A friend of mine who is a quilter asked me to make a baby quilt for a friend of hers who was expecting a boy. She said that she would pay me and asked me for a price . I stupidly said what she could afford... Guess how much she gave me..$20 yes you read it right $20!! It was a sportstheme quilt and it had the baby's name embroidered and date of birth and even the back was sport theme. I felt insulted!!I wished I had given it to her for nothing.
Wait there's more! She said her 2 grand sons saw the quilt and wanted one made? What do I do? I agreed before I had seen how much she had given me in a check. Help. Am I a sucker or a fool? I feel like I have been taken in advantage of.

Please, never give out my name!

Maybe give her a receipt for the fabric, tell her that you multiply that times 3.
and you will take her down payment.

Tell her to go buy the material. When she sees the price of fabric she will think twice about giving you $20. She should see the money and time that goes into a quilt. I tell my family and friends "don't even ask unless you're willing to pay for the fabric and my time".

Maybe she just doesn't realize what goes into a quilt, I'd explain it to her and tell her if she wants mnore quilts made it will cost X$, set a price that won't insult you.

Tell her where u bought the fabric.She should bring u the fabric and u will only charge her for ur labor.... and that normally I charge x for labor.

She probably has no idea of the time, effort or cost in fabric and thread that goes into making a custom quilt.

Tell her to purchase the fabrics and thread and add whatever $ (you name an amount)to that for your time and labor. My guess is that she will look at fabric on line or in a lqs and decide her grandsons can use a store bought quilt.

Or, just say "NO."

I was going to say she might not have known what goes into a quilt in both labor and money for fabric, but then I saw that you wrote she's a quilter herself. It seems that she might well have taken advantage of you and she needs a lesson in reality.

I guess at this point, I'd be honest with her and tell her that you will make the quilts, but this time you'll have to set a price to charge her for them to cover your time and expenses.

She is a Quilter! she understands.

You're neither. you simply spoke before you thought. If you feel this is something you want to do for her, aks her to buy"x" amount of fabric then set a price for your work. If you really don't want to tell her no. You did the other one as a favor, you don't usually quilt for hire. MY standard answer is "this is something I do for me. If I sew for others it's a job and I no longer enjoy it"

I would tell her that that was a nice start for the materials and then tell her how much the others will actually cost her.

If she is a quilter, than why didn't she make it herself ?
She should know how much time & material was in it.
I would tell her you don't have the time to make ones for 2 grandsons. Why can't she do them ?

she's a quilter and gave you $20!!!!

OMG

never do anything for her again.

if it were me, the friendship would end over this. how insulting, she knows how much things costs and how much time it takes.

if all she could afford was $20 she shouldn't have asked you to make a quilt.

People have no glue what it takes to make a quilt...when they go shopping at the stores they are so cheap...and yes cheaper quality but unless you are a quilter/sewer...they do not get it. Do not pay for the fabric...why don't you offer to teach her instead of making it for her. oopss I missed that she is a quilter...tell her to make one it would mean more to her grandchildren.

Tell her that you don't want to make another one, but you will teach her how to make one. If she insists, have a dollar figure in mind that you think is fair for your labor and make sure she buys all of the supplies on top of that.

You need to tell her that the first one was a favor but the second and third one will cost more. Your time is valuable and she is ungrateful.

You are neither one of those things..Instead you are a friend who was asked to do something and you did it..Be proud of that and do not let the hurt feelings get in the way of that feeling..She should be ashamed of herself for giving such an amount..and as far as the other quilts go..Tell her the truth, that you can not afford the money nor the time it would go into making them..But, if she wanted to, she could buy the material needed and that you charge ( ??) so much per quilt..

tell her you did the first one for that out of the goodness of your heart for her friendship or what ever. can't do it again because it's expensive!!

This sounds good to me as well!! Though the labor would be x3 what the fabric and materials cost. On a good day. :roll:

Well , I am inclined to think that since she is aware of the cost of materials to be used in making a quilt and your time in making it special, she took advantage of you. She should of said how much she was able to pay before the project started and that would of given you the option to say... yes or to have just presented as a gift!

Her asking for additional quilts made the same, for the same, is out of the question. You should just tell her you cannot do it for the same price and give her a figure of what you would charge for the others....

You are neither a sucker or a fool. I can't believe that she's a quilter herself and she only gave you $20! That is outrageous! To get out of the other 2 quilts she asked you to do, I would just tell her that you are so sorry but you had a couple of other projects that you had already agreed to do and you don't feel right not being able to put your time and attention in to those projects. You wouldn't be telling a fib because every quilter has at least 5 or 50 other projects they have promised themselves to do when the have the time.

So sorry this happened to you.

I was going to say what everyone one else was saying, but then re-read your post-she's a quilter-she knows what the fabrics and supplies cost, she knows the time it takes, she took advantage of you, first off, second, she's not a "friend", at least not in my opinion. Tell her to either make her grandsons the quilts that they want or cough up money up front for you to make them.

I agree totally-she took advantage of you.I would let her do it again. you were too nice too her.

I think this is the best course of action, unless you just don't want to make the second and third quilt in which case just say "no, I need the time to make a quilt for some one I care about".

I agree , let her know the first was a friendship gesture , but you simply can not fufill anymore requests at that price. But would be happy to let her know where she can get the supplies.

I'd hand her a bill with the $20 deducted as the down payment!
That's terrible to treat you like that!

I agree with both of these ideas.

Shame on her! Disgusting!

You could always tell her you were sure she made a mistake when she wrote the check, and being a quilter herself, you know she would want to know she had mistakenly left off a zero! ;)

This sounds like good advice.

Missed the part that she is a quilter. Someone suggested that you teach her to make them. If you don't feel too used, already.

I am just shaking my head at the gall of this friend. Whatever you do, don't make two more quilts for her. Just don't.

I agree..... and I would add.... have her also get the batting, thread and all fabric (ie fabric for backing). PLUS what you would charge for your time.

Be honest and explain that a quilt is, indeed, an endeavor of love .... but also one of expense.

....and she couldn't make one herself for the baby, why? If she is a quilter she is definitely aware of the price of fabric and what goes into making a quilt. IMHO she really did take advantage of you because of her knowledge as a quilter. Tell her to purchase the materials for her grandsons quilts and tell her how much you will charge for your labor. I'll bet she will end up making them herself.

I think she took advantage of your friendship with you being more of a friend than her. She totally gets its, if she is a quilter! If you want to make the children "$20 quilts and don't mind all the effort, time and energy that it requires, then follow you heart. I'm sure your "friend" will be happy...
You're a good person...

If your questioning if you should make them or not, then you shouldn't do it..

My thoughts exactly!

You say she is a quilter so she should really know better, but be that as it may, even though you have already said yes, you can always add a "footnote".

Tell you you will be happy to make 2 more quilts for her for $20 each IF she supplies the fabric and the batting. Be sure and tell her how much fabric and batting you will need to complete the project.

No crime in that! She may rethink it and decide to do them herself. Or she may agree and at least you won't be out any $$, just your time.

I too would be insulted
She is a Quilter she knows better. I would say sorry but NO. She will know why. You are not a fool she took you for granted and misused your friendship.

You know what? You can change your mind about the two additional quilts. I know I would! Let her make them herself.

Say the quilts cost way to much, you can't afford it right now. Or say you just don't have the time or the money for fabric. We all live and learn. :)

I used to bake and decorate wedding cakes when I was younger and in better shape. Close friends and family would supply the things I needed and I would donate my time and effort as a wedding gift. When a person I wasn't close to would ask me to make one for them I used to tell them. "I only make them for Love, they are too much work to do for money." I think making a quilt is the same sort of thing. The quilt lasts longer of course.