MY SIL's SIL :lol: Yep thats it. Wants me to make her a quilt. She will buy everything including thread. It is to be a patchwork quilt. Just squares. Like a 9 patch I quess. This is all up in the air,no decidions on anything yet.
She will pay me......... now that is the delimma. How much to charge. My Sister told me she figured. $75.00 for a twin. $100.00 for full. $125.00 for a queen. etc.
Now I will be cutting,sewing,sandwiching,quilting and binding it.
Does the amounts sound to much or to little.
Just want some opinions,so I can make up my mind to do it. The only thing about it is most people don't realize how much work is involved in makeing a quilt. I want to be fair to her and myself or I won't do it.
Bonnie

I don't know how much is right, but I definitely think the prices you're quoting are too low for someone that distant. I think $75 is too low even for making a twin size quilt for a friend. That's a lot of work!

Its always difficult to know what to charge a relative or friend, but I have to agree with the last post seems a bit low. Yep your right no one realises just how much work goes into a quilt. Also are you hand or machine quilting. Could you not ask or google a person who does that type of thing and email the question how much they would charge, then you might get a fairer idea of how much it would cost.

Maybe some of the others might have ideas on this one Good luck

Elle

even a 9 patch will take time. If the quilt is full size @ $100, you would have to finish it in 20 hours just to make 5 bucks an hour. That's working pretty fast!

Okay Bon Bon just my opinion !!!
What size is the quilt? I would charge what you said for just the top. As far as the quilting and putting on the binding I would at least charge another $50 to $75.
You will never get enough for your workmanship, but you can at least supplement yourself.

I say the prices you listed are too low. Maybe for just the top, but not the completed quilt. Give her a rough estimate of how much time it takes to press, cut, sew and either tie or quilt and how much you charge per hour. If she doesn't want to give you a price you can agree on, tell her to make her own quilt so she can see how much work is involved.

i agree if eveyone else the prices are low tell her if she wants them at that price to go but all the materials needed and maybe she can help you do some of the cutting

i meant to say go buy the material not to go but it !!!!!!!!!

I agree! I would charge for each step (top, quilting, binding), but I don't know what to advice for the price!

It depends. Is this going to be a job, or something todo. Do you know and like this lady? If she buys everything thats a good chunk of money there. It is a simple pattern. What is the quilting plan? Check in Etsy and see what they are going for :D

Ok I made a quilt for my mom it was a very special quilt as she was going in for open heart surgery. She paid for all the materials including thread, I did the quilt for free but if I was to charge as it was a Queen size I would of charged at least 300.00 and that is not including the materials the reason being is the quilting was a work of art and I designed it and putting the top together takes time too. So I felt that the whole queen size quilt was worth 500.00.
People do not realize how much time and work goes into a quilt and that it is one of a kind.
Dawn

The twin I got back from the quilter was $139 just to be quilted. I put the binding on it. I don't think $100 is near enough if you are doing everything. I don't thing we should sell ourselves or our art short.

WOW! Sounds too low to me. I wouldn't do it for that.
Cherie :shock:

Hmmmm...well, you don't want to "low ball" it, but yet you don't want to lose the sale. My $.02 would be to treat this as a project (like a new roof, new carpeting, etc.) and you're the consultant who will complete the project. In each of those cases, the salesman / consultant provides an estimate based on price of all the components in the project. You will have to decide if you want to add a percentage to each of these costs so as to have some "wiggle room". You may run out of something and need to replenish your supply.

So, here's my suggestion: Break this project into all its components:

Fabric -- estimated cost if purchased at a quilting shop, Wal-Mart, JoAnn's, Hancocks, or an on-line store. If your client goes for the on-line option, be sure to include shipping costs if you're expected or order it.

Laundering, Ironing, Cutting, and Piecing -- estimate the number of hours

Thread -- estimate number of spools at x-price

Batting -- based up type (wool, polyester, cotton, silk, other) and size

Sandwiching and basting all the layers -- estimated number of hours

Quilting -- You will need to find out the cost, based on quilt size, if you took it to someone to be quilted. Break this out to include the options of hand quilted, non-specific designs in the quilting, and specific designs (hearts, flowers, birds, etc.)in the quilting

Number of hours you believe it will take to complete the project

Cost per hour, i.e. labor (YOURS!) THE MOST EXPENSIVE COMPONENT OF THE ESTIMATE! While this is subjective, you can get some idea by checking with other professional quilters. Then you will have to decide the worth and value of your time. Just remember, as an example, that most of the cost of having someone install carpet, fix your plumbing, etc. is directly related to labor costs.

Payment -- 50% at signing the estimate, and 50% at completion

Once you have all of that information, present your written and itemized estimate. You will have to decide if your estimate will allow for "negotiations".

If your client balks at the initial estimate, you may want to negotiate a flat fee for the project, but be sure to include in that fee a reasonalble number of hours at your hourly rate.

The goal here is to objectively set expectations such that there are a minimal number of "surprises" as the project progresses.

Bottom line is that everything is negotiable, with the exception of your hourly rate. Your time is a commodity that is very precious. Once you've undervalued it and used it, you will never recover that spent time.

Lastly, consider the old saying that tell us to "never do business with family or friends. It can cost too much."

You could just say, "What would you be willing to pay for a custom quilt?" The answer will tell you lots about your client...and yourself, if you accept what will probably be a "low ball" number. A written, itemized estimate is an objective tool that will enable you to either proceed with the project or call it off.

While you love your craft, giving it your best efforts, as well as what it brings you in satisfaction, remember that not everyone has that same attitude / perspective. They may be just looking for another gift item or another accessory.

Hope this helps.

madolyn

This is not going to be a job. But doing it once in awhile will be ok. I don't want a job to take over my enjoyment of quilting. I do it to keep stress levels manageable. It will be machine quilted. I don't have a longarm. Probable stich in the ditch.
Bill'sBonBon

I think it sounds a little low as well, as bj said just to have a quilt longarmed will run you $100. How were you planning to quilt it? Madolyn made a great list, but I would add a pack of needles to that list, you change the needles once every eight hours of sewing, and at the very least it would be good to start a new quilt with a fresh one. I've found that quilting on a sewing machine goes through needles faster.

Also making binding vs buying it, once you know how you'll never forget and it's rather easy, but that's time consuming cutting, sewing, and pressing.

Oh and don't forget a new rotary cutting blade. I borrowed my mom's rotary cutter and she warned me it might need a new blade, but it felt sharp to me so I kept using it, I used it through cutting more than 3 1/2 quilts expending way more effort than otherwise would have been needed, and as we all know the more pressure you use the more likely you will cut yourself, and it would simply not do to bleed on the quilt. :) I've read here that it's best to start with a new blade with the start of a new quilt.

Thank you Madolyn. I think you are a very smart and wise lady.

Hi :
I think that those prices are to low also. I do just the tops for a lady and she buys all fabric and I get 135.00.also if there is any fabric left over she will usually leave it with me . Wilma Osmond

I have a friend who just finished a queen size long arm quilted quilt - she is going to ask $625 for it - that includes ALL - material, thread, quilting, binding, tools the whole kit and kaboodle (whatever a kit and kaboodle is??) :) I have charged $125 for a baby quilt about 40 x 40

We went to Newfoundland in July. Many small isolated villages with winters very long and I think all the women there quilt because there were quilts everywhere for sale. I didn't see anything under about $400.00 and many were just simple blocks using nice coordinated colours.

You know what...
To keep peace in the family, I would let her buy everything! Plenty of thread, rotary blades, fabric and backing and binding with lots of wiggle room, and a bit of a chocolate stash.
Then I would say how bout xxx dollars and then you will have to send it to the long armer to quilt which would be about xxx dollars...if she balks, then tell her your price may be a bit negotiatable but the long armer costs this much "really"...
People don't realize what it "actually" costs to make a quilt regardless of size.
Try and have your cost substantiated like in a previous post.
Good luck....I wouldn't do it :?
k

I agree that the price is too low. If you were doing it just for a gift or partially a gift, it would be different, but she wants you to make her one. If she pays for all of the materials, do you think $100 would be worth all of the hours to do it in? I think you should do it for the price YOU feel comfortable at, if you think it sounds too high, and she does too, she doesn't have to have you do it. It takes a lot of time and patience and work for a quilt...any quilt, but the price is something you should feel comfortable with. You could always check prices online like the others mentioned.

Remember, you are an artist! You don't have to accept peanuts for your work! You're providing a handmade product, and you deserve to be well compensated for it. $100 for a twin is a ridiculous price! Figure how many hours you'll spend making the quilt, then figure what you'd want to earn per hour--$8 to $10 is not unreasonable.

I don't know if this helps you or not, but I made a very simple one (about twin sized) and I charged $225.00.

I gave my SILs SIL my price on making a king size quilt. Her buying everything to make it. Being she was in the family, but not really close to me. I quoted the price of $300.00 which it seems is really cheap. She also wanted me to tie the quilt not machine stitch in ditch. Witch to me is harder to do than with machine. Arthritis in fingers. ANYWAYS she said Quote,that is a lot of money,I really didn't think it would cost that much. UNQUOTE. Well I informed her she needed to do it herself and then see if she thought $300.00 was to much. :lol: :lol: She is not FAMILY enough for me to do it any cheaper. so now I can concentrate on my attic quilt and forget about her.
BillsBonBon

That was a very interesting line of questions and answers. As a handquilter for hire I run into that problem all of the time. Those who don't do any kind of handwork have no idea what it is worth. I live close enough to the Lancaster Amish area to be able to go there at least once a year. Their quilts sell for huge prices. Most of them starting at $600 and going way up. I have seen some appliqued ones for $1500. I have also noted that they do not always use high quality fabric and often don't remove their markings which are usually #2 pencil. One of the guilds I belong to sent a raffle quilt to an Amish woman to have it quilted. It cost them $700 about 7 years ago. They then entered it in the State Fair and the judges commented on the pencil markings that were not removed.

I have discovered a way to "tie" a quilt by machine. I use it on Linus quilts or items for my grandchildren. I set my automatic buttonhole on my Bernina for a tiny buttonhole. I then use it to "tie" the quilt. That stitch tacks both ends of the "tie". I then just slide the whole thing over to the next area and resume. At the end I have a lot of threads to snip but that is all. I used this method a lot before I finally broke down and learned to machine quilt in a very minimal way. Instead of in the ditch I use a decorative stitch so that it becomes a part of the design. I can do a Linus quilt in a little over an hour on my home machine.

Most of the general public is like your relative. They are accustomed to the "disposable" bedding now found in our big department stores. My basting is usually smaller than the so called quilting on those items. Tell her your work would be like the 600 thread count sheets that bring premium prices these days.

Never sell yourself short. Just to have one quilted cost quite a bit.

I'm with mpspeedy about tying. I do not tie when our group makes charity quilts using the envelope method. I tack all of the ones I do. It's faster and easier on the hands/fingers.

I agree not enough money to make one. I know with knitting and crocheting rule of thumb is 3 times the amount of material, and with a quilt it just might be the same. So her $100.00 of material is now a $300.00 quilt. So if it takes you 40 hours that is $5.00/hour. less than minimum wage. :lol: Oh well, it's family and well, everyone likes making them. maybe get her to help.

Honey BBB *L*

You all ain't got enough money to have ME make a quilt for you. If I make one, it's because I have an interest in you.

I think you did the right thing. Send your SIL off to look at what an Amish Quilt Store (online) charges and I think they get too little for the work they do.

tim ( I quilt fer myself) in san jose