours because I already counted that time in the sq in/linear foot rates).
Remember that part of that cost is the fact that I already have invested money in a cutting mat, rotary cutter, sewing machine, seam rippers, an assortment of pins, various types of scissors, marking pens, wax, glue, hoops, and so forth. One cannot reasonably be expected to produce a decent quilt without a certain number of notions. I spent a LOT of money on those things, and they need to be replaced/sharpened/serviced from time to time. Another piece of it is that I have spent time & money learning how to sew over the decades. I don't have as much experience with quilting in particular, which is why I don't charge more, but I get 6 even stitches to an inch with the machine & 8 perfect stitches to an inch by hand (I have15 years experience doing hand embroidery & applique), so my quilting is not terrible, I just have a limited number of designs I can offer.
I'm all for doing things for friends, but if I need a haircut or a massage or a medical check-up, I don't expect my friends to provide those services at cost. If she's a REALLY good friend, I'd probably just make her a gift & get reimbursed for my costs. Otherwise, your art is worth a fair wage. $200 for an heirloom quality quilt is still a crazy good deal. Not everyone can afford beautiful art, but just because I couldn't afford to spend more than $50 on a painting, doesn't mean I expect my friend with a sofa sized Jackson Pollack to sell me the painting for that price. Believe in yourself, believe in the art of quilting & know that when you put as much care into your art as I'm sure you do, it's worth a lot more than a manicure.
I think part of the point of charging full price for the materials is to help offset the fact that we consistently undercharge for our labor. But the business rationale I've heard for it is that if you sell a quilt to one person & get all the fabrics at a 50% off Labor Day sale, you might be able to sell it for $200. Then, someone asks you to make them the same/similar quilt a month later when there is no sale. So, to cover your costs, you ask for $250 but then they think that's not fair because you just sold the exact same quilt to X a few weeks ago for $50 cheaper & there's "no way your quilting skills got that much better in such a short time".
To be honest, I think $50 plus materials -- even if you did get her to pay you for batting, backing, binding, thread, rotary blades, machine needles, starch, electricity/water/laundry soap/etc, etc, etc -- is insultingly cheap. People will do what they will, but I always cringe when I see a beautiful quilt that someone clearly spent 10-20 hours making being sold for the same amount of money my mom spends for an hour at the nail salon getting a no-chip mani/pedi that lasts 2 weeks at best. It's insulting to me when someone tells me my time and skill as an artist is worth less than a Vietnamese immigrant with a 4th grade education whose work lasts 14 days when mine can easily last 14 years.
Carol Bryer Fallart suggests that quilters should charge at least as much for an hour of our time as we would pay a cleaning service to come clean our home for an hour -- and that's assuming we don't have any real skill at sewing/quilting. I know I've been sewing for more than 25 years. I've taken classes, studied techniques, bought books & patterns until I was skilled enough to work without them... I belong to 2 professional organizations (NQA & TAS) in my industry and much of my work is done by hand. I've spent time researching what others in my area with quilting businesses charge & set my prices accordingly. I charge $0.05 per square inch for the machine quilting (I'd drop it to $0.03-0.04 if it were an all-over design). I charge $3/linear foot for binding (that includes basic, solid colored material for binding -- if they want a print or something special, they pay a premium for that, but I've yet to have someone upgrade). I charge $10 for batting (if you don't already buy batting on a roll, I'd buy a Queen-sized W&N at JAF with a 50% off coupon. I keep the difference to cover miscellaneous/unforeseen expenses like laundering quilt, rotary replacement blades, needles, spray starch, time spent washing quilt/cleaning & oiling machine, removing starch from iron sole plate, etc). I charge $15 for quilting thread (I need approx. 1200m for a baby quilt & use Aurifil). Because I do applique, I use a lot of colors for piecing/applique, but unless it's a really funky color, I usually have something that will work so they don't have to buy a whole spool. That tends to run another $15 total. I expect the client to cover the cost of all fabric. If they want to run out to the store to buy it, they can use whatever coupons they want & pay that price. Otherwise, I charge extra & count the difference to pay for shipping or for my time, fuel & mileage. I will meet a first-time client ONE TIME at the fabric store for a free consultation. After that, I work $15 into the cost of the quilt for my time. For all cutting, piecing, sewing, applique or design work, I charge $18/hour.
So, for a basic baby quilt that isn't heavily appliqued (mine are -- so I tend to get $600-800/baby quilt), I would want the client to buy the fabric. I would insist that the fabric is NEW and of decent quality and assuming those things, I would ask between $200-250 (depending on how many hours it takes you to cut, piece, sew & baste -- if you can do all that in 2 hours, charge $200; if not, add $15-18/hour for each extra hour. Do not include quilting or binding in the number of hours because I already counted that time in the sq in/linear foot rates).
Remember that part of that cost is the fact that I already have invested money in a cutting mat, rotary cutter, sewing machine, seam rippers, an assortment of pins, various types of scissors, marking pens, wax, glue, hoops, and so forth. One cannot reasonably be expected to produce a decent quilt without a certain number of notions. I spent a LOT of money on those things, and they need to be replaced/sharpened/serviced from time to time. Another piece of it is that I have spent time & money learning how to sew over the decades. I don't have as much experience with quilting in particular, which is why I don't charge more, but I get 6 even stitches to an inch with the machine & 8 perfect stitches to an inch by hand (I have15 years experience doing hand embroidery & applique), so my quilting is not terrible, I just have a limited number of designs I can offer.
I'm all for doing things for friends, but if I need a haircut or a massage or a medical check-up, I don't expect my friends to provide those services at cost. If she's a REALLY good friend, I'd probably just make her a gift & get reimbursed for my costs. Otherwise, your art is worth a fair wage. $200 for an heirloom quality quilt is still a crazy good deal. Not everyone can afford beautiful art, but just because I couldn't afford to spend more than $50 on a painting, doesn't mean I expect my friend with a sofa sized Jackson Pollack to sell me the painting for that price. Believe in yourself, believe in the art of quilting & know that when you put as much care into your art as I'm sure you do, it's worth a lot more than a manicure.
Originally Posted by Bree123
Thought I'd add this link from Caryl Bryer Fallert-Gentry's page. Of course, she's amazing & charges $600-800/square foot for her commissioned quilts (meaning a crib-sized quilt would be $11K), but the principles are still the same:
http://www.bryerpatch.com/faq/marketing.htm
http://www.bryerpatch.com/faq/marketing.htm
09-11-2014, 07:51 AM
#28
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Homosassa, FL
Posts: 2,267
Originally Posted by mamagrande
I just finished a 100" x 100" quilt for my sister in law, she told me the color and I said I would make it for her but since I am retired I don't have extra money, she needed to pay for the fabric that I would choose. I purchased the fabric and saved the receipts. I mailed the quilt along with the statement and receipts for the fabric and it totaled $175.00 and I didn't add postage or batting ( I have a roll of 108").
My bother call when they received and he was upset...he said that he didn't need receipts and that I should charge for my work because it was commissioned and we are artist. He said if I commission a painting the painter is not only charging for the pain and canvas....
Anyway, I said for this time it was my gift to them and they are family...I told him that I would not do that for others...but knowing him, he will send more than $175.
My bother call when they received and he was upset...he said that he didn't need receipts and that I should charge for my work because it was commissioned and we are artist. He said if I commission a painting the painter is not only charging for the pain and canvas....
Anyway, I said for this time it was my gift to them and they are family...I told him that I would not do that for others...but knowing him, he will send more than $175.
09-11-2014, 01:42 PM
#29
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: kansas
Posts: 6,407
Originally Posted by RosieQ
Thank you so much for all of your help ladies! I appreciate the input. I'm hoping to do more work on commission in the future so I'm hoping this project can give me a little insight into what the future might bring.
09-27-2014, 08:22 AM
#30
Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: South Eastern Corner of Washington state
Posts: 59
Maniac, I agree that it isn't fair to charge full price and pocket the savings, HOWEVER, I can see that charging retail price would be helpful if they wanted you to do another quilt again. The cost could be dramatically different. They might say, "Why is it so much more this time?" Most people who don't quilt don't realize how much fabric costs. I can imagine someone making a quilt from their stash and not charging much at all since 'they already had it'. Then making a quilt with brand new fabric plus new batting and everything else that goes into a quilt. I can see that the cost would not appear to be a fair cost to someone who isn't familiar with quilting and costs.
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