I have an acquaintance who tried to constantly use me by starting her sentences with 'can you do me a huge favor?' At first, because I thought we were friends, I'd help her. Now, after getting burned and put on the back burner in her life, I've learned to 'just say NO'. I choose not be used or abused. She is no friend.
Same thing with sewing jobs - just say no - people just don't want to pay for something you put so much time and effort into.

We have a sales receipt with two copies. Deposit and money due are clearly stated. X amount of days to pick up and then we start to charge storage. Quotes have a specific time before the price expires.
When we write up an order and after the customer has signed the order, we give 'em the 3rd copy.
Have the answers before the customer asks the question. :)

I agree.

A few yrs ago, a neighbor was asked to make a baby quilt & they agreed on the price.She was never payed & to add insult to injury,was invited to a baby shower of a friend....one of the gifts came from the woman who didn't pay.Yes, it was the baby quilt.!!!!!

When I'm asked about making a quilt, my standard reply is....go to a LQS,pick out a pattern,the fabric & thread.I'll let you know the cost.That's the end of that!!

Stick to your guns on charging for your work, and getting 1/2 your money up front. Your talent is definitely worth something or they wouldn't be looking at your pretty purses and asking you to make them one!

UUHHMM -- I had a similar thing - but with giving a "friend" lifts to shops, quilt club evenings and shows etc. Then I had the audacity to ask for some pennies towards petrol - and my time - NO NOTHING --- in the end I had it out with her and, although I was upset at the time - I have got over it now.
DottyD.

Send them an invoice??Perhaps you could approach them over coffee when everyone else is there, and say in passing,"By the way girls - those bags made for you - I will be quite happy to accept a dollar down and a dollar a week until you pay them off."
In future,even if you do get a deposit to make it, don't part with it until you get paid for the other half, would be my advice.

I agree.I had someone say,"You only make it while you're watching television anyway."So with an attitude like that, I told her that if she thought it was so easy,she should give it a go and make it herself...haven't been pestered to make one since.

Can I hear an AMEN --- it works!!!

its fine to make for friends-co-workers but you need to learn they do not get it until you get paid- just like at the store- the money changes hands before the product goes out the door...
or if someone says will you make me one say sure- i need $20 to get started- or what ever you plan to charge- when you have the money- go make the item.
i make beach bags//tote bags for co-workers all the time- when they give me money- i make them a bag- no hard feelings involved.

Business is conducted with Written Agreements and an INVOICE. It is NOT TOO LATE. Type up identical invoices, with your name and address, date them, include a photo if possible. (One Invoice for each purse made--assume they might talk behind your back--when they Each get a proper invoice, they will have something to Show and Tell!). Some people just need a simple reminder; others need a goad. Be professional in your controlled way; they will respond in a professional manner: this means Polite, Calm, No apologies, No begging, No whining; no going to their co-workers to complain. You might hand them the invoice with a gift, a muffin or cup of tea. SMILE. Tell them some pleasantries. "Your bag looks very nice with your outfit" if it is appropriate for the time and place. With an Invoice IN HAND, it will be their responsibility to do the right thing! And tell us how it goes! Curious minds want to know!

exactly. and it is ok to just say "NO"

Value yourself & your work. Sell you knowledge and skills.

We require a non-refundable 'design deposit' before we draw up a pattern. This does two things.

1) We know the customer is serious because they've paid good money up front.

2) The customer has made sure we understand what is wanted because if he changes his mind and requests a redesign we charge another deposit.

Awhile back a co-worker asked me to make special quilts for his kids and I did. I even ordered special fabric. One was highschool musical and the other wrestling. I made the musical one but have never been paid so I'm not making the other one. I have a hard time asking for money so now I just say sorry I don't have the time or money.

I am totally floored by this! I can't believe they can look at you everyday knowing they owe you money. If you see them carrying the purse you made, you should say in the sweetest voice possible, "I'm so glad you are enjoying the purse I made you. Do you realize you still haven't paid me for it?"
I would have such a difficult time dealing with these people on a daily basis. As I write this, I can't believe how appalled and fired up I am over this. I hope they come around and pay you.

I always get the money up front !!

When I read the title to your message I thought you had the same problem as me. I've loaned money to family, never got it back; I've sold things (garage sale) to family member and never been paid; and now I've sold some fabric, sent it to the person in good faith and can't get them to pay. I know I'm the fool for trusting people to do the right thing.

Amen, Sister. My standard reply when people learned I sewed was "I don't now and never will sew for the public." I have been blessed to do some small jobs for people I adored such as hemming pants and little odd jobs for grateful friends.

This is what I was wondering .. all I gotta say is gutsy !

I used to sew for people and for this very reason...I don't any more.

They should be ashamed of themselves! :evil: :cry:

I use to, long before I got into to quilting, sew for people, but I got taken so many times, I just quit. It's not worth the aggravation! Some people think, because we sew & love it, it's not work, so therefor, why should we be paid to do it! So now, I gift my quilts, when & if, I choose to do so. And I don't sew for anyone now, except hubby or myself.....

:thumbup:

Yes, it is a lesson learned, next time, you can ask for half up front or do not give them the purse or whatever you have made until they have paid. I know it's not easy to ask for money, but if you prefer you can write a short note saying something like, I know you've been busy and you may have forgotten our agreement, but I really need "X" and if they don't want to pay, tell them they can return the product. Cash first always causes the least amount of grief. I like to trust people too, but unfortunately people take advantage and it's not right. I would try to get the money or the purse back.

The policy here is half up front and you don't get the finished item till the other half is paid. No arguments or negotiations; those are the rules.
Need half up front to buy the supplies and the other half upon delivery because, as mentioned above, you don't carry away merchandise before it is paid for.
Just try it lol, it won't be a fun experience in any other business, so don't do it to crafters and quilters.

I think if they actually go out and buy the supplies then they see how expensive they are but then there is all the time you put in for planning and making. So what is a good honest price for your time and labor. Do you charge by the hour, the size of the project or something else.

I do not give the item to the person until they have paid the money. Even if they know it's just sitting in my desk drawer, they still don't have it in their hands until the money is in mine. I also have sworn off doing items for other people...not worth the time and frustration.

I like this approach, very tactful! :-D

I had a fellow come to me and ask me to remove the old narrow border and add more to enlarge it to fit his queen bed. His Mom (deceased) had made it but had not used the best choice of fabrics. I made it 12" larger on each side and hand quilted it all around, with corner stones, flat welt (flanges) and spiderwebs. I also repaired a few problem areas. When I finished it he had moved and changed jobs. I think it was 3 years later that I finally tracked him down and asked if he still wanted it. He came to pick it up, loved it, and gave me a very nice tip on top of the agreed-on price! It was not a quilt I would have wanted to keep and I was so afraid my experience would have an unhappy ending... but Yay! Not so (this time)

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS get the money before you hand them over the item. I have learned my lesson the hard way, too. And if the item is to be personalized, get at least 1/2 of it before you start. Been there, done that!

Such a shame there are so many people like this. I don't for one minute blame it on the economy. This is just the way way too many people are. They think they are too good to pay.

I agree and do it in front of others!

Amen! Or, as my grandmother used to say, "Bless it and let it go!. One or the other so you won't have to continue to feel bad. froggyintexas

this has nothing to do with quilting but my daughter when in college to earn money took the job of breaking a horse for a lady all summer she came and took the horse without paying. She told my daughter she would send her the money in a week/ she tried to get hold of her and found out she moved out of town. We weren"t home at the time/it was a hard lesson for her to learn. We told her that she should have kept the horse till she paid

This is the best reply yet......and be sure to present these are questions that require answers from them.

I also used to do fairs and show back in the 70s & 80s. Now there are too many commercial vendors at many of them and what I call 'wastebasket' crafts at others - things made with inferior or throw-away materials. I do much better dealing with a handful of antique and gift shops that buy from me direct and only carry the best workmanship. I name my price and they sell it for whatever they choose.

I make personalized pillows and always ask for a portion up front. I also make them double check the spelling, but forgot to do this on one for a friend. Wouldn't you know, I mistook her fancy "C" for a "K", so now I'm making another one :roll:

Donna

It's trickier when it's your boss, isn't it? Maybe it depends on how long you've known her. You would not be out of line, especially if you see her carrying it, to mention how long that took you to make. Maybe she'll take the hint. The woman with financial problems might be handled with a suggestion that if she can't pay cash, she could take you to lunch a few times and pay for it with a credit card. Bottom line, if they can't afford the product, they should not have agreed to buy it, and they are stealing from you and shouldn't get away with it.

So sorry this has happened to you. My husband works on computers on the side and not for a business. He can clean out viruses and get computers back to original shape.
He too would not get paid for fixing computers. They would tell him they would make a large thick steak for him and never to be done. Well, this summer I noticed her yahoo account sent out a strange email that wasn't from her so I knew she had a virus. Yep, she sure did call and he said he was very busy and that she'll have to spend the 300 dollars to get it fixed! Hmmm...a steak cooked on her grill would have been cheaper. But this happens and is a lesson learned.

That is so disheartening. You are a sweetheart for making these purses.

I'm so sorry this has happened to you. I hem pants for coworkers (we are all short women...lol) and tell them no charge. I always get something...a little gift or $10 gift card to Hobby Lobby or something. If they only knew how little time it takes me to hem...lol But it is always appreciated by them and their gifts are appreciated by me. It turns out to be a win-win situation. Hope the ladies step up and pay you for your work. You deserve it!!!