bugfountain

I'm looking for some advice on selling items-plan on doing this part time at least for now. I'd love to know how some of you market your items. How do you get started and how and where do you sell? Thanks for any help!!

marge954

I think you'll find most of us quilt for pleasure. We give away quilts as gifts, donate quilts for worthy causes and occasionally keep a quilt for ourselves. This question comes up once in a while with a newby and it you go to the search box at the top right corner of the page and type in "selling your quilts" you will see many threads that deal with this subject.

May favorite article is: http://katiesquiltingcorner.com/2013...ll-quilts.html

I love Molly Sparkles and this is a great article/spreadsheet if you are thinking of selling your craft items:
http://mollisparkles.com/we-are-ew-worth-i/
http://mollisparkles.com/2014/03/tgiff-costing-sheets/

I don't sell my quilts, it's my hobby and passion and selling would ruin that. I had a friend offer me $200 if I would make her a queen size, hand quilted quilt. That $200 wouldn't cover the cost of material. She got mad when I tried to explain the cost and said "they sell quilts at Sears for $100". Under duress I made a quilt for a family member. I told her to pay me what she could afford I got 1/3 of the cost of materials. She makes very good money and I was stupid for not giving a price up front.

Good luck with your endeavor!

bearisgray

Before trying to sell your products, do a cost-analysis of what they cost you in time and replacement cost of materials - then come up with a price that covers that -

susie-susie-susie

Years ago, a lady I worked with asked me to make an afghan for her and she would pay me. I told her I would do it for $20-$30, since I was already making one and it wouldn't take too much to make another. When it came time for her to pay me she said that I didn't charge enough and gave me $60. I was very surprised and when she see's me she still mentions that blanket. Customers like that are few and far between. Also that is only the second quilt I ever sold. It isn't a very lucrative market. lol
Sue

Jingle

I make quilts to donate since my kids, grands and great grands have many of them. I get much pleasure from making quilts but, I can't keep them all.

BTW welcome to this board, lots of knowledgeable people on here.

mamagrande

I was asked to make a lap quilt.. 45" x 60" I didn't give a price..so she call a quilting friend of mine and asked how much she should pay me. She told her that since i was using fabric from my stash so it probably would not be too much. My quilting friend told that that stash was purchased, so it is money that I had spent to create that stash. Anyway she gave me $80.

It took 3 yds top and 3 yds back @ $10. =$60, 4-6 hours cutting and piecing...2 hrs machine quilting, 4 hrs hand binding...12hrs total that equaled $1.66 per hr.

In the long run because I am retired and don't need to make a living with my hobby, I was just happy to get paid for the fabric.

quiltingshorttimer

there are a number of books written just for the craft entrepenauer, which explain how to market and how to price. To really do well in selling craft items, you will need to avidly market your items--probably develop an online presences with a blog, a FB page, pinterest, instagram, etc. You'll need excellent photography of your items. Most people find that they need a way to accept credit cards--Paypal is a good source for this support.

And pricing--this depends on whether you are just marketing locally or do plan to market via internet. One way to really nail down your pricing is to make up a few samples and keep track of not only the cost of materials, but also the hours involved. then you will need to decide what your minimum hourly wage is that you will work. I do both t-shirt & memory quilts and long arm quilting. I have set prices on both that are within the range fairness--but despite having customers for both, I also have had many decide the pricing is too high. You will need to have some thick skin to deal with those situations!

KnitnutBZ

I agree with mammagrande, i make quilts, bags, runners etc. for mostly gifts as I love to sew and love giving. However, if I can sell a few things throughout the year for at least what I have spent and not even consider my time I am happy as I keep it saved so I can buy more fabric. The rule of thumb was whatever you have invested, triple that amount. All depends on how expensive your project is I guess.

Sandygirl

Unless you are buying supplies at "wholesale", you will be battling the "retail" pricing issue. Triple cost of suppies..that should cover it.

sandy

Evie

I saved this from somewhere, so you can get an idea of what is involved:

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