She could live in an area of tightwads. I tried to sell a Horn cabinet in great condition for $75. 3 people who responded asked me to give it to them. I repurposed it.

People who don't understand the costs involved in making a quilt and don't want to pay what the quilt is worth. Too many discount stores sell quilts for a lot less than we could buy the fabric even if we got a great deal on the fabric. But, what do those cheap quilts look like after they have been washed?! Some will unravel like crazy.

When I gave my youngest a quilt for his 17th birthday, I let him know what everything cost. The backing was brown minkee and I had to buy 5 yards at $15 a yard. He also saw me working on it so he knew how much time I put in it. He said he suspected it was for him even though I did not tell him. He saw the manly colors (no flowers and done in browns, blues and creams - split fail fence, and the brown minkee) and it was close to his birthday. He still sleeps with that quilt every night even when it's warm.

I agree that the value of our quilts far exceed what most who would like to buy are willing to pay. We are all so used to getting massed produced items at incredibly low prices, that it is hard to understand how much one of a kind, hand produced items can be worth. I think that is why so many of us make our quilts for loved ones, and for charity.

I make quilts for the pleasure/fun of sewing and quilting. I am retired so I feel my time is "free". I have posted stuff on etsy and sold stuff for the cost of the fabric plus a small profit. The money feeds my habit/lets me buy more fabric. If I sell something great! If not then I keep it or give a way. It's not that I undervalue my time but I do not have other things to do except clean (ugh) so quiting gives me something to do and is FUN!!!!!!

I have on occasion, made a quilt for someone who wanted a particular pattern or material but they bought all the supplies and I did the labor. Was for a cousin who wanted it for a dear friend of hers. Most of my quilts are not in the "for sale" category anyway. I mostly make Lap, baby or TV quilts and give them to family or friends. Mine are just the "homey" type, not show quilts. I'm just not that talented.

When anyone asks me to make them a quilt I say sure but you have to go with me to buy the pattern, fabric, and thread and pay the longarmer. When the pretty wears off in the shop and the yardage at $10 - $12 a yard sinks in how many yards they need, the cost of good thread and then find out how much a longarmer costs it always turns out the person gets a headache, can't decide today, needs time to think about the pattern, needs to match color of room, etc. I never hear from them again about making a quilt. Except my DDs. They say mom buy this and make this one for me. LOL

I see lots of stuff on Etsy that is barely covering the cost of material. For some they get validation from the sale .. regardless of the price/profit... I am not one of those people.

I feel the same way and as someone later said "my quilts are mainly homey" etc and not for sale.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that maybe these low-priced quilts are made in China. I used to work at a major department store and once a year they'd get in a huge shipment of quilts. Beautiful patterns and beautiful cotton fabrics on sale for as little as $30. All of these quilts were hand-sewn and pieced with nothing to let the buyer know that they were made in a third-world sweat shop.

Of course we undervalue ourselves when we do this! But look around your home right now!! It will be a rare person who hasn't whiled away the hours looking at CHEAP and CHEAPER and CHEAPEST stuff, trying to decide whether they can get something for $1.49 at WM or do they feel duped when they wander into Dollar Tree and find it for a buck.... More Made in China prices so we can have MORE!!! WE treat our own money like that...HOW MUCH of stuff can we get, not necessarily how GOOD of stuff can we get .....

Look at the number of threads that come and go stating that X fabric store vs Y fabric store and the quality/cost of fabrics, with and without coupons, how we won't buy good fabrics for a quilt because it's JUST for a baby (the quilt that will receive the MOST wear and tear, washing machine hours, etc) And WE know that it takes time and skill, and effort, and honestly, running to Macy's on Christmas eve and grabbing a sweater for $30 for Aunt Jo is probably going to make her just as happy as slaving over a design/fabric choice/quilting pattern and tying up $200 for a quilt for her....

So, yeah... lol