She purchased fabric, batting and backing. I need to create a quilt for a four year old in a double bed size with square blocks and have no idea how to price this project. I will also be machine quilting the finished quilt. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Ilsa

Depends on how good of a friend, lol! :D

Seriously though...I have two BFF's that I'm mostly charging for the materials, and donating my time. But they are also two women that I would birth children for. ;)

That's what I was gonna say. It depends on how good a friend she is. I making a king size one for friend, I had most of the stuff in my stash, she will buy what else is needed plus $50.00. If it is a request then I always charge something.

I think that in the future I will alway charge something because..... In February my MIL came for a visit. She went to the LQS with me and wanted a very simple quilt for her BF grandson. She purchased the materials for a twin sided quilt. She offered to pay.

I am disabled and the amount of time I can sit or do much of anything is very limited. I told her to clean while I sewed (I can not do both). This was the deal with my kids while they were growing up. The child loved the quilt.

Fast forward to MIL visit in July, her friend wanted me to make a walker bag as a new one cost $15.00. Dumb me agreeded, if she would send the old one for me to go by. Did not get the old one was told it was 17 by 19 and had to pockets, just a straight piece of cloth and she sent her own velcro.l

Before I finished that the BF call with an order for a superman cape for the grandson. See where we are going with this????

Husband figured out what the walker bag was to look like and I made it. The velco was sticky back and not to be sewn by machine.

The bag was sent with instructions to hand stitch her own velcro and a piece of red cloth for the GS. I explained to MIL that I can not sew long enough to make the things I want for me much less sew for others.

Sharon

I do the price of material + labor($25/hour)(piecing block all the way to binding)! Most of the time it comes out to being $75.00 to $125.00! If it's a hard top or complicated blocks and took longer then usual! I try not to let it go over $150.00 unless it's a BIG quilt!! I hope I didnt confuse you!! ;) ;)

like your answer :)

I think pricing is always so hard. I only did one quilt, a GF baby quilt size, and I charged $90, but that was for fabrics also. I had used an expensive lace for around the entire quilt, plus lace on the fans. The lady didn't even blink! At the time, I looked at what ready made quilts cost to get an idea, and most were over that. At the time, I also went to a specialty shop that sold handmade quilts, and those prices were astronomical!! My advice, don"t sell yourself cheap!!

I've learned it's a whole lot easier to barter services than to charge friends for quilts. They exchange their labor for mine by helping me with things like spring cleaning, major garden work, stuff that's hard to do alone or is just plain more fun with two people. Works for all of us. :)

I made a cathedral windows, king size, for my son and family. His wife's friend wanted to know how much I would charge to make her one. I told them they couldn't afford it. It was very time consuming and a labor of love. I have only quilted as gifts. Sounds like you have received some good advice here.

Last year my BFF asked me to make a small wall quilt for her to give as a wedding present. I charged her for fabric (which I bought) and shipping (she lives in Colorado), but I gave her the "BFF discount" and didn't charge any labor. Usually, I double the cost of the materials used to make the quilt.

I have a hard time with this too. I can make wedding cakes, sew gowns, flower girl dresses, etc. I have been asked by three brides this summer to make them a cake or sew something for their wedding. 2 of the brides were not that close of friends but I did one cake for free - as a wedding gift. The other I charged $75 - which was deeply discounted. And the 4 flower girl dresses I am doing for free. I have put in about 2 weeks worth of sewing - its a lot.
But the one thing all three had in common is that they asked "how much would you charge me?" Then I feel badly so I just say "oh, you're my friend I wouldn't charge you ..."

Bottom line it's hard when a friend asks you. Good luck

I have made several things for my BFF.
I have never charged her but she knows the value and has always done something nice in return.
I find this is more rewarding than the $$$
not only does she appreciate what I make and openly displays it in her home, but she knows what I like and gives me back some great gifts!

Several of my friends want to either buy one of my quilts or have me design and make one. I have a stack of quilts that are ready to be sold with prices already on them. I pull them out so they can see my work and pricing. Then we talk about them buying the materials and I discount 1/3. I figure 1/3 materials, 1/3 Labor. 1/3 quilting cost. Sometimes I don't have time so I have someone else quilt it.

I would really find it hard to charge someone even though I know the $$$ can add up with fabric and labor. I made a baby quilt for a girl at work earlier this year. One of the guys asked me about how much the supplies cost and how many hours it took me, etc. - I am still new so it probably takes me a little longer. He was really surprised about how much goes into it. Then a few months later he found out his wife was expecting twin girls and I made 2 baby quilts for them. The next week I had a thank you note and gift card for $30 for a LQS on my desk. I told him it was a gift and he didn't have to do that. He said that was nothing compared to the time and money I put into it. I was very appreciative, but still kinda felt bad.

WOW! That was really nice of that guy! He knows and appreciates all your work.

I just had a friend who wanted the table runner in my avatar - I did not want to charge her - another friend was here that day and she said, "I'd ask $45 for it - it's handmade/quilted." My first friend - gave me $50... I tried to give her ten back but she wouldn't take it - she's a quilter - she knows the work that goes into one.

Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks a million. Ilsa :-)

Thanks for the info. This could be a real project/WORK as she just sent the material and the back is too stiff for the front.