The T-shirt quilt is about the memories. You can not sell quilts and recoup your costs, much less make a profit, if you purchase premium product at regular prices. No one will pay that cost because they don't understand the costs. You don't have to buy Kona but I would not suggest something as thin as a Symphony solid. Purchase a Country Classic ON SALE and when you have a 20% or 30% off total purchase coupon. This can bring it down to $2.50 per yard. Same thing with your interfacing. As far as your batting and backing go, I made one quilt that I had a perfect cotton that I really liked for the backing and it felt a bit thicker, so I used flannel for the batting. Got it at $2.79 per yard and a 20% off total. It made a delightful and warm blanket. For quilting, I tend to echo whatever is on the shirt and do a decorative stitch winding down the sashing - very quick and easy. Remembering that your time is also your cost. But, no matter what you choose to do, you get it IN WRITING BEFORE you start. If the person is balking at the beginning, it will not end well. Because they are supplying the shirts, I have made them for as little as $60 in materials - then figure in your time.

I recently make finished a tshirt quilt for someone. She provided the shirts, fabric for the backing and a interfacing that was not what I have used before in a tshirt quilt. Well, to put the quilt together using her fabrics, for both the front and back (they back was tshirts too) and I did some quilting on my home machine, she thought $150 was too much. It goes to show you, that they do not want cheaper, they do not want to pay for your time to make the quilt. They think that our time is free, but I have to say it is not. When I had my quilting business, I would charge $15 for sewing or putting the quilt top together. I also charge that for cutting and putting the interface on the tshirts. It took me over 20 hours to cut, prepare the 24 shirts for the front and back, then to sew the sashing and borders on. Then it took me over 5 hrs to simply to quilt in the ditch. I was not please with what I did. But she got what she paid for. I do not know how else to put it. So be careful, the cheaper quilt could ruin your representation. I will not be doing any more quilts unless they pay me full price. sorry.

My cousin makes t-shirt quilts like rag quilts. She used the front of the t-shirt on the front and the back of the t-shrit on the back. Sometimes she does batting but mostly not. They don't rag like the flannel does and she does not match the front and back fabrics. She does use a light weight stabilizer on the front piece. The quilts turn out cute and have enough weight for warmth in the SF bay area.

I made t-shirt quilts for about 10 years. I hardly ever stabilized. Usually only with a very thin shirt. I had a plexiglass template for the shirts. I made all the squares 16". Cut the side sashing at 16", so if the shirt grew or shrank I could adjust it. I marked the rows of sashing as to where shirt and sashing should be. I used a low loft batting cause quilts aren't supposed to be fluffy. I carried all the standard colors for backing and sashing. If they wanted something different, I would tell them they could go get it and tell them how much to buy or if I bought it I would quote them retail price of the fabric and then hopefully I could get it with a coupon. I also did pretty much echo quilting on the shirts and a squiggle like pattern on the sashing. Never once did I have a complaint and mothers returned for other kids in the family. I would quote my low end and then tell them we can do THIS for this much more. Maybe suggest a lap robe for less money.
I hate to see you guys call some people cheap. Of course there will always be someone trying to get something for nothing, but in today's economy, some people can't afford to have a quilt made and are quite surprised at the cost.
My quilting machine was all hand guided and people were surprised that I didn't just turn on the computer and let 'er rip. So maybe some gentle education would help. I also would take payments, but they didn't get the quilt till it was paid for.
Also if you take credit cards, that helps some people afford the quilt. I still use the SQUARE.

Thank you all for your input.

I did put together a cheaper quilt today, I just have to add the binding. Sewing without stabilizer went better than I thought it would. I think it turned out okay myself. Of course the other quilts I have been making are much nicer, in my opinion, but many just cannot afford them.

Here are some photos. The first one is what I have been making...the next two are the economy quilt.[ATTACH=CONFIG]567791[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]567792[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]567793[/ATTACH]

The less expensive one looks fine. Of course, I prefer the sashed one. I hope it works out for you and you make money and have a bunch of happy clients.
bkay

I like this idea. Make the price less by making a smaller product rather than giving options on the quality. I would be concerned that the cheaper materials aren't going to wear as well and you might get complaints down the road. Or worse, they complain to friends, but not to you.

Does the unsaved one have any stabilizer? If not, did you have problems with stretching?

The first one, with the sashing does have stabilizer. The second one, without sashing does not. I was careful not to stretch the t-shirts when sewing them together and used my walking foot. On the longarm I also was careful to just smooth out the t-shirts and not stretch them. It was much easier then I had imagined it would be.

I agree with this!!!! Don't compromise your skill and reputation. That will speak louder than any explanation you give.