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I get half up front to buy the materials. That way they have something invested. After I buy the materials that money is not refundable. I also make them sign a contract that the balance will be paid when the quilt is picked up, no longer than 14 days after completion.
It's unfortunate that I have to have everything in writing and signed, but I have not been burned since I started doing contracts. |
Originally Posted by plainjane
I think a $100 deposit would be very reasonable. If payments need to be made, they could be made during the time you are making the quilt, and when it is finished, you have full payment. Most business will require a full payment for a special order. You own your own business and you can make your own rules.
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Originally Posted by joan_quilts
Ok, I have 2 quilts people wanted. I told the one lady her quilt would be ready to ship the first of November. She saw it back in July, and she knew the price back then. She asked me last week if I would take payments. I said NO.
She has ordered from me before, but this quilt is a twin size, all hand quilted and won 3rd place at a quilt show. Her story is she has bills and just can't afford it all right now. I told her that was ok, because I would hold onto the quilt until December and then I would offer to sell it to someone else. Another lady, after seeing this quilt, asked me to make her a full sized quilt kind of like it. Her husband just loves John Deere and these quilts had a John Deere theme. So, I make this quilt, it also placed 3rd in the contest under its category, and I called the lady who wanted to come by and get it. She stopped by on Friday, said how much she loved it, but "just can't afford it" right now. Uh-huh, that meant she wanted me to lower my price, a price she agreed on BEFORE I made it. From now on, I am going to ask for a $100 deposit, non-refundable, on my quilts. I have close to that much in the fabric and other material needed alone. Why do people "ask" for things, offer to pay and then "change their minds"? If they can't afford a quilt, don't ask me to make one I guess this is another lesson well learned, sigh. I am glad to know this as I am just getting ready to advertise my services. I'll ask 1/2 up front. |
I think you right to ask for a deposit. I use to sew for people & quit, too much of a pain, & along this same line. If that lady ordered that quilt & wanted to make payments, she could have been putting aside a little each payday, towards paying for the quilt. Like making payments to herself. I have done that in our checking account, just subtract off the money each time & forget about. Then, when you go to pay for it, it's already there. I think it's sad, the ones who operate this way, they want a service, then, when it's done, ho hum around about paying for it. Get your big deposit upfront, & at least you will have that...
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Originally Posted by LaurieE
Another option would be to have a contract between you and the client. Basically the client would have to sign a piece of paper stating the price and whatever other conditions you have (i.e. a deposit or other payment arrangements, etc) before you begin the work. They would think twice before signing the contract because that's a legal document and you could then take them to court since they commissioned work from you. That would certainly stop the 'I can't afford this right now' hoping you would lower the price.
I think you're very wise to ask for a deposit up front. |
I think you are all right. I have never sold a quilt, but I believe you are right with the half up front and a contract.
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I had a woman order a half of a beef from us. She even went so far as to call in her cutting instruction to the butcher, then let me know that she couldn't afford the meat. By that point, her name was on every package (that's how the butcher keeps track of who's beef belongs where). It ended up being OUR beef that year, since I couldn't sell it to anyone else, I had to pay the butcher fees, and she had it cut different from how I have him cut and wrap our meat.
It doesn't happen just with quilts!! |
Originally Posted by joan_quilts
I don't charge that much for my quilts. I am asking $350 for each of these quilts, mainly to cover the costs of material. Heck, trying to get paid for the hours upon hours of hand quilting, well, you never get it all back.
Thanks for the wonderful suggestions! I have learned the hard way, again, but will stick to my guns from now on. I love when people tell me "it can't cost THAT much for fabric". And, I can buy one for a lot less at Penney's. Sure you can, but mine is and orginal and will last years and years, and it is not going to fall apart after 3 washings. |
Good idea. Then you will know if they are really serious! So many do not appreciate all the time and effort that goes into these masterpieces!!
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I am so sorry to here this happened to you twice. I agree do ask for a deposit .At least for what all the materials cost you. I had this happen to me once and i was dumb enough( because she was a so called friend) to let her take it before paying for it and have yet to this day gotten paid for all the hard work that was put into the quilt.At least you still have the quilts and they sound like there beautiful and someone will want them and to pay for them. :)
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I think that backing out on a custom quilt is very bad taste. I also think that you should always get a non-refundable deposit and get some type of contract. This indicates that both parties are serious about the purchase/sale. Sorry you got burned but perhaps someone out there wants it and will love it more.
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Originally Posted by PJO
Originally Posted by LaurieE
Another option would be to have a contract between you and the client. Basically the client would have to sign a piece of paper stating the price and whatever other conditions you have (i.e. a deposit or other payment arrangements, etc) before you begin the work. They would think twice before signing the contract because that's a legal document and you could then take them to court since they commissioned work from you. That would certainly stop the 'I can't afford this right now' hoping you would lower the price.
I think you're very wise to ask for a deposit up front. |
I've been making quilts for years and always get 50% down before I start. The 50% is a non-refundable deposit. The only quilt that didn't get paid for was a t-shirt quilt for a cancer survivor that passed away from an adverse reaction to a chemo treatment! I can understand the family's reluctance to pay for a quilt that will forever remind them of the wife and mother they lost! But the deposit covered all my material expenses so I'm only out the labor. I donated the quilt to a local breast cancer survivor hospice!
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Originally Posted by LaurieE
Another option would be to have a contract between you and the client. Basically the client would have to sign a piece of paper stating the price and whatever other conditions you have (i.e. a deposit or other payment arrangements, etc) before you begin the work. They would think twice before signing the contract because that's a legal document and you could then take them to court since they commissioned work from you. That would certainly stop the 'I can't afford this right now' hoping you would lower the price.
My sister gets a contract and a down payment. The contract will state how many blocks and size.- Cost per type/size of block. (type-pieced, embroidery, photo, or plain) and completion date. |
The only quilt I have made to order and sold was a T shirt quilt. It was made from clothing of a guy who got a full scholarship to Harvard for wrestling. I didn't get a deposit because the folks were from my church and I knew the Harvard shirts etc. were very valueable to them. I ended up having to make two quilts as the collection was over 50 pieces and they wanted all of them included. I thought the lady would swallow her teeth when I gave her the bill but she paid. On the way out the door her husband asked if he could recommend me to others.
Before the longarmers put me out of business I did a good bit of handquilting for hire. I always got $50 up front and gave them a detailed account of the breakdown of prices for backing, batting and binding as well as marking if they wanted something special. I was able to get the balance due me everytime. I will admit that I was good at getting discounts or using coupons to purchase backings and batting. On the invoice I charged them the regular price. Hey I had to do the research and running to get the better prices. I also had overhead like thread, needles , thimbles, hoops or frames, lighting etc. etc. The price of doing business includes a lot of things. |
It takes all kinds, doesn't it?
Good for you, deciding to take deposits. |
i think you should ask for half the price you agree upon. You can say it is to cover supplies for the quilt. Dont worry Im sure the quilts are so beautiful that you will have no problem selling them!
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Originally Posted by PJO
My husband and I had a contract with a couple who rented our restaurant. When they defaulted several months on rent and utilities an attorney told us that a contract is "only worth the paper it is written on." We ended up losing quite a bit of money. Another time we took a customer to small claims court. We paid the filing fee, and never got anything from the consumer. I think you're very wise to ask for a deposit up front. Our local TV station had a segment about this- you can take them to small claims court and WIN, but the odd are in the long run that you still won't get your money. They said 90% of the award winners never get the money from those that owed it to them- the most you can do is ding their credit score for defaulting on a contract. Be careful out there, and I fully agree with adding in a clause specifying the time that you will hold the quilt until you have the right to resell it without a refund. |
I am just starting to have people ask me if they can order a quilt and I decided that I would quote a price prior to the work and ask for half up front and the other half just before I ship it to them. That way, my initial outlay for fabric and batting is taken care of. My brother's step mother-in-law wants me to make her a quilt and I told her this and wrote up a contract. She is having a little trouble coming up with the first money, but I told her I cannot begin any of it without the first deposit. But I am guessing now, after reading your post that my contract should state the initial deposit is nonrefundable.
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I think you should ask for a non-refundable deposit up front...
People just don't realize how much goes into making a quilt--I only use quilt store fabric so I am talking about $9.00-$11.00 a yard for the fabric. Then the time cutting, piecing, and quilting--I don't hand quilt much but if it is hand quilted the time involved can be astronomical... Barbara |
Any other craftsperson, whether carpenter, photographer, cake decorator, etc., would require some type of deposit, so why shouldn't you?
About 5 years ago, a co-worker asked me to make a quilt and she thought I was trying to scam her on the price I quoted her - $100 for a twin. We found a pattern and fabric on-line and discussed the yardage required. I gave her links to, I think Hancock's of Paducah, for the fabric, batting, and thread, so she could get the prices for herself. She told me the next workday that she had changed her mind. |
I agree, it stinks. If you ask for NON-REFUNDABLE deposit, they won't change their minds. And if they do, you have most of your material paid for so you don't mind if it sets for a few months until you can sell it. Always, always, always quoute your price up front and put it in writing.
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On my custom rugs I get 50% deposit from those I have done business with in the past. I get it all before I start with those I don't know.
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ditto on what plainjane said
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Some people don't have a clue.
I think 1/2 of purchase price is reasonable. It would cover your up front costs and they are more likely to pay the balance. I would make it non-refundable too, because you are out the money on fabric etc. This also gives them time to get the rest of the money together. |
Same thing happened to a friend of mine. The lady ordered the quilt and acted like she had tons of money then said she would have to start making payments when it was done. My friend has not seen one dollar yet. She agreed on the price too when she ordered it. Maddening!
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They probably weren't serious in the first place. They saw it and loved it, "oh yeah I want one" and then forget about it and blow their money elsewhere.
You could have them pay for the fabric. That will commit them. |
I agree that you should ask for a $100 non-refundable deposit. And I would also try to sell the quilts you made--so you can try to capture back the $ you have invessted. I would not wait for them to take their time to come up with the money to pay for their quilts they ordered. I used to do altering of Prom dresses and as you can imagine, alot of hours goes into altering a Prom dress!. I did not let the dresses leave the house without payment. And, of course, they needed them for Prom so I always got payment. It was an easier scenario than what you are currently dealing with. Good Luck.
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It's customary to do a contract on agreed price w/a 25% desposit. The contract should state a no refund on deposit if customer changes their mind... This way you do not loose money invested on a special order quilt you may not be able to sell to someone else.
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I have a long time friend who wanted 3 quilts quilted.I supplied the batting and we agreed on a price.she paid about 25% of it and after 2 months said there was no way she could pay me.She gave me about $20 worth of batting and asked me to call it even.we have been friends for over 30 yrs so I said ok.never again though.always need to charge something up front.By the way I was only getting 5.00 an hr for quilting 3 large quilts.I am venting here,she is still a friend but I feel taken advantage of.I had quilted about 6 quilts for free for her and it was the 1st time she offered to pay and didn't.
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she is still a friend but I feel taken advantage of.I had quilted about 6 quilts for free for her and it was the 1st time she offered to pay and didn't.
--------------------------------------------------------- I'm betting that it was the last time you will do anything for her, isn't it? No more free quilting either. |
Unfortunately, non-quilters have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA when goes into a quilt from start to finish. As a fairly new quilter, I can't believe how much work goes into finding or creating a pattern, selecting fabric that will make the quilt pop, cutting . . . and cutting and cutting, pinning and piecing -- always being held hostage by the 1/4" seam, pressing . . . border(s) binding, perhaps appliques . . .
People are spoiled by the "ready-made" world: Go to the mall, find something, buy it, use it tonight! They have no clue. That's why you're hard-pressed to charge a reasonable price and actually get paid that. It's sad. Janet/Michigan |
I agree, 1/2 upon ordering it, have a contract stating that and the other 1/2 upon completeion. Write out the $ amounts paid and the $ amount needed upon completion. Also, in that contract state that IF for any reason they change their mind and cancel the order - at least 1/2 of that 1rst 1/2 is NON refundable. And, if AFTER completion they change their mind - then deposit of the 1rst 1/2 is NON refundable ( you have already done ALL of that work!)
Most people will not back out after the large deposit has been made. |
Definitely a hard lesson for you to learn, but the rest of us will benefit by learning from you. I've only made 2 quilts from scratch on commission. The first was a baby quilt for a friend's granddaughter and she basically only paid for the material, but I knew going into it that she really could not afford to pay what it was worth.
The second one is a Cal-King bedspread...we went together and she bought about $100 worth of the material, gave me $60 for thread and we agreed upon $600-700 for the completed quilt. Well, after extensive piecing and buying quite a bit more material, the top is pieced, not quilted yet. After I showed her a picture of the quilt, she gave me $500 cash and said that when I finished the quilt she would give me another $500...and told me if I had to buy more material for the backing I was to let her know because she didn't think it was fair for me to have to pay for it! THAT'S the kind of friend/customer we all need!!! From now on, I will ask for 1/2 the price up front, with a contract detailing that the deposit is non-refundable and when payment in full needs to be made or the customer's interest in the quilt is terminated. I never thought to ask a customer whose quilt I am quilting to pay anything up front, but I do know that I won't give back a quilt without getting paid in full. |
Very good discussion. The largest company I deal with is the slowest to pay. But I have always received my money. Another thought is that by law the customer has three days to change their mind. So I would wait those three business days before I bought thread or fabric. Another hard lesson.
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The 3 day law is only good for door-to-door salesman. At least, here in TX. I know, because I researched this once for my daughter who purchased something and couldn't return it (not a quilt; returns are not required by law and there is no 'Buyers Remorse' law here). However, she was stuck with it, due to the non-existent 3-day Buyer's Remorse Law here in TX that she thought would cover her. I don't know about other states though.
I have friends who create beautiful quilts on commission, and they always ask for 1/2 non-refundable deposit, and have a contract terminating a clients interest should the quilt not be paid for within 15 days of completion. They also spell out they are free to donate, sell, give away, or keep the quilt if not paid for in full within the 15 days. I wouldn't hesitate to get 1/2 deposit - I think $100 isn't enough, but 1/2 would at least cover the majority of your financial investment in the quilt - not the time, of course, but the fabrics, thread, etc. Debbie in Austin |
I ask 50% up front, that way at least my costs (fabric, batting, etc.) are covered.
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Originally Posted by Ramona Byrd
she is still a friend but I feel taken advantage of.I had quilted about 6 quilts for free for her and it was the 1st time she offered to pay and didn't.
--------------------------------------------------------- I'm betting that it was the last time you will do anything for her, isn't it? No more free quilting either. |
People seem to have no clue as to time, energy and cost of quilts! One thing that is never mentioned is the knowledge that we quilters spend time and money developing...taking classes, going to workshops, buying and reading books and magazines, etc. It takes years to become good at what we do!
A year or so ago a friend of a friend of a friend asked me to make a tee-shirt quilt. I found 3 websites online that make these quilts. I told the woman that she needed to look at these websites to get a clearer idea of exactly what she wanted, and that I would take $50 off the website price for her. Needless to say, I never heard from her again. I think she had "sticker shock" when she realized that these quilts run about $350. I suspect she thought I'd make it for free since she was supplying the shirts! I am always amazed at the number of "friends" who feel comfortable asking for your services for free. Do they ask their dentist or doctor or lawyer for free services???? |
I feel it's totally acceptable to ask for half up front and a quarter of the balance before quilting. This way you're not on the hook for the batting, backing and quilting. If they fail to make the last payment at least you know it will be a finish and sell quilt. There will be no more waiting until it's ready to be stiffed. If you were hiring any house repairs they ask for progress payments to protect themselves. Cover the cost of materials and quilting costs that way it's your labor that you're out.
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