How much to charge?
 

I have been asked if I would be interested in making some quilts for someone for next christmas. My question is how much do I know how to charge? She wants 2 king, 2 full and a queen.

I think the "standard" for craft shows is 3X the cost of materials, but for quilts I'm not sure that is enough. That would be a lot of quilts to make. Good luck and let us know what you decide.

When I sell quilts I triple the cost of fabric (including backing)at todays present price. If I bought it on sale earlier I still figure the price on todays going price. I then add in actual price of batting and machine quilting and any other embellishments. ( I send my quilts to a long armer). You will be amazed at what that adds up to and your friend may. change his/her mind and you'll be off the hook!

First, decide whether you want to make these quilts. It's okay to say NO. If you do, and if you're not going to be making them as a 'labor of love' (meaning you want to generate real income from the work), try to estimate how many hours it will take you for a typical simple quilt design, determine an hourly rate that you would be happy with, estimate how much the materials (including batting and thread) will cost for that design, add in the cost of a longarmer if necessary, and without going too much further present him/her with those figures as a rough estimate. That will probably end the discussion, as most people don't realize the true cost of making a quilt. If your customer is still interested, refine the estimates for the specific designs the customer wants, require 50% down payment, write up a contract stating when the quilts are due and when each will be paid for in full, etc. - and get busy! It might be best to start with an agreement to make just one of the quilts rather than all 4, so you and your customer can decide whether you're happy with the arrangement.

I charge three times the cost of the fabric (at REAL pricing, ie, what we have to pay now) and add the cost of the batting and just a bit for the thread unless it takes a bunch. And yep, sometimes you lose a sale...one of the questions I get is "You charge that for a blanket?" Answer...no, if you want a blanket, go to Kmart or Wally-world. The latest customer who asked that question wants an extended king...120x120 (or bigger, if you can...) but I think he'll be a little shocked when I tell him what it's gonna cost him....

Thank you so much for your help~! She is going to price them with some Amish if they were to make them. So I will compare to that too.

I did some math re this a few years back. Came up with 0.10 per square inch. I know it sounds like a lot but a lot of time and effort is put into making quilts.

3X the cost of materials is what I was told by a quilt instructor.

Congratulations!

Unless she is very wealthy, she can't afford all of that. I have known several friends to sell kings that cost over $1,000 and queens aren't much less. Yes, I know it depends on design, materials etc., but it is not cheap to make quilts and you may be tempted to sell yourself short. This is a lot of work. Also, sizes mean different things to different people. Some people want quilts that are more like bedspreads. Some people want quilts to hang down a certain length below mattress. Mattresses come in different sizes now and the depth of a bed can affect how long or short a quilt is. Batting can also be a factor. Some people think they want thick batting, others don't care about batting. Batting in the north can be different from that in the south. Batting costs should be considered. These details are important to come to an agreement about before a price is mentioned.

You need to consider if you are going to have someone to quilt the tops for you, you need to know how much to charge for that. Prices may go up before you get it quilted. Time deadlines are another issue, and check with your long-arm quilter to know deadlines for submission, particularly for holidays. If you are quilting it yourself, don't sell yourself short just because you are doing that.

You need to have a written agreement. I collect 50% up front (cover materials in case the person bails on you). I would handle each quilt transaction separately. You need to allow yourself extra time in case of illness or an emergency.

Consider type of payment. I take cash or PayPal. There are fees involved with PayPal, so I know that and make sure my price covers that type of thing.

The few times I have quoted prices on quilts the person almost chokes. They think our pricing is the same
as the cheap quilts they can buy in stores. If you want my quilts bad enough you will pay my price I wont
lower my standards for anyone. Take her shopping with you when you buy the fabric and make sure she
pays for all of it in case she changes her mine at least you will have a good stash.