Quilts take a long time to make, and they also do wear and tear on your machines, and this should also be factored in to the price.

I made a Dear Jane quilt - took me 2 years - all hand quilted. I used fabric from JoAnn (not expensive material)and muslin for the background and the back. I had it appraised and the appraiser put a value on it of $2,650.00.
Of course, I could not sell it for that but that is the appraised value for the material and time I spent. She even took into consideration the time it took to shop for all the material! Hope this helps. Don't underestimate your work.

I bought a King about 10 years ago in Amish country, PA. and it was $700. Not terribly involved. Was hand quilted, tho.

A lot of you have mentioned having your quilts appraised. How do you go about having this done, could you offer some more information about it? Who does the appraising and how much does it cost?

You could try asking at your local quilt shops if they know someone who does quilt appraisal. Sometimes at our quilt shows, there will be someone who will do appraisals by appointment. They charge a fee to do the appraisal.

As to the quilt you are being asked to make, especially if you are hand quilting it, $800.00 is not nearly enough $ for you to charge. That "might" cover the actual quilting, but not for the materials. If it took you 80 hours to hand quilt the king size quilt, you would only be getting $10.00 an hour for your time for the quilting and that wouldn't even include the piecing time...which would be many more hours. I agree with others...have her purchase all the fabric for top, back and the batting and thread, and then charge a fee for doing the piecing and the quilting. (3x cost of materials as a starting point, but with handquilting, it may be even more)

Estimate how many hours it will take to make it. How much would you pay someone per hour to do the work? Add in the cost of materials, and if it's a business, add 25% for profit. That's what it's worth.

You are surely underestimating your own worth. There is no reason for you to feel "guilt". Your friends must recognize the quality of your work and would probably question their choice if you suddenly made them a quilt for a Walmart price.
Just look around, people still do pay for outstanding work.

By the way, I just sold a queen sized original quilt for $1500.00. I gave them one price quote and they were glad to get it at that price.

Happy stitching,
Karen

You feel guilty, because like the rest of us, we do this because we love it, not because of the money. Give her all of the information, and I wouldn't make it a negotiation. This is what it will cost, and if it's too much, I understand. You could get that much at an auction. Give yourself credit for your abilities and time. You're worth it. 8-)

I know how you feel. I've been told, however, that we must consider the market value of quilts, and they are a lot higher than what many of us think because we're doing it, basically, for fun. But think of some items you see in stores that cost a lot and you wonder why. $800 doesn't sound unreasonable to me. Present this price to your friend and see what she says.

You are feeling guilty, because like a lot of us, you under value your time and talent. They made a conscious decision to have you make them a quilt. That is a testament to the value of your talent from where they sit. If they could make it themselves, they would not have asked you. If they wanted cheap, they know where to look. They want to treasure your talent and art. LET THEM! Make sure you add a nice label for posterity. It sounds like one of your quilts is headed for a future 'Antiques Roadshow'. That ain't a bad thing. You know, this officially makes you a 'fiber artist'. Applause! Applause! :thumbup: