If you go to www.amishcountrylanes.com.
there is a tab on the left that says TOUR. Click on it and it will have some beautiful quilts with size, name of patter, price etc. This might help you in pricing.

I agree with everyone on this - custom is always going to be more expensive and your time is worth it. Draperies are at least 2x the cost of fabric -

I live very close to an Amish community and go to some of their shops. Starting price for a small quilt starts about $600, and it is not fancy. Don't feel so guilty. If they truly want it, then they will understand the price. I feel you get what you pay for.

The ladys around here get $10:50 an hour for machine quilting. So hand quilting goes for $12-15 an hour. A king in these parts runs up to $1100. or better. So $800.00 is a good price.

You feel bad because it is your friend but I agree with the others a quilt is worth what one will pay for it. It does take quite a bit of your time and you can't forget that (plus your talent). I also like the idea of telling her to buy the supplies (explain about quality) and then just charge her for your work. Good luck!

just think of it as being a "name brand" a we always pay more for a brand name product than a genaric one! When you use the best and do your best to make the best it is worth the cost! Go for it!!

The Amish quilts are probably all hand quilted, too. At least the ones I have seen are.

I would go with 3x the cost of the fabric. I would make sure that you are happy with the amount you charge, you time and talent is worth a lot and you don't want to short change yourself and be unhappy making the quilt. Let us know what you decide to do :)

Your time and talent are worth more that you think. When I have been asked to make quilts....the cost of the fabric alone usually scares them away.

Go for it, tell her $800 and let her decide. My DD sews for a living making window treatments and charges $25 an hour. She made 8 quilts for my cousin using her father's shirts for the main part and they were small quilts, we would call them lap robes and she charged $50 each. They were about 45 x 60 in size.
You get what you pay for and a quilt made by you for her will be treasured forever.
Carol J.

I recently finished three quilts for a friend of my brother's. I was give permission to do anything I wanted. I discussed the price of fabric, batting and the cost of my labor. The lady (lived in another state) told me to do anything I needed to do, she wanted the quilts finished so she could give them to her grandchildren. I still felt like I was over charging, even though I bought all the supplies using sales and coupons. She didn't even hestitate when I told her the final cost. I realize that we/I under value my time and skill. Heck I would do it for free. :lol:

I would definetly give her the estimate but when you do so, just explain the charges, she should understand. I know a lot of people don't, but if you have it broke down and if you may need to show examples of where and how you came up with your totals. If she is not happy, then maybe it is not meant to be. I think that is pretty reasonable quote without knowing all the details. There is a lot of material in a king size, in addition to piecing, borders, quilting, binding and tons of time. A friend of mine did a quilt much smaller and was a PP type of star, with tons of quilting and she sold it for 1200.00. I believe it was about 69x69.

I haven't quoted her a price yet, for which I am glad. There is so much information here to consider before I do give her a price. Right now we are in the stage of choosing the pattern, colors, and
deciding an estimate for the quilt. I think I am selling my time short.
It isn't like I do this for a business, so I am perfectly okay if she thinks I am charging too much and decides not to have me make the quilt. However, she is so determined to have me make this king size quilt, that she said she does not care about how much it cost. I just want to be fair with her and myself.

I sell my queen for 350.00 to 600.00 depends on the work in them. If someone does not want to pay that , then fine with me. But that is a lot of work and to me & you have a beautiful heirloom to hand down in the family. Think about having your car worked on. How much is labor???? Part 5.95 labor 150.00 . Takes 15 min. to do work. Do I need to say more?

A few years ago I was commissioned to make several twin size childrens' quilts. I charged $300 plus the cost of materials for each. I think $800 is a very fair price for the quilt you've been asked to make.

I just sold a quilt 104" x 104" all Batiks, wool batting and heavy design quilting, all custom $1200.00 They Did not blink and wrote the check for $1500.00. At $800.00, for a king, I think, is low for pure custom work.

If it bothers you to charge her what it costs, then have her provide the materials. Then your price will be only what you charge for your services.

You can buy all sorts of quilts on line or at some of the department stores ... BUT ... the quilting is about 3 stitches per inch, if that, and the quality of the material is sometimes not so good. Also, it depends on whether you are making a hand quilted quilt or a machine quilted one. I don't think $800 is too much for a hand quilted king size quilt, especially if the person gets to pick out the pattern and material.

I would give them all your info. Show them the cost. Then ask them to purchase the material or at least give you half up front so you won't be if out anything if they change their mind at the last minute, like I have heard happened to a quilter after she finished the quilt.

At a quick glance on an Amish website, the highest I seen was $1565. That is for a 97 x 110 in. size. It seems I've seen higher. There are some that are $440. Those are twin size, I think.

Sounds like a very reasonable price for a custom made quilt made with quilt shop quality fabric. You can't compare your quilts to WalMart, KMart and others like them.

Of the few "commissioned" quilts I have made I have had the buyers actually buy the fabric and then I charged 2 times that cost. No complaints at all.
Subee
http://www.subeesews.com

I just finished a topper in which I had $250.00 in fabric. I purchased the backing yesterday--another $50.00 (on sale).
$800.00---sounds really reasonable to me considering the part that comes next, the quilting is what really requires time, patience and a lot of thought.

Just mho.
Roxanne

I think $800 is cheap. do not underprice your time and expertise. I would go with the 3 X's rule, it is the standard. If they can afford it there should be no problem. If they couldn't afford it, and they are really good friends, then I would charge them less.

I also think you are underpricing your labor.

I was working on a GFG top all hand pieced, partially sewed together plus lots of flowers completed but not joined. It got stolen and when I called the quilt shop they said $800 to $1500 and I submitted $800 to the insurance company and they did not even question it. Since then I have felt I should have put in for more towards the high end, but it's done.

I would get her to pay for the material upfront or buy it herself. Others are right, you don't want to get caught holding the bag if your friend changes her mind.

I would have her go with you to purchase the fabric so she would know the exact price. But then she must be like my sister in law. She will pay whatever if she wants it. drapes and everything that matches yet she wouldnt pay me that much for the stuff. Glad you have a friend who appreciated you.

Look here at what is being charged for handmade quilts. Most handmade quilts are well worth the price.

http://www.amishquilter.com/

I make custom draperies and bedding. A queen size custom quilted bedspread would cost $1000 or more. It's over $400 to have the custom quilting done. So, perhaps your friend has already priced a custom bedspread and thinks the $800 quilt would be a great deal. Don't hesitate to quote it and if they have questions explain the pricing to cover it. My husband says I'm lucky to make a $1/hr on the window treatments since I am such a stickler for precision. That's why I love quilts!

You are an artist and should charge accordingly. The 3X's cost of the materials is a good rule of thumb. Then adding for the complexity of the pattern and quilting design chosen will give you a fair market price for you labor. I suggest your friend accompany you in the fabric choices. This way she can't say she doesn't like the colors and you can give your opinion should you see a potential problem with a color choice. Lastly, I would require a deposit that covers the outlay of money for supplies and labor for cuttting just incase she cancels the quilt. This way you've covered your time and outlay so you're only out a quilt to make. Good Luck with your project, I'd love to see the finished quilt before you deliver it.

She probably could but it'd be made in China, Indonesia, Thailand, etc..... not with and by the love of a friend. ;) I honestly believe that makes a difference.

We paid $350 for a queen 15 some years ago and while it was a little high for us at the time, I'm sure it was low on her end and she probably should have been charging more. It was nice to know where the quilt came from though - having met the person who made it ya know??

It is worth what one is willing to pay for it? If this person has said cost is no issue simply present her with an invoice with the cost and if you so desire break it down into where the money is going or not and than let her decide.

I don't think $800 is to much considering all the work that goes into making such an item.

I've seen king size quilts go much higher than that.

As a quilter "you pay yourself" what you feel your time is worth plus materials and such.

Carol

My MIL has a quilting business and for a custom quilt job she charges $500-$600, And thats just the quilting

I was at an Amish quilt auction in 2003 and most of the quilts started at $500 and they were double bed size but with simple quilting. The longer I stayed the more the quilts were priced and one went for$1500 and that was 7 years ago. I agree with the rest of the replies that you are giving away the quilt. She is a friend but she broached the idea. I also agree that I would take her fabric shopping and ask for a deposit. :XD:

I had a friend request I make her a quilt. I told her up front that a lap quilt started at $250-300 and they went up from there. She laughed said thank you for the info and never brought up the subject again.

People see mass produced quilts in stores and just do not understand the "work of art" concept.

I made a T-Shirt quilt for my Doctor''''s daughter for Graduation and charged $500 for it.. Was the size of the top of a queen size bed.. maybe a bit hanging over..

I sold a queen or two for $800.00 and plus.
We should not be unselling our time, the cost of our supplies outside of fabric, our cutters and blades, thread, mats and rulers. These do wear out and need to be replaced. Hope this helps:)

whatever you decide . Get at least half down before you start :)

A custom made quilt !!! but in reality it is worth what the buyer is willing to pay

I would hesitate to tell her to buy the fabric, unless you are with her. I've done that and gotten some awful fabric to work with. Those who don't sew don't know the difference in qualities of fabric.

Pat

My DH took me to an Amish town to shop today and the quilts we sat that were that size were $800. There was one hanging on the wall that was $5,000. Hope this helps. :-)