Go Back  Quiltingboard Forums > Main
For those who sell quilts... >

For those who sell quilts...

For those who sell quilts...

Old 01-29-2008, 09:50 PM
  #1  
Super Member
Thread Starter
 
Flying_V_Goddess's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1,703
Default

I got to thinking about possibly entering a quilt in the fair this year...well, my train of thought led to selling quilts. Not really interested in selling any for the moment, but it got me a little curious. I'm just wondering...does a particular kind of quilt sell better than others? Like a certain look (scrappy, etc) or a certain kind of quilt design?
Flying_V_Goddess is offline  
Old 01-30-2008, 04:50 AM
  #2  
Super Member
 
vicki reno's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 2,423
Default

The few places that I have been have quilts in all shapes sizes and colors. So I am not sure if one is more popular than another. I would go online and look at websites that possibly offer quilts to see what is bieng offered. Just a suggestion and of course different areas of the country tend to favor different styles more than others. :-)
vicki reno is offline  
Old 01-30-2008, 05:21 AM
  #3  
Super Member
 
Moonpi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Central FL
Posts: 4,829
Default

Around here, quilting is seen as a pastime for crafters, and not much value put on them as art. You may get a general idea by going to EBay and running a search. If you use the Advanced Search option, you can choose completed listings, giving you actual sales prices. Some very pretty things get no bids at all, or never sell because of unrealistic reserve prices. Also, those Chinese knockoffs are showing up as handmades, driving prices down further.

I have not had luck with consignment shops - their "cut" effectively reduces {to zero} the profit out of things I have brought in to sell that way. A shop that specializes inn country kitch may not be the place to sell an abstract piece. Small baby quilts may fly off shelves in a hospital gift shop, and languish in a gallery. You also need to figure your end user in when choosing colors and patterns. Cutesie juvenile prints make me gag, but may be perfect for baby showers.

As far as fairs go, they are fun, but be prepared to meet the quilt police for real. Read the judging criteria carefully, and take all the rules very literally.
Moonpi is offline  
Old 01-30-2008, 06:12 AM
  #4  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 1,097
Default

It's all about marketing. You can make the best quilts in the world, and they won't sell unless they are marketed right. You have to make the buyer realize that there is a vast difference between mass-produced JCPenney "handmade" quilts and what you are creating. You need the snob factor.

I did best when we lived in a tourist area and I sold quilts that were representative of the area (Up in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, I sold mostly lodge-look quilts). Tourists are LOOKING for opportunities to spend money. I sold at local art shows - the outdoor ones where you have juried vendors. I got a couple awards, and I hung those ribbons up in my display area and mention them on my website also. Snob factor. People won't pay a lot of money for something they can buy at Walmart - you have to show them that you are SPECIAL. :mrgreen:

I sell on ebay, and I really regard that as advertising. People who buy a tablerunner or baby quilt from me for $50 on ebay are going to like it and feel good about their purchase. Hopefully, they come to me when they want something bigger. It seems to work for me, anyhow. Ebay is getting pretty expensive, though, and I am going to work more aggressively with etsy.

Speaking of etsy, they have a lot of very pricey art quilts, but if you look at the sellers' history, they haven't actually SOLD any $4000 quilts. They are just pricing them there. It does get people to look at their shop and maybe buy the smaller things, though. It's all about marketing.

If you want to sell online, you need plenty of good photographs and descriptive text.



Cathe is offline  
Old 01-30-2008, 06:46 AM
  #5  
Junior Member
 
fabuchicki's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Colorado
Posts: 168
Default

I agree with Cathe. The tourist areas are the place to go. I saw a lady selling art in one of the ski areas last year that I've sold myself for a third the price. Amish quilts benefit not only from their beauty and skill but from all the lookey loos who come to see their lifestyle and go home with a souvenir of "old fashioned hand made craftsmanship".
fabuchicki is offline  
Old 01-30-2008, 08:16 AM
  #6  
Super Member
 
jbsstrawberry's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 3,311
Default

This is a fairly interesting place as well. I've never bought from ebay, but I have made purchases here. They usually run a special several times a year for placing your items. It's pretty diverse too. Its a flat fee, so you know up front how much it will cost, unlike consignment which sometimes changes (at least the shop I use to use did they would have % off sales and tell us about them after the fact.) They also do a lot of the work for you, like keeping a running tally of how many available items are left on your listing and such. I've been watching the "current visitors online" ticker for a few months. Sometimes there are tons of people accessing this site at once.

http://www.craftmall.com
jbsstrawberry is offline  
Old 01-30-2008, 09:56 AM
  #7  
Super Member
 
Tiffany's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Idaho Falls
Posts: 1,907
Default

Originally Posted by Cathe
...Ebay is getting pretty expensive, though, and I am going to work more aggressively with etsy.

Speaking of etsy, they have a lot of very pricey art quilts, but if you look at the sellers' history, they haven't actually SOLD any $4000 quilts. They are just pricing them there. It does get people to look at their shop and maybe buy the smaller things, though. It's all about marketing.
Cathe, what is etsy? I've never heard of it before.
~Tiffany
Tiffany is offline  
Old 01-30-2008, 11:29 AM
  #8  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 1,097
Default

www.etsy.com

It's like ebay, but specifically for handcrafted things. You will find everything from plastic canvas tissue covers to clothing to fine art paintings and photography. And quilts.
Cathe is offline  
Old 01-30-2008, 11:30 AM
  #9  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 1,097
Default

and it's not an auction site - it's just straight selling.
Cathe is offline  
Old 01-30-2008, 12:32 PM
  #10  
Administrator
 
patricej's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Southeast Georgia, USA
Posts: 9,088
Default

Originally Posted by Moonpi
Cutesie juvenile prints make me gag,
c'mon, Moonpi ... tell us how you really feel.

i can see i've been a bad influence on you. :lol: :lol: :lol:
patricej is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
pollyjvan9
Main
5
09-28-2012 05:46 PM
pacquilter
Main
67
04-28-2012 01:47 AM
blzzrdqueen
General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
7
06-27-2011 01:35 PM
Raggiemom
Main
5
01-20-2011 06:57 AM
quiltingfan
Main
98
07-13-2010 11:45 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


FREE Quilting Newsletter