pewa88

My advice, don't start doing this. "They" come out of the woodwork if "they" get wind of it.

Jennifer23

This is interesting to me... most people don't want just tops! Is this person a quilter who doesn't like piecing? Have you made a YBR before (so that you know how long it will take)? I think the biggest question for me is if they will be supplying the fabric- that will have a huge impact on the price.

YBR is a pretty simple pattern. I feel like I could whip that top out in a day, so I might charge a friend $100, someone else $200 (labor only). I haven't actually made one, though, so I might be dramatically underestimating the time required.

mamagrande

I have been making lap quilts for charity, simple 4-patch, rail fence etc. If someone gave me the fabric and asked for something simple I would ask for $60. for the top. Just to keep the hobby going, if they wanted it quilted then I would say $100. I retired so any $$ is better then nothing..that is just me.

Sophie2

I usually figure out the cost of materials and then double the cost and round up from there. I like to make quilts for people who are willing to pay for them. If they don't want to pay the price, I don't make it. I have learned to take a 50% non-refundable deposit, as I have had some people change their minds.

tessagin

I get asked often how much I would charge for a quilt. When they say I'll give you $50, I tell them no. They don't want to pay and then if and when they do, they want to "make payments". I just say no. To me it isn't worth the aggravation. Also I'm not Eleanor, I don't do quilts in a day!

Kris P

I charge $15 per hour for my sewing time. I explain to them that I pay one of my best friends $30 per hour to give my girls piano lessons...(which is a bargain for piano lessons) Teaching piano is a skill developed from many hours of practice... quilting is also a skill that many do not want to take the time to perfect. I look at it like this... if I'm not making at least $15 an hour to work for someone else, I may as well be working on my own projects.

alikigirl

I just looked on Etsy for finished Yellow Brick Road quilts. Prices seem to be around $260-$480.

https://www.etsy.com/search?q=yellow+brick+road+quilt

ArtsyOne

I've made only 2 quilts that were for "customers". There was no pleasing the first customer and I spent countless hours changing colors out, adding more batting, increasing the size with additional borders and in the end he balked at paying me even for the fabric. Several years later I again stupidly agreed to make a quilt for someone and frankly the joy in making a quilt was just taken out of it. I was paid generously, but had no fun in the making.
Now I just make baby quilts or lap quilts and give them away to pregnant coworkers or to the local fire/rescue squad and get to make what I want, when I want and using whatever color or pattern I want. I would never again make a quilt for a "customer".

marge954

I have a lap quilt made with the Yellow Brick Road pattern in my living room and get lots of comments on how pretty it is and can you make me one. My answer for the Yellow Brick Road pattern in a lap size quilt is $300. No one who has asked the question has taken me up on making one which is a relief because I only quilt for myself

klswift

Absolutely show her the price breakdown BEFORE you start. Most people have no idea what the cost is. I sell both in a store and online. The two standard ways to price are 3 x's the product cost or the products cost + hourly cost (these also need to be adjusted for what the market will spend). My suggestion is you take her with you to purchase the fabric. She pays for it and then pays you for your labor. I try to never spend more than $3 per yard in order to recoup my costs. But, I spend a lot of time getting these fabrics (downtown fabric marts, online, huge sales, etc) because I do it as a business. Show her the fabric requirements for the fabric, give her an approximate time (if she doesn't know quilting, break it down - cutting, sewing etc.). The point is to educate her in what goes into making a quilt or even a quilt top BEFORE she commits to it. Many, many, many of us have been burned by folks thinking it was a simple, quick and inexpensive thing to throw a quilt together. And, as hard as it may seem, try to keep it fun, nothing worse than working on a project that has stopped being fun!