Okay, so maybe this is the wrong forum to post this, but I really needed to vent to people who might understand my frustration.

I am trying to get some new quilting clients. I had a lady contact me interested in getting two full size quilts made. One from her child's old clothes, and another full one with pictures on it. I quoted her a price of $350 for BOTH quilts including the materials to add the pictures.

She hasn't contacted me since.

I am so frustrated by people who are telling me that I'm charging too much for a quilt and not even coming back! If they had ANY idea at all how much work goes into making a quilt they would realize that those prices are so freaking reasonable it's not even funny.

Do they expect me to be like Walmart and give them a bargain price? I can't even make the quilt for less than $100 in materials!

Okay I'll stop venting now, but hopefully someone on here understands and feels my pain!

I think your price is rather cheap. People who don't quilt will never understand how much work is involved. You should keep a log of how much time and money you invest in a quilt and show it to anyone who complains about the cost.

I know exactly what you mean. While I have never made a quilt for someone, I use to do upholstery and make draperies. People would say, "I can go buy a new sofa for that much!" I'd say,"Yes, you can. However, you are not comparing apples to apples. You have a very heavy frame and are getting designer fabric. You will get a pressboard/cardboard sofa w/inferior fabric...."
I finally had enough. Then people were like, where are we going to get our fabric and work done now that you are closing?!?!! HA!~
Just keep going. Keep giving quotes. I found that educating people helped a little. Maybe make a sheet up of about how many hours it takes, what the materials cost,etc. break down the price that you give them so that they see where their money is goign. Hope it helps! Sandra

that's funny~we were typing pretty much the same thing at the same time! lol
I do think that a breakdown would help.... XO

As someone said in a different thread: You are competing with the bed in a bag.

A perfect example of why I won't even attempt to sell a quilt but I will GIVE THEM AWAY... makes sense to me LOL

A friend and I tried years ago the craft fairs etc (not quilts tho) - people who do the crafts or whatever usually say something like, "oh, your prices are so reasonable" (and copy your ideas so they can duplicate the thing) and people who don't have a CLUE how much time, effort, money, etc goes into something will talk about how expensive or over-priced it is..

And that was BEFORE Walmart ruined anything along those lines - years ago people made little crafty things and now Wallyworld has stuff from China for pennies on the dollar... a for instance, my hubby does intricate scroll work on a scrollsaw - walmart and hobby lobby and michaels sell things cut out with a punch press of cheap wood in china for a pittance for people to finish (paint etc) ... do you think DH will try to sell anything any more? nope...

go to the dollartree store and look at the crocheted doilies for a dollar - who's making them for that? a 5 year old somewhere? We pay more for the thread!

and as mentioned - the bed in a bag for less that the cost of fabric for pillow slips - there is such a 'throw away' mentality anymore - nobody keeps anything - use it a season and toss it - buy more....
and it's caught up to people - there are people who are probably still paying off the credit card for that set of towels from three years ago that are long gone and replaced two times over (or they filed bankruptcy and not paying the bill at all)

oh well

go ahead and vent what do people think a quilt cost ?
29.99 made in China

I have had the same problem. People don't understand the time and effort that go into doing things by hand, whether it is the woodwork or the quilting.

I finally started giving a bid on a quilt project, just as a contractor does on remodeling:
$ amount for materials
$ amount for time with an estimate of hours involved
$ amount for printing pics on fabric
$ amount for piecing, quilting
or whatever, to give people an idea of what they are really getting. Yes, some have not come back to have the work done. But at least they know what they are giving up.

I hope a little education will help others see how valuable the art of quilting really is.

Here, Here. I agree 100%. When I do custom work, I don't cut prices, but give an honest estimate of my time and materials. If they accept it, fine. If not, who cares? I have a reputation for doing quality work and won't underestimate my value for services. I have very few customers who want me to reduce my prices, because they know I won't. I have reminded some that for the money they want to spend, they will have to look at WalMart. Most of my customers never ask price if they really have something in mind and want it. I am always careful to write down each request and detail for a custom job and then note the finished price (not an estimate). I have never had anyone walk away. I don't do estimates on the phone either. Those are just looky-loos and they want to compare with every other quilter they can find.

I think you are way cheap also, I gave the same price to a lady to quilt a queen size top for her. She said let me think about it and that was the last I heard from her.

I get that sometimes when I give a quote to paint a car. But its usually someone that has just gotten into showing cars or its their first real show car. They about crap in their pants when I tell them the price but you pay for what you get. The days of $3000 to $6000 paint jobs are long gone, maybe for bikes (tank and two fenders) but you can not come close to painting a car for that.

Billy

People don't understand...and they want quality at bagain basement prices...so sad :(

People don't realize the value of a quilt. I didn't until I started quilting myself. There is a tremendous amount of time, work, fabric...sometimes blood,sweat and tears too. All you can do is try to educate whomever you are quoting a price too. Good luck. I have never sold a quilt but I agree that your prices are too low.

I feel your pain! That's precisely why I don't like doing custom work. I'll make things now and if someone likes it I'll put a price on it and if they want it, fine. BTW, it's also why my brother quit building custom homes, too.

I used to do custom sewing for the public..They want a custom design/made garment for walmart clearance price.
I still will do custom design wedding gowns but I have them manufactured from Thailand and starting price is $1000. I don't lower the price. I've had pple say they thought custom made would be cheaper than off the rack...what rock are they hiding under???? The only time custom is cheeper is if you do the skill yourself... There's no labor cost.

My mom has had the same issue with her artwork. She is a muralist and fine artist. When people have asked her to paint a portrait for them, they are always amazed at how much she charges. They are used to Olan Mills "fake" paintings that one can get for less than $100.00. When she is asked to paint a mural or do custom painting in a home, they expect it to cost about the same as wallpapering. They don't even consider all the years of training and the level of skill it takes, along with talent, that has gone into what she does. This is why she mainly paints murals for the military and for businesses, because they can seem to be more understanding of her worth and are willing to pay the $$$ to get a one-of-a-kind mural or painting. (She has painted murals as big as three stories high and 300 ft. long.)

On a different note, I am amazed at how many people purchase those cheap quilts from Wal-Mart and then are surprised when they wash them and they fall apart. Then, they expect that a custom quilt should cost about the same, yet be high quality.

People just don't realize what goes into a quilt. It's more than fabric and labor, it's a love of the craft too.

i've become convinced that getting the right price for a quilt depends almost entirely on where it's offered for sale. the same quilt will sell for $1,000 or more from a gallery. at a craft sale or flea market, i'll bet a person would be "lucky" to get a few hundred.

i don't seek commissons. i don't like working under a deadline. i also end up having to make quilts using colors and fabrics i may not like very much. not fun.

if somebody asks, i tell them my prices start at $200 - regardless of size.

if they have the "guts" to keep the conversation going, i talk to them about the different factors that go into determining the final price.

if they keep going, and i'm interested in taking the commission, i offer to show them a few design proposals and quotes for each.

if they gasp at any point during this process i remind them that they will end up with a one-of-a-kind family heirloom (IF they take proper care of it). i promise that i never make the same quilt for more than one person.

in the case of baby/children's quilts, i point out that every quilt i make is test laundered so they KNOW it will stand up to use, abuse, and lots of love.

i explain that i won't be offended if they go for a bed-in-the-bag. if they don't care that their bedroom looks exactly like 5,000 others then neither do i.

if they "insist" on making the deal then i "sacrifice" my time and take the money when i'm done.

if they decide to go elsewhere, i'm VERY happy to have rescued the time i'd have spent making something they want so i can spend it making whatever pleases me at the time. ;-)

I have quoted prices that are fair to both parties - some have bought, some have not...

I have never been asked to make a quilt for profit - for which I am very glad. Years ago, in the 80's I did LOTS of English smocking. I decided to try and sell Bonnets and Dresses (all done with fine cotton, french seams, etc). The Bonnets were $10 in a local store - I got $5 back then and sold only a few. The dresses never moved. I finally donated them to a school auction..

I liked the idea of presenting a "list" like you would in a building contract. That might educate the client as to the extensiveness of the project.

Good luck - and if she doesn't contact you then, I hate to say this, maybe you are lucky! :D

Everyone is looking for "something for nothing"...I work with people everyday that are looking...when they manage to browbeat you down in price on what you have to offer (no matter what it is) they go and spend the difference on a better car than you drive...a better house than you live in...expensive dinners...

Are they cheap or smart? ~sigh~

I think your prices were also to low. I charge that much or more just to handquilt a top. I also charge extra for the batting, backing, marking and binding. The only customer I ever had who was willing to pay was a woman who owned a custom framing business. She had a collection of tops her grandmother had made that she wanted finished.

My most recent would be customer was a couple who had at least 50 T shirts they wanted made into a quilt. I told them basically $10 a square foot plus materials. They never came back. I have a feeling they were picking my brain in an effort to do it themselves. Good luck with that project.

A few have asked me how much I would charge to make a quilt, I give them the name of the nearest quilt shop and say go there and look at the fabric, thread, batting, add $200 - $300 for my labor and then we'll talk. One lady did call back and say she had no idea the cost of quilt fabric.

This is exactly right! It's marketing 101. Do not cheapen your end product by devaluing it. If someone really wants the product and knows the value of it they will think your products are not valuable because you priced them too low. I used to make and sell jewelry and did a lot of research on pricing. The best advice I was ever given was that you are pricing your product for someone who can afford to pay the price that it is worth because someone who cannot afford it is still not going to purchase it.

I TOTALLY AGREE...I HAVE MADE SO MANY PEOPLE QUILTS AS GIFTS, BUT WOULD NEVER EVEN BEGIN TO TRY SELLING THEM TO ANYONE BECAUSE THEY COULD NEVER AFFORD TO PAY ME FOR MY TIME AND MATERIAL IF I QUOTED THEM A TRUE PRICE...STILL THE JOY AND FUN OF QUILTING MAKES IT ALL WORTHWHILE...

I don't think your prices are too high, but you can not compete with WalMart, Target, Kmart, etc. I think that QuiltMom has the right idea along with the suggestion of sending them to the local quilt shop and look at fabrics, batting, etc., then come back to talk to you if they're still interested.

When someone wants me to make a quilt, I ask them to purchase the fabric. I will even go with them to help select fabric & make sure they get the right amounts, but at least they then see the cost of materials used. Then I try to keep track of how much time I put into making the quilt. Of course, I never really earn enough to pay for my time as I am a perfectionist. I have sold a few of my quilts as I more than I will ever use in my lifetime, but I don't think I actually "made" any money when selling them.

I have one ? not on what you put on here but I do agree with the other that is a reasonable price. Here's my ?

Where are those cats ears? :lol:

print out prices off the internet of quilts for sale and paste them up for all to see!! large quilt stores have quilts for sale on their sites by individuals. $400.00 and up usually.

I am so validated after reading your posts! It makes me feel so much better that I'm not the only one experiencing this problem!

I am trying to make a side business of this though, so it's very frustrating when people walk away after being quoted a price.

I posted on Craigslist that I can make custom quilts, and they START at $50. (For a 20X20'' wall hanging!!!!) and this lady was expecting to get a full size quilt for $50! I can't even begin to purchase the needed materials for $50!

Some people are just too spoiled for their own good. *sigh*

So I just wrote out what I think is a pretty detailed break-down of my time and materials cost for my quilts. Take a look at it and tell me what you think.

Quilt Price Breakdown

Material Cost: This is a list of all materials required to make a quilt. This is materials estimation ONLY. Please note: the cost of fabric is an ever changing thing. Therefore I have put into this estimate a very low general figure for each yard cost of fabric. Depending on when you purchase your quilt from me, the cost could be more or less, but I am only charging a flat fee for these materials. Also each quilt is completely different in design, shape, size and pattern. Therefore your quilt could end up using more materials than what I have written out here, as this is just a ballpark figure of what it takes generally speaking.

Front Fabric Estimate:
Wall-hanging (36’’X36’’ or thereabouts)---$4/yd X 2 yards= $8
Nap Blanket (50’’X50’’ or thereabouts)---$4/yrd X 3 yards =$12
Twin ---$4/yd X 4 yards =$16
Full---$4/yd X5 yards =$20
Queen --$4/yd X 6 yards= $24
King $4/yd X 8 yards =$32

Batting Estimate:
Wall-hanging-------$6/yd X2 yards = $12
Nap Blanket---------$6/yd X3 yards =$18
Twin ---------------$6/yd X4 yards =$24
Full----------------$6/yd X 5 yards =$30
Queen -----------$6/yd X 6 yards =$36
King --------------$6/yd X 8 yards =$48

Backing Fabric Estimate:
Wall-hanging ---$4/yd X 2 yards= $8
Nap Blanket---$4/yd X 3 yards =$12
Twin ---$4/yd X 4 yards =$16
Full---$4/yd X5 yards =$20
Queen --$4/yd X 6 yards= $24
King $4/yd X 8 yards =$32

Embellishment Estimate:
Pictures---$5 per picture
Appliqué $5 per piece
Embroidery $10 for a name, $20 for inscription

Misc Supplies Estimate
Thread----$3/spool X 2 spools per quilt
Yard (for tied quilts) $6/skein X 2 skeins per quilt
Quilting- thread (for quilted quilts) $12/spool X 4 spools per quilt

Labor Cost Estimation
This is a breakdown of the labor involved in putting together and creating your one-of-a-kind quilt. This is to in no way be the final price that I am held to, rather a peek into the inner-workings of creating your quilt. My labor is priced low because I love doing this and I don’t consider it work. However I do have to charge something for it!

(haven't figured out what to charge yet!)

Drafting/Laying out the quilt
.5-2 hrs (depending on how complicated a design)
Selecting the materials
1-3 hours (again depending on how complicated the quilt design is)
Preparing the materials
1-3 hours (washing the fabric, drying, ironing)
Cutting/piecing
8-12 hours (cutting the design out, piecing the pieces together, pinning, etc)
Sew/piecing
24-48 hours (sewing each block, assembling the blocks into rows, ironing, etc)
Embellishment work (if applicable)
8-10 hours (assembling materials for pictures, adding embroidery, adding names, etc)
Assembling the top
6-12 hours (sewing the rows into pieces to be joined, squaring up, adding borders, etc)
Piecing the back
2-3 hours (making sure the fabric is the right size, cutting, measuring, sewing)
Sandwiching the layers
2-3 hours (getting everything to lay flat smooth and even together, basting, ironing, etc)
Quilting/Tying
24-36 hours (this is quilting these layers together, or securing them by tying with yarn)
Binding
10-12 hours (finishing the edges, ironing, squaring up, etc)
Labeling/Quality Assurance
1-2 hours (getting the label on the quilt, checking for inconsistencies, checking the entire quilt for quality)


(I just added up the cost of making a twin. If I charged $10/hr for my labor, a twin quilt on the low end of the labor scale and materials would cost $950!!! I charge $100! They're getting one heck of a good deal!)

I agree.

[quote=mrsj82]
Front Fabric Estimate:
$4/yd X

Batting Estimate:
$6/yd X

Backing Fabric Estimate:
$4/yd X

Where are you? I want tofind fabric as inexpensively as you do :lol:

Don't sell yourself short. What we do is worth every penny of the $ 950. That's probably why we give away our art instead of trying to get paid what it is worth. ;) It can be insulting to be offered such a low figure.

First of all you are giving the material away, and I wish I could find fabric at $4 a yard regular priced.

Rule of thumb you charge the price of material +10%.

I would charge $10 a yard +10% for fabric

$12 to $20 +10% a yard for the batting depending on if its poly or cotton blend.

$5 a spool +10% for the thread

Then on the labor I would charge the going rate what ever that may be for your area. If its $10 hour then make sure you keep a log on how many hours it takes you to make it so you can charge accordingly. On a quilt I would bid it time plus material, but if you know it will only take you 10 hours to make the top then go ahead and charge them the $100 for labor.

I charge anywhere from $10,000 to $25,000 for a paint job depending on the amount of body work I have to do and how much custom fabrication I am doing like chopping tops and so forth.

I never discount anything for anybody and I always have a back log of folks waiting for me to work on their rides. I also never advertise its all word of mouth, I let my work do the talking for me.

What ever you do never undersell yourself!!

Billy

.I live in the NYC area. We are now paying from $9.50-$13.00 per yard for pure 100% cotton quilting fabric. We can't even get $4.00 fabric in Lancaster, Pa anymore. Everyone in my quild tries to take one or two bus trips a year to Lancaster to buy fabric........but there are no more great bargins there, all the good fabric is at least $8.00 (and up) a yard.
You will notice the fabric at Walmart is quite inferior. The weave is very course.......it is nothing like what you get in a quilt store.
I use to carve wooden birds and thought I'd sell them at craft fairs after I retired. The price i could get for them didn't even pay for the special blocks of wood I needed to carve them.

We're right with you on this subject. Most people don't understand how much time and material goes into making a quilt. I recently contracted 2 memory quilts. They supplied all the material so I just supplied my labor. One was 30x45 and was a family member so I only charged her $80 for my labor. I normally would have charged $130. The other one was a rag quilt (from mom's nightgowns), about 45x60. I quoted $20 for the batting and she paid me $170. She said she knows what goes into making these quilts. So, bottomline, don't sell yourself short. If you do, you'll feel short-changed and not enjoy the project. Don't give your talent away. Real customers are out there and if you promote yourself, they'll find you. Hope this helps. Vicki

Hi I don't know where they took you on the bus tour for material but I use to live near Lancaster and I was just up there the other day and I went to places that had good material for $3.99 , 4.99,5.99 .6.99 up to that price. Zook's , Weaver's,Goods, and another one but there are alot of places still in Lancaster Pa and other cities.

If they do not like your price state that you could show them how to do it and let them know how much time it will take for them and all the supplies they will need to purchase and cost of same and your fee for teaching. Machine, needles, scissors, thread, rotary cutter, rullers, pins, material, batting, templates and there time to come to classes or they can pay your price. Some people ask prices and then they get idea of how much to charge when they do the task. You can also tell them to contact an Amish quilt store. There quilts go for thousands. Good Luck Emily

After the experience I had at our LQS I wouldn't step foot in there if it was the only place to buy fabric from.

Around here you can pick up Moda, Kona, and other nice quality quilting fabrics all for under $10 a yard. Most of it is between $4.99 to $7.99 and some of the really premium fabric is almost $10 a yard. I usually catch it on the 40% off sales so its even cheaper.

If I can get myself going this morning I might go out and brave the frigid cold and run to Hancock and look around and maybe add to the stash before the ball games today.

Billy

We have a quilt shop here in town and they charge 12.00 a square yard to do free hand quilting. I don't think that is to bad considering that I have 3 quilts to do that have panels on them. I don't do any sewing for anyone else. I make quilts, if they want to buy fine but I won't reduce my prices. I can understand your frustration.

Stick to your plan - don't give away your work unless it's a gift!