How much $$ to ask for this quilt?
 

I am not a professional quilter and although I do my best, I am far, far away from perfect.
I quilt on a small domestic machine and do straight line quilting...enough to keep the layers together.
I am always afraid that I am charging too much.
I keep asking myself...what if it bleeds?...I don't pre-wash ...or... what if the batting bunches after washing?or.... am I charging too much? or... what if they think it isn't good enough? I am such a wimp and know that I may be talked into charging less.
Want to have a price per square inch as a guideline.......thinking 3 cents/per square inch. I don't want to overprice but don't want to undervalue my work.
Help me , please!!


Here is the quilt I want to sell.
It is approx. 70"x 80".
[ATTACH=CONFIG]501041[/ATTACH]

I think $168 would be pretty darn cheap for that quilt. Does that cover your fabric and supplies? Don't sell yourself short. You will never get reimbursed for your time! Send washing instructions with quilt letting them know to use a color catcher. Then if it bleeds, it's on them.

I agree with GammaLou about the washing instructions. You might even "gift" them with a color catcher. In order to charge fairly, you need to figure out how much you spent on fabric, batting and thread, then add whatever it will take to replace these in your stash. After you have figured the cost of supplies, add the 3 cents per square inch for the quilting.

if you have any scraps, wash them and see what happens.

I would be very unhappy if the colors ran on a quilt I purchased. also, not impressed with the maker for not checking out the fabtics before cutting/ assembling them.

two or three color catchers for that red. Actually if I were you, I'd wash it myself first. color catchers with it on delicate. Normally i soak my quilts and rinse twice. but with red the color catchers are a must. then perhaps you can charge more with confidence.

Three cents per inch for quilting in my area gets you custom quilting. I agree, figure your costs, fabric, batting, thread, needles, number of hours then put a price on it.

So do you think $168 is too much to ask for this quilt?

It's a very pretty quilt, and the price sounds low to me. But the biggest issue right now is possible color bleeding. Do you have scraps to test it out, as Bearisgray is suggesting?

Also, I'm thinking that fancier quilting would be a distraction from those beautiful fabrics. It's probably just me, but sometimes fancy quilting seems to fight against a quilt.

Hugs,
Charlotte

I figure you have about $80 - 115 in just the materials.
(approx. 8 yards both sides of fabric at $5 - 8 per yard)
batting at ($20- 30)
$5 for thread (may be a little low on that)

So you are allowing $88 to 68 for your labor. Only you can answer if you are comfortable w/ those wages for your time and skill level.

Go to etsy and type in 'quilts' and see what they are charging for the same size and type quilt and charge that amount. There are so many quilts on etsy for sell. It's etsy.com.

That sounds incredibly low to me. I would go with what everyone else has said, especially jcrow. See what they are going for online, and be fair to yourself.

Around here that fee would only cover the cost of the quilting. Don't forget to charge for the cost of fabrics, batting and backing, as well as something for yourself, and I agree to include some color catchers.

I agree here totally I always . I always wash a quilt before I give it, for one, with a color catcher to catch the runs and two to make it look homier. I wash it in cold water, throw it in the dryer. Knock on wood, I have the ugliest color catcher (good for 30 washes - ten left), but no running. If it runs, keep the quilt and make a new one. I rarely use red in a quilt unless it is little flowers or something. I had a quilt professionally quilted a few years ago in the meander stitch and it was 1-1/2 cents per inch. For a 70x80, I would tie it. I don't sell quilts, but I make the 52x80 size quilt and just tie it down. It is easier, for me, anyhow, and a lot of people like the smaller quilts tied (must be a "thing of the past" thing! Good luck to you. Edie

It is very difficult to put a value on a quilt. For just straight stitching, 3 cents an inch is high even in my area of So CA. The few LAQ charge 1 cents for an overall pattern. Depends on your area. You might want to do research on fabric stores online that may have some quilts for sale. I have known a few quilt shops owners, and their samples rarely sold for the price they should have. I use to quilt for others on my Bernina 1530 over a decade ago, and I charge $8 an hour. I kept track of my time signing in and out on an index card. Good Luck !

I would at least double my material costs to begin. You have to get paid for your time. If you are doing simple straight line quilting then $0.02-0.03 per square inch would be fair. I definitely would wash the quilt with several color catchers before selling. I never give a quilt that I have not washed.

I always pre wash fabrics. If I were to sell a quilt, I would be for sure to pre wash it.

Do I understand that you have already straight line quilted this quilt and are just trying to find out how much to sell the quilt for?

The only time I quilted by check, the price was $168. I chose an easy I expensive pantograph, supplied the top, and pieced back. I think you are way undervaluing your self a bit.

I am making a quilt with that red "Aunt Grace" Judie Rothermel reproduction print right now. The fabric on the bolt that I got needed Retayne to set the dye. Hoping for the best for you.

Your quilt is beautiful but I never use red fabric without prewashing it. I ruined a table runner after using red fabric which ended up a pink runner. It only took once for me to learn not to put that work into something then ruin it.

Yes, that's correct.

I charge about 2 cents per sq inch to quilt a quilt, not counting the fabrics, batting etc. I have a longarm and I charge from 80- 100 to do a quilt this size (depending on what the customer requests as far as quilting designs go). I mostly freehand quilt, but do have a computerized system (freehand is at least twice as fast).

Figure 10.00 a yard for the fabrics (about 5 yards front and back)...so 100.00 in fabrics alone (you may spend less, but that's fairly cheap for quilting fabrics). 10.00 for batting; 10.00 for thread, needle, oil, etc. So, figure 120.00 usd for the materials... 140.00 to make the quilt; and about 110.00 to quilt it.. I'd charge about $350.00 (tops) for a quilt like this. Again this is a ballpark figure...but it's a fair price. You would adjust for the cost of the fabrics some...but I charge cost + 20% on my fabrics. Some customers will have their own fabrics...I look at it closely before I take it to use. Look for holes, quality, amounts. Usually they have their own pattern with the fabric...make sure they have enough of each. Hope this helps some. This comes to between 5-1/2 to 6 cents per square inch (70x80=5600 x .055=$308.00
About right (including 25.00 to bind by machine). Six cents per square inch comes to $336.00.

You need to make sure you are being paid for your time. The cost + 20% for me getting the fabric is to pay for my time and gas to go and shop for the materials.
Marge

Here is the quilt I want to sell.
It is approx. 70"x 80".
[ATTACH=CONFIG]501041[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]

To set dye, wash in cool water with 1 cup of vinegar and no soap.

i pre wash every piece of fabric before bringing it into my home. I do not like worrying about what ifs, especially, when they can be prevented.

The quilt is absolutely gorgeous but I agree with the others, about washing it first. If you sell it and it should be ruined by bleeding, you can pretty much kiss your quilting reputation and any future sales, goodbye.

I think the same way you do :/, I don't know about pricing but your quilt is beautiful!

I tend to agree with GammaLou. Also don't sell yourself short, your quilt Beautiful!!
:D :D :D :D

wash it with a color catcher and I charge $300-350 or $400 for my quilts. Like SulaBug told you, don't sell yourself short, this is beautiful and the next one will be too and so on and so on and so on. Got it!!!!! Merry Christmas...Don't be so hard on yourself

Your quilt is lovely. After reading your post I was looking at it from the point of a consumer and not a quilter. If I were to purchase a quilt I would assume that the fabrics are pre shrunk and if there was bleeding, a wash in Synthropol. Also that the recommended batting and stitching be used to avoid bunching.

I do not sell quilts, but I follow this procedure for my own quilts and gift quilts. Just a thought.

Most non-quilters have never heard of Synthropol.

Very true. I guess I was saying I would not expect it to bleed.

I remember from a marketing class I attended once stated that rule of 3.
1. Cost of materials
2. Labor
3. Profit = Total price

Materials $20.00 + Labor $20.00 + Profit $20.00

In a sentence triple the cost of materials

This has worked for me

Maybe I read the original post incorrectly, but I thought she meant pricing the quilt itself at .03 per square in. Her fabric, her batting, her piecing, her backing and her quilting.

Yes, GrannieAnnie, you interpreted my post correctly. That was what I meant.

Locally I would have to pay $84.00 to have all over quilting done, nothing fancy. This is 1.5 cents an inch. I'd probably pay 1cent for straight line quilting.

Thank you for taking the time to reply.
I appreciate the input. You have given me lots of good advice.