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I read in a book about how the Amish charged for thier quilts. That book stated that they charge by the thread yard... How ever many yards of thread they used (usually, a spool of thread is 250 yards)...so if it took 1 spool of thread to make the quilt, it is $250... ect...

People also don't realize how much time and effort it has taken you to get to the point of doing quality work. They don't realize that you may be working with $$$ of equipment...machines sergers, presses, irons, and notions..

Quote:

Originally Posted by bearisgray

Friends and relatives are the most difficult people to do "paid" work for.

Guess that depends on your relatives! My DMIL had me LA quilt a queen sized quilt she had cross-stitched decades ago - the kind with the blue lines to follow for hand quilting! The blue lines would no longer wash out and she couldn't hide the blue with her hand quilting thread and that's why I got it. I used blue thread to match the blue lines (good thing her cross-stitching has the same color blue in it) and faithfully followed the lines with my LA. I didn't know what to charge her, so she gave me $500...I gave most of it back, but it was nice to know she valued my work!!! :thumbup:

Wow, sounds like you got lucky with your choice of mother-in-law. Kudos for that!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sloan Quinn

Wow, sounds like you got lucky with your choice of mother-in-law. Kudos for that!

You are so right, she is a gem and I love spending time with her doing anything!!!

I would ask to trade, but I wouldn't wish my mother in law on my worst enemy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by raptureready

It's because what YOU do isn't as important as what HE does.
Since he's a hunter tell him you'd like to have a real bear skin rug. Would he please go to Canada, get a permit, kill one, have the meat processed, the head and skin made into a rug and give you a price for that. He'll start listing the costs of everything including his time off from work. Then tell him that you just want a small bear and couldn't he do it for $200?

Boy, you said it all. I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jan in VA

There are some of the best comments here I've ever heard! Wonderful sentiments, valuing your own work.

Remember to print this out and keep it at hand for future 'questioners". (And as it is, it's behind the times fabric price-wise!)

What It Really Costs To Make a Quilt

QUEEN SIZED, MACHINE PIECED, HAND QUILTED

MATERIALS:

Fabric 12-16 yards @ $9per yd. $108 - $144
Batting $25 - $40
Thread $8 - $16

Total $ invested $141 - $200

LABOR HOURS:

Piecing 20 to 60 hours
“Setting” (designing your quilt) 10 to 20 hours
Quilting 100 to 750 hours

Total hours invested 130 to 810 hours

TOTAL COST

Paying $1 per hour (Would you do this type of work for $1 an hour?!)

Materials $141 - $200
Labor $130 - $810
Total $271 - $1070

Paying minimum wage $7.25 (by law in 6/2009)

Materials $141 - $200
Labor (130-810hrs) $942.50 - $5872.25
Total $1083.50 - $6072.25

Paying skilled labor wage $20 per hour (Don't you consider yourself trained and skilled in this craft?)

Materials $141 - $200
Labor (130-810hrs) $2600 - $16,200
Total $2741 - $16,400

(Found on the Internet 1995; unknown author)

Jan in VA

I did, thanks! Mary in Blackstone, VA

i appreciate the little bear comparison.
however, some people have absolutely no idea what quilts cost. i have the same problem with the price for remodel work. i don't know if i can afford something until i ask. then i have to decide if i want to or can spend that much. ao i understand his question. it really wasn't a matter of doable it was more a matter of spending more than he wanted to spend.