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-   -   When asked, what do you charge for this? HELP please (https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/when-asked-what-do-you-charge-help-please-t125074.html)

DebsShelties 05-23-2011 02:56 AM

I have a good friend who is in Texas, she has asked what I charge to make her a full size quilt. She would be supplying the fabric, batting and backing material.
I have showed her some of my smaller projects which she loved.
I know I am still learning, in fact put the playmat onto the Flynn Frame yesterday to do free motion, need to adjust the tension! Have some interesting loops on the back. EEEEKKKKK.
I have not made a quilt for pay, what do I say?

Thanks.

sewcrafty 05-23-2011 03:27 AM

It would greatly depend on the pattern that she chooses. Some are a lot more labor intensive.

DebsShelties 05-23-2011 03:31 AM

I told her since I am just learning it needed to be an easy pattern. I was thinking $50 - $100 to make the quilt, since she will be paying a lot for fabric and batting. Backing material can be costly.

SueDor 05-23-2011 03:38 AM

Your making the quilt! Are you going to quilt it also?
Like "sewcrafty" said if the pattern is a lot of work plus quilting it, maybe I would charge 150.00 or more. It depends on a lot of things, size, time....

DebsShelties 05-23-2011 03:43 AM


Originally Posted by SueDor
Your making the quilt! Are you going to quilt it also?
Like "sewcrafty" said if the pattern is a lot of work plus quilting it, maybe I would charge 150.00 or more. It depends on a lot of things, size, time....

It is a Full size. Haven't talked to her about who is quilting it. If I quilt it, will be nothing fancy. I was thinking loops, stipple.

mpspeedy 05-23-2011 03:55 AM

I am primarily a handquilter. I basically start at $10 a square foot plus materials. If I am just handquilting I start at 7 cents a square inch plus a flat fee for marking, batting, backing and binding depending on the size of the finished project. The only thing I machine quilt is T-shirt quilts. It has been my experience that most people who want a quilt made from scratch are not willing to pay for my time or expertise. Since the advent of the long arm machines my handquilting business has disappeared. My best customer was a lady who ran a custom framing business and recognized the value of handquilting. She had a collection of tops left by her grandmother which a quilted and finished for her. She and I talked about the fact that folks in our area would not pay for the work either of us did. Her customers all came from the D.C. Metro area.

DebsShelties 05-23-2011 04:08 AM

I sent her an email asking what pattern she is looking at that I needed more details before I could give her a price.

Sally Dolin 05-23-2011 04:18 AM

I seldom make a quilt for a customer. When I do, I charge $10 a hr for the piecing. I use an electric clock attached to a power strip with rocker switch and I keep track. This allows me to be accurate when stopping for phone calls, interruptions. You can also do 1 block, time it then multiply instead of keeping track of time, but don't forget you still have to put the blocks together. Figure in an additional 20% of piecing time for assembly (blocks, sashing, corner stones etc). Then I figure in .015/sq in for simple quilting or the rate for whatever type quilting they want. Then add in .10cents per running inch for the binding. You will come up hating the project if you don't. The fact that we do these over time and don't realize our total effort leads us to under charge massively to customers.

ckcowl 05-23-2011 04:21 AM

it's often a (sticky subject) when making something for a good friend or family member- you want your time to be valued but at the same time want to give a good deal because of who it is for.
over the years i have come up with a (base price) for different sizes of quilts- then depending on who/where the quilt is going it may be quite a bit more by the end.

such as...i charge $65 for a (base price) for a twin-kids quilt...if you are a close friend/family member- that is what you would pay--
if the quilt is for sale- and i have no idea who may buy it it is $125----if it is a lot of work---expensive/time consuming it may be more- but that's the average.

when someone asks- what would you charge me to make a queen size quilt? i start with..."a queen size quilt starts at $250 and goes up from there- what did you have in mind?"
everyone is different as far as what to charge and why---it is different when a person is supplying everything you need- and if you are not concerned with really (making money) charge your friends what ever you think is fair.

DebsShelties 05-23-2011 04:26 AM


Originally Posted by ckcowl
it's often a (sticky subject) when making something for a good friend or family member- you want your time to be valued but at the same time want to give a good deal because of who it is for.
over the years i have come up with a (base price) for different sizes of quilts- then depending on who/where the quilt is going it may be quite a bit more by the end.

such as...i charge $65 for a (base price) for a twin-kids quilt...if you are a close friend/family member- that is what you would pay--
if the quilt is for sale- and i have no idea who may buy it it is $125----if it is a lot of work---expensive/time consuming it may be more- but that's the average.

when someone asks- what would you charge me to make a queen size quilt? i start with..."a queen size quilt starts at $250 and goes up from there- what did you have in mind?"
everyone is different as far as what to charge and why---it is different when a person is supplying everything you need- and if you are not concerned with really (making money) charge your friends what ever you think is fair.

This is a gal I have known since High School (35 years), I would be doing this more for the experience than money. I have told her in the past when she asked about fabric and how much it takes that I always buy more than what the pattern calls for as a just in case.
I am in Virginia, she would be shipping me the materials if I agree to make this for her.


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