quiltmom04

No, no, no! $85 is NOT fair! Your skills are valuable!! And we all know that not only is it hard to judge what that's worth, it's also hard to ASK for. But if it were me, I wouldn't let it go for less than $200. ( I'd probably ask more, but I'd want to make some money, not just break even) unless you want to give it away, but keep in mind, if you don't ask enough and the orders start coming in, it will be hard to regroup and either stop or ask for more. When I've made things and felt that I'd not made enough ( either because I was not confident or brave enough to ask for more), it really made me mad. So when someone asks me to make something, I really ask for enough that I will be happy with it, not worrying about whether the customer thinks its too much. Just sayin'

Rennie

When I began machine embroidery, my DH said - oh, we should do this for a hobby business! So, we did - and it almost turned me against doing any more machine embroidery! Oh, the stress of doing it for other people who don't understand the time element and the deadline stress. After a couple of years we gave it up due to his health ---- and now I am back to enjoying machine embroidery and wanting to learn to do quilting. Think long and hard about whether you want the stress of meeting someone else's expectations and their remarks about "why so much $$" ? I want to do it for the enjoyment of it.

Wanabee Quiltin

When I first started quilting, a dear friend asked me to make her a queen size quilt ......for $25.00. I told her that the fabric, batting, backing would run about $100.00 and that was that. I used to make wedding cakes for family and the same dear friend asked me to make her granddaughter a wedding cake and I said OK. Then her DIL called and wanted me to make a wedding cake for her daughter and a groom's cake and she wanted it with the cheapest ingredients ever. Thought about it for a day and called both up and said I could not do this. So the moral of this short story is to be very careful in making quilts or anything else for people unless you are totally prepared and want to do this for others.

cindi

I have been following this thread because I'm interested in what others have to say about charging. Yes, I'm VERY proud of my work. No, I don't make quilts as a "business", per say, but when I'm asked to make a quilt, I do treat it as a business. Yes, I am one of those people who feel I do "such a good job that they need to be paid top dollar for a hobby". My quilts ARE beautiful, and I'm not afraid to say so. I've worked hard at my hobby to become as good as I am. And there isn't one person that I've made a quilt for - whether it be gifted or paid for - that didn't tell me as much. And that's because I made them exactly what they wanted made, and they've been informed every step of the way during the process so there were no surprises. No, I'm not being conceited, but proud of what has taken many years to learn. I do think I'm all I am. I won't downgrade myself just because this isn't my "real job". One can be good at something and choose when and if they want to make money at it. I tend to undercharge - when I do charge for a job, but that's my choice and I don't often charge. Be proud of the work you've done - never underestimate yourself or you'll always be stuck thinking you're never "good enough" to be paid!

oldtnquiltinglady

This has been a wonderful read this evening as I finish up my long day, not even being able to get out to my sewing room because of so many other things that one has to do to get by anymore. I, too, have been guilty of not charging enough for things I created because of this reason or another, and have been taken advantage of many times over; therefore, I have a bad attitude about sewing for others for pay and don't sew for anyone except loved ones anymore. We are worth it; but it has taken me a million years to learn that......

Z Any Mouse

I charge $300 for baby quilts, $500 for twin-sized, and up. By the time materials are deducted, I'm lucky if I clear $5.00 an hour, and that does not include time for shopping, or hours spent working up or researching the design. Please don't undercharge! I have a friend who is very fond of telling me how she can get a frilly apron at a discount store for $15.00 (I charge $30), and I tell her $15 doesn't even cover the cost of materials. Be my guest and buy a discount store apron, and know that it was probably made by a 5 year-old child in a foreign country (only half joking). Our time is worth money, and remember that people think nothing of spending a ton of money on wall art.

sewbizgirl

I agree with all the monetary assessments given here, but in my experience people just won't pay it. I have some really nice baby quilts in my Etsy shop for $80 to $120, with one about the size you mentioned for $95. They are SLOW sellers.

sewbizgirl

For those of you selling quilts for $300- $500... where are you selling????

farmquilter

I ask about the same question in another thread and have decided NOT to do any custom quilts. I enjoy making them at my own pace and always do scrappy with most of them going to charity.
All the answers above helped me decide I do not want to be a business.
Jan

Peckish

I could not agree with this more. I have to laugh at people who think I shouldn't charge a decent price simply because it's my hobby. What about the husband who makes beautiful carved wood side tables and salad bowls and statues? Should he charge less for his work product because it's a hobby? Somehow I doubt it.