How much to charge to make a quilt....
 

I'm hoping to get a little advice from all you quilters. I have a friend who asked me about making a quilt for her mother (actually, one for her mother and one for her). Her mom has embroidered 50 blocks, each representing a state, and another 50, each one representing the state flower for each state. Whew!! That's a lot of embroidery! Anyway, her mom has always wanted to have a quilt made of each set of blocks, but doesn't know anyone who quilts or how to go about finding someone. So, my friend asked if I would be interested in making these quilts. I think they are wanting something simple, like sashing and cornerstones around the blocks, and then a border or two. I haven't actually committed myself yet, but I do want to look at the blocks and then decide. I think it might be a fun project.

My friend insists that she and her mom would pay me for making these quilts, which I guess is reasonable. My question is how much should I charge? I don't think it will be difficult, but will take some time, of course, to plan and make the quilts. Have any of you made quilts for others for which you were paid, and how did you go about establishing an amount to charge??

will they be supplying the fabrics for the sashings/borders/ batting/backing- or are you providing it?
will you be quilting & binding it or sending it out for quilting?
how large of quilts will you be making?
all of these plus probably more-need to be answered in order to figure out any kind of price.
if they are supplying all materials and you will only have time- then you need to estimate how long you think it will take- and how much your time is worth.
if you are supplying materials you need to figure in the price of materials-
i make & sell lots of quilts- generally i start at $350 for a queen and (adjust) from there- depending on circumstances and who it's for- some folks get a (family discount) sometimes i 'throw in' the quilting without charge- sometimes i charge out every penny- if you are supplying materials some people figure that cost & multiply by 3- then add in quilting charge ect. some people charge an hourly rate- but you need to know yourself- and how long it takes you to do things- sometimes- especially if its for a friend or family member- some people just throw out a number- like ' i can do that for about $100 ... then regardless of any issues that may arise that's what they charge-
start with looking at the squares- finding out about who's supplying what- estimate what you think it will take you- and discuss with your friend what seems fair and reasonable to both of you.

I don't think I would want to get into making quilts for other people. At that point it would seem to be a business and I'm enjoying doing my own for pleasure and relaxation. Don't need tension at this point in my life.

I have no idea what to charge but I would caution that the embroidery should be pre-washed & color set before quilting. I would leave the pre-washing up to the person who did the embroidery that way if something happened it wouldn't be on your shoulders. :)

Shari

This is excellent advice! I recently saw a woman brought to tears over embroidered blocks her mother had made which she put into a quilt THEN washed it and the embroiderly floss ran.

As for charging, I occasionally make quilts for commission and have the customer pay for the fabric up front, then charge them $8.00 per hour for my work. I know that's not a lot, but it beats a set price per quilt that ends up giving me $2.00 per hour and I have a steady income for the family expenses so the quilt income allows me to purchase more fabric and supplies for my quilting.

If they are friends, as you say, and you really want to do this, I would keep track of the material I bought, and the time spent making the quilt. I would expect to be reimbursed for the materials and let them decide how much the finished quilt was worth to them...........but I am kind of a softie!!

When a mate of my husband whom I also knew, asked me to make him a quilt I had no idea how much to charge so I took the finished quilt to a couple of quilt shops. They each gave me a price of at least $500.00 but as he was a friend I charged him $300.00.

Most of the time ladies (and gentlemen), we don't charge nearly enough. I base my prices on what is included and how long it takes...I have charged as much as $1200 for an elaborate king-sized quilt, and as little as $75 for a plain baby-sized one. If it's a plain baby-sized one, I usually have gotten the fabric on sale for a really good price; I buy my batting on the roll when it's on sale only, and I buy thread wholesale. So I really feel like I charge a fair price both to me and to the customer. And I don't charge family members anything...because each one they get is a gift made for a special occasion.

I am a softie as well.... I just think it might be fun to make these quilts, but my friend's mom wanted to pay me to do them. I think I'll take GemState's advice and let them decide what it's worth to them - at least for these since they are friends. If I were to make a quilt for a total stranger on a commission basis, it would be different.

Thanks for the advice all!!

i've seen a quilt top put together out of those blocks and they can be gorgeous. If you do this - Consider sashing between each block or something to draw attention to each block - they are beautiful! Sadly, the woman that did the project I saw did not do it justice.

I charged 200 for my labor to a freind on a 117- 117 quilt, and then the cost of fabric and laq then i gave him the bill and he said he only wanted to pay 400 i said by the time I was done with it all 400 just covered the quilt costs and not me, I actually had to get nasty to get any money from him this was a gift to his wife. it really put a damper on our friendship because he avoided payment for close to a year. unitl i had to get ugly.

Just a note, if you are planning to machine quilt it, show them both some samples of machine quilted quilts and make sure they are OK with the look. Just saying this because the embroidered state blocks make me think of someone who is older and a more traditional quilter. These blocks were popular many years ago when hand-quilting was more common.

Machine quilting is so common these days that most people assume that is how the quilt will be finished. Make sure they (esp. the mom) do not have something else in mind, unpleasant surprises are so......unpleasant.

I don't think he'd have ever laid hands on it if it were work I'd done. It would go on my bed regardless of how little it matched my room.

Whatever you do, agree on a price, write it down and have everyone sign it!

Good advice from all! Thanks!

And if they say $20.00, will you be okay with that? Remember people outside of our quilting world think Walmart prices are the ones to use!

Original works of art are always more expensive than "copies" of art. Quilts are no different. The customer is asking for an original work of art. Consider your time, talent and materials needed to complete the quilt. I would definitely cover your material expenses, time and costs for quilting service. Write up a written proposal a nd collect 1/2 of the $$ upfront before you start work on it. Treat this as a business ....it is.

In the kindness of my heart I offered to do something similar for a local church. Suddenly the original 15 blocks increased to 40 blocks!! None were the same size and I had a ton of prep work to do before even starting on the saashing and assembling the "wallhanging" now queen sized quilt!! I recd $60 for my work! NEVER again!!!

Sandy

Here is one
 

Here is one I made from my mother's blocks. Thought it might help. It was a turning twenty pattern. I would like to know what someone would pay also.

People don't realize how much material and increased in price. Most of the good material is at least 9.00 a yard

I asked that very same question on a longarm forum yesterday!!! Someone sent me this --- VERY helpful -- you can add or subtract where needed. http://www.longarmuniversity.com/Boo...le_article.htm

Please don't let them decide on the price. You should cost everything out including time and then decide if you want to proceed. You need everything decided in yourself before making the committment. Many will support this and I don't care if it is a frend. You should not give a break until you know all the details. Then tell them and let them decide if they want to proceed. Initially friendship should not enter into it until you know what the full job and cost will be then decide if you want to give a break. Friendships can be hurt over such. You have to also know exactly what they expect as well. I did this one time (never again) and the friends expectations were different than my reality.

I hate to do 'jobs for pay' for friends and/or relatives.

Most of them tend to be unaware of the actual time and cost involved - plus some of them are just plain cheap!

I charge my really good, close friends nothing. They pay all cost and I keep all of the scrap fabric. They always return the favor though. My husband and I are very blessed to have two couples in our lives that have ALWAYS been there for us during the difficult times in our lives. You can't put a price on that.

After I posted a response I thought how smug my response sounded. That was not my intention. As I stated in my post we have two sets of friends I never charge anything for quilting or sewing. They on the other hand NEVER take advantage of this. In return for my sewing, they also help us at the drop of a hat! When my husband was very sick during his cancer recovery they helped care for his very intimate medical needs and never batted an eye. I feel so blessed to have them in my life that I would never be able to charge them for sewing in clear conscious. Please accept my apology if I offended you.

Chris wrote: "I think they are wanting something simple, like sashing and cornerstones around the blocks, and then a border or two." IMHO I don't think this is 'simple'...simple to me would be sewing the blocks together as they are (no sashing or cornerstones) with one border. Just my humble opinion. Another question - Who's quilting it? How much detail will be applied to those sashings and cornerstones and a border or two? Takes time and money to do that.

I've never had to figure the cost of making a quilt for someone...but IF I did, I would figure out how long it would take me (moving quickly and efficiently) along with the price of materials (and time needed to shop for them). Then I would multiply the hours by an hourly rate (only you can decide) and add price of materials.

Sometimes non quilters will say "Oh you should make one for me!" and my instant reply is "How much do you think I would charge?" Their response is usually nothing or some ridiculous low ball figure.

Since you situation is a serious inquiry into making a quilt for someone, I would figure out how much I would charge. Then I would ask them what they 'think' it would cost to have you do it. Point I'm making is IF YOU think it'll cost a reasonable $400 to make the quilt (and it sounds like start to finish (except for the blocks) and they think it'll cost $100 :shock: you'll have to be prepared to explain the REAL LABOR TIME and ACTUAL MATERIAL COSTS involved. I would want to know where they are in their thinking of price before I talked to them about a higher price.

People who don't quilt...don't understand the time and money involved...
People who quilt...understand and are willing to pay if necessary.

Interested to see how this turns out.

This is a hard one to advise on. But, here goes. If you are to provide backing and batting, figure your cost. Then add on what it is worth for you to quilt it. since these are friends of yours, just give them the price. If they are really serious, they will pay it. If they want it done for free, you will get out of that. Don't do anything you will regret later when you are putting all that work into it. It is harder to work on other people's things than it is your own.

I've really been short-changing myself. I was talking to a woman who makes commissioned quilts but has to pay someone to machine quilt them...she does all the work and then PAYS someone to do the quilting and works that into her price, 2 cents per square inch. When I've made quilts for people, I charge for my materials and what amounts to what it would cost someone to quilt it...the last queen sized quilt I made, I charged $250. The amount of materials up front and then the rest when it's done. I like the above formula for figuring the cost of a quilt...just not sure I'd get many people willing to pay that. This why I love this board...so much information.

A friend would never put a person, especially a friend on the spot like that. What should've been done is negotiate the price first and locked in, so there are no surprises on either end for both parties. I came to this site to see how much a quilt on average would cost, but then what is average? Quilts are composed of many variables that a non-quilter like me wouldn't know about. So really my query for the answer goes unanswered. If you don't give a qote up front don't be surprised that you won't get what you had in mind and you really can't be mad at the person on the other end simply because they do not know the full aspect of quilt making. You put the other person in a very awkward position by not telling them the cost up front. Stores don't do it and niether should anyone who wants to sell anything.

I not only make them for free...I pay for the fabric too...I just enjoy doing it...No stress when not charging people..and the smiles are priceless.

Free is the price you charge. You are happy with this arrangement. Good for you! BUT... For those who plan to cover their costs and charge for the labor, they need and must give a written proposal prior to beginning the project. One does not remodel a kitchen without a written proposal.....it does not make sense to do otherwise. If the customer is not happy with the arrangement...too bad. It is not meant to be.

I don't quilt for others and i certainly expect to cover my costs and labor if I would. My time is precious and i do what I enjoy doing. I sew and quilt for my pleasure. And IF I choose to...I give my very special people a gift from me.

You cant be mad at the customer IF you do not discuss the financial terms ahead of time. And ask for a deposit to cover materials.

Sandy

Perfect!!! And professional too!

Sandy

The reason I don't charge is cause I do it because I want to and at this time I am able to afford it. This is a hobby for me not a job. Many people donate to strangers....I donate to friends and family....its the same thing. I do it cause it feels good. Besides I can only have so many quilts in my house.... ; )

There is a difference between doing a favor and/or giving a gift

and

being hired/commissioned to do something.

I'm thinking of making quilts for others and thought to charge ten cents per square inch. I would buy all supplies and that would still leave me enough money for the making and quilting. I also would limit the size I make since I machine quilt on my home machine, not a long arm. The bigger quilts seem expensive at this price, though. What do you think about my price?

I know for the ones I have done for pay, I will figure out my costs of fabric, and I go with the full price of the fabric, but usually get it on sale. I also do a sample square to get an idea of how long it will take me to put the quilt together. It may not be real accurate, so I may add an extra hour or so to the time. I times this number by the amount I want to earn per hour. For the quilting I base it on what my local quilt shop charges. Usually .015 - .04 per square inch. I also base my binding charge on what some of the other quilters in my state are charging. I then write up a proposal, and if it comes to an odd amount, I up it a few dollars. I have found that I can usually judge pretty well how long a quilt will take me. I don't go over my proposal amount. If I find it took a whole lot longer, then I adjust for the next quilt that I do like that. I also ask my clients to not share with others what they paid for their quilt. The reason behind this, is that someone may like a simple four patch quilt I made, and ask what was paid for that quilt and expects a much more complicated design for the same price. My clients have been great in not sharing prices. I do have them give a non refundable deposit up front of 50% and they also have a proposal that details what will be done on the quilt. I had one guy that had me make a quilt for his wife, and he gave me an extra $20 than what I quoted to him. I really appreciated that, and he paid for the whole quilt up front. He has been one of my best word of mouth advertisers. I really like the idea from longarm university. The only thing I don't do is detail the cost of everything for my customers. I just don't like people knowing how much I make, even though it may not be a lot. My customers have been fine with a very basic proposal that states how the quilt will be done, and then the total amount it will cost.