I am making curtains for my mil and was wondering what I should charge her. What do you guys think?

Can she afford to pay? I would charge mine for fabric and other incidentals such as thread. Not sure I could charge for my time ...for the MIL... for others who like me to do their bidding, I charge...

For your MIL????!!!!!! ALOT!!!!!!!!!!!! :lol:

If you are supplying the fabric and associated bits and pieces I would only get her to pay for that. I guess it depends on how your relationship is...but I wouldn't charge for the time and labour.

are we talking one window or ten?

I would just charge for the supplies, i.e.; fabric, thread etc. but then again I am not familiar with the relationship you have with her.

How many curtains are you going to be making and how complicated is the job?

I have made 5 panels so far. She asked me if I would make her some curtains and that she would pay me, I'm just not sure how much to charge her.

Normally I charge $10.00 an hour and it took me 5 hours so far. I thought maybe $30.00 would be reasonable.

So most of you think I should charge only for supplies and nothing for making them. Thanks for all your input!

If your MIL approached you and asked you to do it and she offered, then come up with some nominal fee. Its hard to give guidance when there are usually a lot of personal factors involved. Do what you think is right!! :-D

I think it depends entirely on your relationship with your Mother inlaw. For mine I would not charge anything but expect her to buy the fabric and threads hooks etc. Same goes for close friends and sisters etc, however having been a curtain maker as part of my job I can vouch that there can be a lot of work involved in say, lined curtains with tiebacks and valances etc!
What kind of curtain are you making, long or short, is it a simple unlined rod pocket type or the more elaborate as I have already mentioned? I think you need to take those things into consideration perhaps.

Gal

I agree that it would depend on what exactly she was asking you to make. Simple rod pocket type or lined, pleated types.
Plus it would depend on the relationship. I would at least charge her for the fabric and go from there.

Does she babysit for free and help you out ??
How many meals have you eaten at her place where she buys the food??

I would never have charged my mil for anything.
If she can afford to buy the material, just get her to do that.
I guess it depends on the relationship you have with her, what would hubby like you to do for his Mother.

In this case I would just say the materials to make these cost me $so many dollars and if she is a generous person she will give you extra. Unless you want to make money doing it.

If it were my mother-in-law I would just make them out of the kindness of my heart. Sometimes one cannot afford to do that, so then I would charge for the materials and donate the labor.

Depending on your finances and hers....

I would either make them a gift or charge her for the materials. If you can afford to make them as a gift...I think it would be wonderful...IF NOT, I would let her pay for the materials.

Margie

I could never charge her for labor, I would just ask that she pay for the fabric.

I guess it would depend on whether this is your business or a favor. Also, does she have a lot of $$? and, whose idea was it? I would certainly have her buy the fabric and supplies. I would never charge my MIL unless I was doing it professionally and they were a real big deal, like drapes, in which case I would help her shop for them, rather than make them :) I would say, happy birthday or mother's day or something. Charging family is such a touchy thing, isn't it?

It's for my daughter's husbands mother. She has all kind of family gatherings of which we are never invited to. I sent her xmas cards, none from her. We aren't close at all and though I invite her over, she always has an excuse not to come over.

She bought the fabric. I told her it was free and she insisted on paying me $40.00 so I guess I got my answer.

I just made curtains for my stepson house. I didn't charge him anything. I used fabric I had at home and that I though would look nice in his home. His girlfriend really likes them. They were tab lined drapes.

I don't have aMIL but if I did I would only charge for Materials

Thanks everyone for your opinions, it helped a lot!

I wouldn't charge her for labor. I am sure she has done a lot for you, she bore your husband! I would do it for the blessings not the money.

wow that is a tough question

I got it wrong, she is not my mother in law, she's my daughters husbands mother.

/oh... Now that is different in my book. Good luck with that one.

Nothing, not even for fabric or any materials.

I would charge for the fabric and notions. Penny

I made my mil curtins she pay for the matieral and thread. When I hung them for her I told her know charge I got a check in the mail she said, she really appreciated what I did for her.. I would say leave it up to her weather she wants to pay you anything.. It's your MIL.....

I would never ask my MIL for money. She is so good to me!

I had a good relationship with my MIL. She once asked me to do the band uniforms for her last born (20 yrs younger than my hubby) and I did -- for nothing.

I would ask her to provide the material - she wanted specific kind, but if she couldn't afford that, then I would buy it for her. I never charged her for my work, but she would have paid me if I had.

If your time is especially limited - and she wants them right away, then I would charge her half of what you would charge anyone else.

if you're never invited, she never visits and she never sends xmas cards, then you're being underpaid because she's a stranger.
next time tell her you'd love to help but you're just so busy. let her try to underpay a different seamstress.

If you are providing the materials, make up an itemized listing of supplies and show her what the materials cost so she'll reimburse you for that and if she wants to pay you more, she will. I personally wouldn't ask for anything beyond the cost of the materials.

If you normally do sewing for a living or get paid for it, then I definitely you should charge your mother in law your normal hourly rate. She would have known you do this when she asked you and would expect you to include that in her payment to you. You don't want to give your services away for free but you could perhaps give her a break in the rate. It's a tough decision and one only you can make.

Give her an itemized statement which includes what your normal fee would be to your clients and see how it goes from there. If she opts not to pay for your time, that may be something you'll have to accept for the sake of your husband and family peace. I do know that in that situation, my mother in law would have paid me what others would pay and would feel offended if I tried not to allow her to do so; she's that kind of a lady.

Whenever I've done special projects for relatives and close friends for projects that I get a fee for from clients, they pay the bill in full with a check that day but within 5 days, I recieve a nice thank you note in the mail complimenting my job plus a bonus $50 or more check depending on the size of the project. I did cake decorating and using computer crafts accessorized anniversary parties, showers, etc.

In this instance, trust your instincts on how you feel your mother in law would respond. Mine would insist on paying for the materials plus my time for work others pay me to do. For work I don't get paid for, she would pay for the materials and that would be all I'd ask for.

Is this your MIL or your son's MIL?

Is it possible that your MIL may want to pay you to help you and your husband out? There really are so many factors that you are probably the only one to make the right decision, since you know the background, history, dynamics of the relationship. You will make the right decision and how nice that your MIL likes and trusts your work enough to ask you.

My Mother in law provided material, thread, buttons, etc. and I made her many dresses, one even had bound buttonholes in double knit! If it were me, I'd tell her the cost of supples, and that I spent ____ hours doing it. Then leave it at that. Always needs points with the Mother in Law. What a complement for her to ask you, or is she demanding? JMO. Silvia

That's a whole other issue. Did she contact you as a business client or as extended family. As extended family, you honestly don't owe her anything and yes, she should pay you for your time, especially if she can afford to do it. This is one of those touchy situations though as you sure don't want to cause problems for your daughter. You're already working on it, so I'd finish them up but doubt I'd take on any of her projects in the future. Good luck and hope things work out well.

Normally when people ask me for a "favor," I do sit down with a contract spelling out what they are asking me to do, what they expect of me AND what I expect in return. If I really want to do, I make it easy to accept; if not, I usually word something such that they don't want me to do them this favor. For family and extended family, I do go the distance to make things work the first time though. If not, I make sure not to get in that situation again.

imo, she's an acquaintance, who thinks that she can expect favors although she is not a friend nor a relative. judging from what you said you usually charge, and what she has offered to pay you, you're not getting paid enough for your work. you're caught between a rock and a hard place now and however it gets worked out, try hard not to go there again. i'll bet she knows the going rates and that's why she came to you, who she doesn't invite to her house. be very, very busy the next time she asks for something or she'll keep taking advantage of your kindness.