I recently made a cheater quilt for a charity raffle. Many people loved it and asked me to make them a quilt. I did happen to find a gorgeous fabric by Fabric Traditions with gilding on it at Walmart for this quilt and it looked like it was pieced. I told them I would do it for $10 per hour labor, but we would shop together for the materials and here is the list I gave them with an estimate of costs they could expect to incur.
Supplies:
Cheater fabric, 2yds @$5 a yd at Walmart (no cutting, will be center panel)
2.5 yds each of two border fabrics @$5 yd each
$10 for batting on sale at Joanns (could be $20 as I will only use Warm and Natural)
5 yds @$6 yd for Kona Cotton backing/binding not on sale
$50 rental fee of Long arm quilting machine
Labor:
approximately $50 to make quilt top, wash, iron, cut, and sew top
$50 for 5 hours of quilting on Long Arm (my time and it's and estimate)
$30 for three hours of cutting, pressing, and sewing on binding by hand and final wash.
So, for $125 for supplies and $130 for labor, they can have a quilt for $255. EVERYONE CHANGED THEIR MIND. But of course I asked them if they would rather do a custom quilt with piecing for a starting price of about $800 if the cheater quilt was not good enough! LOL!
They will either learn to appreciate the value of what goes into a quilt or learn themselves to make them!
I make quilts with lots of love in them and for me that is what makes them priceless! I probably will never sell a quilt because I'm too busy making them for family as gifts, soldiers I want to wrap in love and appreciation, and worthy charities for fundraising.
Diane