Thread: Etsy - how do they do it?

after reading through all the posts and comments on this subject...you're ALL correct!!! I started selling quilts this year. I am constantly making something, and got to the point that I had nobody to give them to. I could donate them to the guild I belong to, but most of what I make are baby quilts, and they can only handle so many of those before they've had enough.

regardless of what I spend on fabric, I price the "ingredients" of my quilt at the going regular price. this way, if I am able to buy some on clearance at a quilt shop, I'm still charging the full regular price and making a little extra off it. this is in addition to labor, quilting, etc.

I do kind of price my quilts at what I would pay for one, but I know what goes into one as I make them. I don't feel I sell myself short by any means, and am making way more than just covering the cost of materials.

I don't plan to support my family with this business by any means as quilts don't sell very quickly due to the price of them. (unless for some reason business takes off sometime in the near future) It's more of a justification of buying fabric, thread, machines (yes plural...how many of us here has only one), etc. this way, I can feed my need to create with fabric and have it pay for itself at the same time.

I think we ALL have an obligation to our craft/art...to educate people about what truly goes into what we create and what doesn't go into the 39.99 knock-offs.

thanks for reading...

She could live in an area of tightwads. I tried to sell a Horn cabinet in great condition for $75. 3 people who responded asked me to give it to them. I repurposed it.

People who don't understand the costs involved in making a quilt and don't want to pay what the quilt is worth. Too many discount stores sell quilts for a lot less than we could buy the fabric even if we got a great deal on the fabric. But, what do those cheap quilts look like after they have been washed?! Some will unravel like crazy.

When I gave my youngest a quilt for his 17th birthday, I let him know what everything cost. The backing was brown minkee and I had to buy 5 yards at $15 a yard. He also saw me working on it so he knew how much time I put in it. He said he suspected it was for him even though I did not tell him. He saw the manly colors (no flowers and done in browns, blues and creams - split fail fence, and the brown minkee) and it was close to his birthday. He still sleeps with that quilt every night even when it's warm.

I make quilts for the pleasure/fun of sewing and quilting. I am retired so I feel my time is "free". I have posted stuff on etsy and sold stuff for the cost of the fabric plus a small profit. The money feeds my habit/lets me buy more fabric. If I sell something great! If not then I keep it or give a way. It's not that I undervalue my time but I do not have other things to do except clean (ugh) so quiting gives me something to do and is FUN!!!!!!

Originally Posted by bigsister63

I make quilts for the pleasure/fun of sewing and quilting. I am retired so I feel my time is "free". I have posted stuff on etsy and sold stuff for the cost of the fabric plus a small profit. The money feeds my habit/lets me buy more fabric. If I sell something great! If not then I keep it or give a way. It's not that I undervalue my time but I do not have other things to do except clean (ugh) so quiting gives me something to do and is FUN!!!!!!

I feel the same way and as someone later said "my quilts are mainly homey" etc and not for sale.

I see lots of stuff on Etsy that is barely covering the cost of material. For some they get validation from the sale .. regardless of the price/profit... I am not one of those people.