Am I good enough?
 

Ok folks, I have a question. I have been quilting for some time just as a hobby. I have made quilts and given them as gifts. I have made quilts for Quilts for Kids... I really enjoy doing this. But I don't really know how good I am. I know I am far from perfect, but I just do my best and enjoy it. The other day a lady at work asked me if I would make quilts for her kids... and she would pay me. I mean wow! I know many people make quilts on commission, but I just assume those people are much better than I am. So how do I know that what I make will be good enough to sell? Have any of you guys ever felt this way?

Show her one of your completed projects so she knows what your work looks like and go from there. Yes, it is a compliment for someone to want you to do something. Now - paying you for your time is often a different story!

I think I would ask her how much she is willing to pay me for making the quilts. Maybe she doesn't know how much work, money and time you will have to put in to make them for her.

I also would try to show her some of my work before you begin. That way there is no surprises on either side and you can relax while making them.

People's standards differ widely. I would say that if your coworker has seen some of the quilts you have made and says she would be happy with the quality she sees in them, then you could safely make one for her for pay without worrying about disappointing her.

I would say that you just have too many irons in the fire and you only do this for fun and not for profit. Sometimes sewing for a friend can ruin a friendship. Ask me how I know.

I have been making quilts off and on for 30 years. They are fun to make and every once and a while someone hears that I quilt and ask if I sell them. My response has always been, "No, I'm not that good." My family thinks I am much better than I think that I am, but they love me and do not look for the imperfections. People paying for something will look and find each and every one. So rather than let anyone be disappointed, I just don't sell anything that I make.

I would show her some of your quilts and ask her if these types/styles/quality is what she is looking for. Then explain the time involved, and what you would charge her (wide estimate is OK, just to see if she faints...). If she is still interested, then go for it if you are comfortable with the stress of making a quilt for compensation, not love.

I say go for it. I am certainly not even remotely close to a professional level quilter, but I am careful with my piecing, creative with my layouts and quilting, and always include the person paying for the quilt in my ideas for the finished product. I've made several quilts - 4 memory and 4 or 5 t-shirt quilts for people who have paid me for them. I let them know ahead of time what the approximate cost (WITHIN 10 - 15% ) will be, and then I totally agonize while putting the quilts together, worrying about whether the person paying for the quilt will be happy with the finished product. Happy to say that every single person I've made a quilt for, so far, has been totally thrilled with them. So again, I say go for it. But do not give your time away. Make it worth your effort - for you!!

I would definitely go for it. My suggestion would be to show her pictures of the patterns you have confidence in. If she likes one of your patterns, you can't go wrong.

Most people have no idea the amount of time that goes into a quilt. When this person said she'd pay you, I suspect she was thinking of a much lower price than your time is worth. Personally, I would not want to quilt on commission. I think it would take the fun out of it, and I would worry about deadlines and customer satisfaction. If the idea appeals to you, make sure you settle your terms up front, and that she is familiar with the quality of your work.