I just posted but I had to reply to this. My brother is a custom cabinet maker and gets the same reaction. He, nicely, tells them to go and buy the better priced item because he can't make it for that. Many times these people come back after they see what is really out there. I think that men are still thought of as the 'bread winner' so women would not recieve the same consideration. I paid almost $1,000 for an Amish quilt. I could see the work and knew it was never going to come close to anything I could make. Many times it takes a fellow quilter to figure the true value.

Has he considered adding turned seam rippers? Rippers are being promoted as useful for opening packages and envelopes, removing labels from cans, clipping coupons, removing mats from pet hair, clearing out vacuum cleaner rollers, all sorts of things besides sewing functions. I'd love a beautiful wooden seam ripper and would probably buy them as gifts for special quilting friends as well. Just a thought.

I always thought that if you saw a painting someone made and they told you what they wanted, you wouldn't say "I could go to Walmart and buy a poster for $10". We are artists, just like painters. Our paint is our fabric. We make beautiful artwork plus it keeps you warm. We do more than painters do. We have to piece the quilt, then piece the backing, then layer it, then quilt it, then bind it. It's an awful lot of work. My husband only sees the finished blocks or tops - he never sees me in production mode. He'd be amazed at how I put blocks together and how I put the top together.

when someone gives me the "I could buy it at Walmart for less..." line, I usually reply, "Yes, you should go shopping there, I'm sure you will be very happy with your purchase."

Snarky? just a bit.....

I was ask if I would make a quilt for someone and I said I don't sell my quilts. She ask what I would charge for one if I did and I told her to go price the fabrics, batting ,pattern and thread and after seeing the pattern I could tell her but each pattern would be different depending on the difficulty. After a day shopping she informed me the fabric alone was more than she wanted to pay for a quilt. I just don't understand why people think quilts and other crafts are cheap. I made a Fall and Christmas wreath I payed over seventy dollars for the materials for each one. I had several people ask if I would sell them or make one for them. They did not want to pay more than fifteen or twenty dollars. I just laughed and told them to go buy one at Hobby Lobby or Michel's.

Your price is to cheap ,add another $2oo Barb

Hmmm, I've never thought about that, probably because I won't spend more than $1 on one. I've suggested he do knitting needles, but he said it takes too much precision so it isn't worth it. But a ripper wouldn't be a certain size necessarily, so it could work.

Right now he doesn't stock an etsy or anything though: just makes them on commission, mostly around graduation time.

That is remarkably LOW. He should have jumped at it. I charge 19 cents a square inch for a completed quilt. So 50x80 would come out to $760.00. I have not had any takers and I am just fine with that. It keeps the cheapskates way. I make what I want, when I want.

He was probably looking at an imported quilt from a box store.

Oh, so would I!!! I have some turned crochet hooks, in different types of wood. Got them from eBay, years ago. It used to be just the one seller (that I noticed, anyway), then others started jumping onto the bandwagon, with cheaper prices (but not as pretty). :rolleyes: