I am so sorry to here this happened to you twice. I agree do ask for a deposit .At least for what all the materials cost you. I had this happen to me once and i was dumb enough( because she was a so called friend) to let her take it before paying for it and have yet to this day gotten paid for all the hard work that was put into the quilt.At least you still have the quilts and they sound like there beautiful and someone will want them and to pay for them. :)