amandasgramma

I asked that very same question on a longarm forum yesterday!!! Someone sent me this --- VERY helpful -- you can add or subtract where needed. http://www.longarmuniversity.com/Boo...le_article.htm

Holice

Please don't let them decide on the price. You should cost everything out including time and then decide if you want to proceed. You need everything decided in yourself before making the committment. Many will support this and I don't care if it is a frend. You should not give a break until you know all the details. Then tell them and let them decide if they want to proceed. Initially friendship should not enter into it until you know what the full job and cost will be then decide if you want to give a break. Friendships can be hurt over such. You have to also know exactly what they expect as well. I did this one time (never again) and the friends expectations were different than my reality.

bearisgray

I hate to do 'jobs for pay' for friends and/or relatives.

Most of them tend to be unaware of the actual time and cost involved - plus some of them are just plain cheap!

scrapnut

I charge my really good, close friends nothing. They pay all cost and I keep all of the scrap fabric. They always return the favor though. My husband and I are very blessed to have two couples in our lives that have ALWAYS been there for us during the difficult times in our lives. You can't put a price on that.

scrapnut

After I posted a response I thought how smug my response sounded. That was not my intention. As I stated in my post we have two sets of friends I never charge anything for quilting or sewing. They on the other hand NEVER take advantage of this. In return for my sewing, they also help us at the drop of a hat! When my husband was very sick during his cancer recovery they helped care for his very intimate medical needs and never batted an eye. I feel so blessed to have them in my life that I would never be able to charge them for sewing in clear conscious. Please accept my apology if I offended you.

quiltinghere

Chris wrote: "I think they are wanting something simple, like sashing and cornerstones around the blocks, and then a border or two." IMHO I don't think this is 'simple'...simple to me would be sewing the blocks together as they are (no sashing or cornerstones) with one border. Just my humble opinion. Another question - Who's quilting it? How much detail will be applied to those sashings and cornerstones and a border or two? Takes time and money to do that.

I've never had to figure the cost of making a quilt for someone...but IF I did, I would figure out how long it would take me (moving quickly and efficiently) along with the price of materials (and time needed to shop for them). Then I would multiply the hours by an hourly rate (only you can decide) and add price of materials.

Sometimes non quilters will say "Oh you should make one for me!" and my instant reply is "How much do you think I would charge?" Their response is usually nothing or some ridiculous low ball figure.

Since you situation is a serious inquiry into making a quilt for someone, I would figure out how much I would charge. Then I would ask them what they 'think' it would cost to have you do it. Point I'm making is IF YOU think it'll cost a reasonable $400 to make the quilt (and it sounds like start to finish (except for the blocks) and they think it'll cost $100 you'll have to be prepared to explain the REAL LABOR TIME and ACTUAL MATERIAL COSTS involved. I would want to know where they are in their thinking of price before I talked to them about a higher price.

People who don't quilt...don't understand the time and money involved...
People who quilt...understand and are willing to pay if necessary.

Interested to see how this turns out.

#1piecemaker

This is a hard one to advise on. But, here goes. If you are to provide backing and batting, figure your cost. Then add on what it is worth for you to quilt it. since these are friends of yours, just give them the price. If they are really serious, they will pay it. If they want it done for free, you will get out of that. Don't do anything you will regret later when you are putting all that work into it. It is harder to work on other people's things than it is your own.

quiltingweb

I've really been short-changing myself. I was talking to a woman who makes commissioned quilts but has to pay someone to machine quilt them...she does all the work and then PAYS someone to do the quilting and works that into her price, 2 cents per square inch. When I've made quilts for people, I charge for my materials and what amounts to what it would cost someone to quilt it...the last queen sized quilt I made, I charged $250. The amount of materials up front and then the rest when it's done. I like the above formula for figuring the cost of a quilt...just not sure I'd get many people willing to pay that. This why I love this board...so much information.

Honest Joe

A friend would never put a person, especially a friend on the spot like that. What should've been done is negotiate the price first and locked in, so there are no surprises on either end for both parties. I came to this site to see how much a quilt on average would cost, but then what is average? Quilts are composed of many variables that a non-quilter like me wouldn't know about. So really my query for the answer goes unanswered. If you don't give a qote up front don't be surprised that you won't get what you had in mind and you really can't be mad at the person on the other end simply because they do not know the full aspect of quilt making. You put the other person in a very awkward position by not telling them the cost up front. Stores don't do it and niether should anyone who wants to sell anything.

carolaug

I not only make them for free...I pay for the fabric too...I just enjoy doing it...No stress when not charging people..and the smiles are priceless.