Need to LISTEN!
 

So, I was giving a quilting class and someone mentioned that I had a longarm. One lady asked me how much would I make a twin size quilt for her..since have not made many for others I said $150. She said ok, I want bright colors.
So I made it this weekend, I actually finish binding it on the way to church this morning.(my husband was to be preaching there this morning). She loved it! so what is the problem???

She wanted two (2) the same, natually.. She said make another just like this..well I had used my stash to make that one and I have about 1/4 yard of each fabric. I had used Moda Marbles, RJR, Free Spriit and other quality fabrics that I had purchased about 7 -10 years ago when they were $7-9 but now I have to try to find quality fabrics at prices I can afford to make two the same...

So now I have ONE twin that I will have to try and sell or maybe just donate..

I should have listened and taken a written, signed order.

So she rejected the first quilt and now wants two new ones? I would give her a new quote (and require a deposit before work begins) that considers the price of the fabric + your labor. Quilting cotton now is more expensive than it was 7-10 years ago. The figure may cause her to pause and reconsider, or you may get fair compensation for your work after all. Though it's terrible you're having to eat the cost for the time you spent on the quilt you already made. With that in mind, I'd be very, very wary of starting these new quilts for her because she might reject these because she decides she wants something else.

Hindsight is definitely 20/20, isn't it. I'm sorry for your predicament!

There have been so many conversations here on the Board about this subject that I admit to being surprised when someone else has been burned. Most of us advise at least THREE 'absolute' rules:
ALWAYS get a written contract.
Always get a deposit for the fabric/supplies.
Always charge appropriately for YOURSELF - even if you lose the job.
I recently read the best comment about this last one that I've ever heard...."Prices define the quilting clients I get. If I set my prices too low, I will have to work with some low quality clients.”

Jan in VA

so sorry you went thru this. Let her know upfront that you gave her a low quote b/c you had the lesser priced fabrics. New fabrics are 12-15 a yard, and your labor costs went up too, along with batting and thread. yes thread is very expensive now. without it, the quilt will fall apart. let them know all this up front.
I was questioned once about charging for thread. it told her yes, unless you just want small pieces of fabric back. I got a stunned look on that one.

Loved the comment about the thread!

I have learned another useful phrase: "I need more information about what you want and I need to think about it" before making any sort of commitment.

Lesson Learned!
I am going to take her to the quilt shop so she can pay for the fabric she wants. Then I will make the quilts.
Lesson learned.. she said she liked my color choices so I will make suggestions but ultimately they will be her choice
I actually have a form that states cost of services I provide but being (church people) I didn't really want to make much profit but just cover the cost...

Me too.

Totally agree.

"(church people)" aren't allowed to make money? Why not? Is their time less valuable?

I am reasonably sure that she meant SHE wouldn't make much money on them because they the clients are "church people". IOW, she was eating profit for the sake of comraderie.

It is so very hard dealing with people who do NOT understand the time and money it takes to make a quilt. There seeing only the cheap quilts coming in from China.

I recently read the best comment about this last one that I've ever heard...."Prices define the quilting clients I get. If I set my prices too low, I will have to work with some low quality clients.”

Jan in VA

Great comment, Jan!

exactly!

My mantra.....why do we want to attract customers with no money to purchase?

Some of us bring this on ourselves and then we are dissappointed and feel taken advantage of. One big reason that I don't sew or quilt for others, they can't afford me! Besides, it would suck the life out of me.

sandy

It goes with that saying, No good deed goes unpunished. When you go to the fabric store with your client, be sure to have a pattern with exact fabric measurements and don't underestimate the fabric amounts. Two twins is a tall order. You are good to attempt it.

This is true for every people dealing in life, not just clients. Never lower your quality to accommodate others, it will be a mess you don't want.

[QUOTE=Jan in VA;7185268]Hindsight is definitely 20/20, isn't it. I'm sorry for your predicament!
Hairdressers often say the same thing...charge family and friends. Otherwise they complain long and hard about their free haircut until they come back for the next free cut.

I just don't do commission work. If I were in the business they would pay business prices. If they give you a discount for any of their services then you could reciprocate but business is business.

I used to be a hairdresser and family and friends thought I should do their hair for free. One family member owned an appliance shop. I needed a new tv and a new stove. I had just finished doing their daughters hair for her wedding and her bridal party. I received no payment and it wasn't a gift. The whole day was devoted to her party. They wanted me to take a tv not on sale and no discount and pay $60.00 in shipping and delivery. I walked but not before giving them the bill for the bridal party. I still have yet to be compensated. Went to another shop a customer owned bought both appliances, tv and stove and received a 35% discount and free delivery. [QUOTE=KalamaQuilts;7185671]

The bottom line is always state the charge and service in writing for everyone including relatives and friends. If you don't then deal with the mess that usually comes from being too nice. LOL

Excellent advice! Just one note to add....in addition to charging a deposit, make that deposit large enough to cover the cost of all fabrics/battings/thread and make it non-refundable....also put in writing that when the quilt is finished, she has 30 days to finish paying for quilts or the quilt becomes yours (you should never have to wait to be paid and never let the quilt leave you without being paid completely)....ok, that is maybe more than one tip, but experience makes me do things that protect me.

I have been asked many times how much I would charge to make a quilt, and I always say somewhere around $500 to $750, depending on the size of the quilt, and I will choose the pattern and take you to the LQS so that you can pick out and pay for all the fabrics (top, backing, binding, batting), which will run somewhere around $350 to $400. Then they ask if the cost of the fabrics decreases the $500 to $750, and I say NO, that is for the thread, wear and tear on my tools and my labor. Then I ask when they want to meet at the LQS. I have not yet had a taker. If someone agreed to those terms, I would get a written contract that specified a non-refundable 50% deposit on the fee (they are paying for the fabrics), a deadline for their benefit, and a deadline for them to pick up the quilt and pay for it; if they don't meet the deadline, the quilt becomes mine.

The Good Book says a laborer is worthy of her hire. Do not hesitate to ask for what your time, talent and experience are worth.

I think it is more difficult to ask for reasonable compensation from family and friends than from strangers.

I quilt because I like to not because I have to. People tell me I could sell things I make but then the "hobby" would be gone.

I learned the hard way to "JUST SAY NO". It's sew easy now, it just comes out before I even have time to think about it! LOL! I only sew what I want to sew for my enjoyment.

Yes Jan, it seems surprising. . . until you think about it. There are over 100,000 people on this board. How many of them are regular readers of our wonderful advice? ? ? LOL And there are new people coming on every day. We need to rehash things every once in a while.

We all have stories like this .I would bet..as said those who don't quilt do not know the time or money involved..I learn the hard way ..I now like u have them buy everything..then quote a price..it is surprising how many decide they can live without a quilt..I am the only one in my WHOLE family that quilts..so even if I do it for free for them they buy all..that stops a lot of it..unless for something special..hopefully u can sell the quilt..maybe after she see the price she will re-think ..and take the one already made..if not it will make someone a great gift later.

I'm so very sorry you got burned by this lady. The ONLY way I take or do a commision for someone (even friends and family), is if we sit down and fill out an order form (you can get a carbonless box at any business store, they come in different sizes they have the white original and the yellow copy). When we are talking I put down what they are asking for - :ie - 1 (or 10), twin sized quilt, bright colors (no brown or what ever), the pattern to be used if they know or scrappy (again what ever), anything special to be added to the quilt (names, words, embellishments, matching shams or dust ruffles, etc.). After all is filled out with the date of the order and the amount of the deposit (the bottom of the receipt always says after cutting of fabric is started "NO" refund of deposit can be given), so times people want to change the color or pattern. I have the person read over all that I have listed and sign and date the bottom of the order when they give me the deposit. I know this sounds hard, but we shouldn't have to eat mistakes. My friends and family know I will make them quilts or let them come pick out a quilt I have finished, and I will give that to them very happily. If I'm wanting to just make them a quilt because, I will ask questions like color, etc. But if they are coming with a request, then they are just like anyone else with filling out the book (they only pay for the fabric). They know they are getting a deal (family and friends, because they only pay for fabric), because they are getting what they want for themselves or as a gift for someone else. You can care an order book with you, or you can tell the person with the request to meet for coffee and fill it out then. People will only treat you the way you let them treat you, so be better to yourself.

I post pics of the quilts I make on my FB page. I'm always getting comments from people 'thinking' they want to buy them. One of my cousin's wife posted one time regarding a KS quilt I made, "I bet you could get $600 for the quilt." I had $750 in fabrics, thread, batting and quilting in it!

So sorry you wound up in this predicament. Unless they quilt themselves, nobody can appreciate all the money that goes into a quilt, fabric, batting, backing, thread, to say nothing of paying you a decent price for your labor. I think Pegasus and lynnie gave good advice. Since you cannot possibly make another identical quilt, give her a new quote for two quilts, maybe even take her to a quilt shop to choose and pay for her fabrics or at least give you a deposit of one-third of the cost of fabrics, so she will realize the actual costs of making quilts. If she declines, then so be it. I realize you now have a twin size quilt you may not have made otherwise, perhaps there is a charity in your area that could use the quilt, plus it would be a tax deduction. Good luck, but I think all of us have been in somewhat similar positions in the past at one time or another. I once made a commission quilt for my best friend who wanted a quilt for her new log home (the builder said it was too big to be a log cabin-LOL), of course I only charged her about $100, although the majority of the quilt came from my stash and she is my best friend. She loves it, is proud to hang it in her home and I learned so much from making that quilt.

doesn't matter if you want to make a profit or make for cost. Doesn't matter if you are selling online, at church or to a relative - ALWAYS GET IT IN WRITING. It can be as simple as 'I want to make sure I get your request correct' or 'I can forget things sometimes, so let me write it down' all the way to a formal contract. Just get it in writing.

I paid $189 just to have a quilt quilted, but not bound. (It was 110" x 120"). For $100 dollars total, for a whole quilt, I would expect it to be shodily done, by someone in a third world country. I would expect to pay much more for even a twin quilt. You gave her a gift of your art, and it was not good enough? She needs to get her "matching twin quilts" at Walmart. That is what she is budgeting for, so point her there. You deserve much more for your art. Would a DeVinci sell, or be worth much to you, if I offered it at $5? If you got a famous painting for cheap, would you value it? Would you trust it to be real? JMHO (Steps off soap box and slinks away silently......)

I agree with this. In fact, this may be mean but I would not do another quilt(s) for her. You have already made one and she didn't specify that she wanted 2 and they had to be the same. I would probably be doing a slow burn while working on 2 more for her.

Not sure I am understanding your problem. She asked for "A" quilt.....that is one. How could she have asked for two at the $150 price....that was for one quilt..Sounds like she changed her mind and wanted two alike AFTER SHE SAW YOUR BEAUTIFUL WORK. She asked for one and she got a special price.....ask for more, its now a different story. If you continue to charge a lower rate, and only meet your cost....she could ask you for ten quilts tomorrow and then she could sell them at a profit.
Then you are cheap labor. I would charge her your commercial rate for anything after the first one. She needs to pay for three quilts! SHE NEVER ASKED FOR TWO.

Have you had more contact with this person?

Lots of good suggestions.

Maybe you could tell her the first one was a "fellow church member/friend/favor" - one only - rate.

The next ones will be at the "regular" rate - now that you have paid more attention to what it really cost in terms of labor and materials.

Set your price so high she won't ask you again. There will be another reason for her to refuse the quilts. I know, been there, done that.

Lynnie you are so Long Island! You make me homesick for my dear sister-in-law! Thanks for the smile!

And to the original poster, who could have known that ONE TWIN SIZE QUILT was implying a second twin size to match. That would be two quilts, as I count it. Of course, perhaps there are people out there that assume "twin" means there are two beds....LOL

I made a fairy quilt by Michael Miller as a gift for a friend's new granddaughter, the next time we met she said its not fair that only one grandchild has a quilt and that she had 5 other grandchildren so could I make quilts for them too, she said quote "I will give you their ages so the quilts will be appropriate", I politely declined, she was not happy.

I never charge people for the many quilts I make for people as I like to give them as gifts.

Some people have no idea the amount of time put in to make a quilt, I thought she was so ungratefull for my gift too, I will be keeping my distance from her in future as she looks at me like I am the bad person for not making 5 more quilts for her grandchildren.

I guess I've been living in a sandbox. LOL I can't believe the Gaul of some people and what they ask and what they expect. Talk about taking advantage. Stick to your guns and I'm sure a lot of people will learn lessons from others misfortunes.

With "friends" like that, who needs enemies? Good for you for standing your ground and backing away.

I'm another who only does quilts when and how I want to. Occasionally someone will ask if I will do one for such and such occasion. I say "sure, as long as you don't expect me to finish it anytime soon. Might be able to find time to do it in a couple of years". Usually ends the conversation right then and there. Lol!

Wow, I think that I take offense to that comment because I know a lot of "high quality" people who cannot afford a hand made quilt, but would dearly love and appreciate one.. just saying..

I just have to say my little bit... I have an old friend from high school that has hired me to make several quilts. He even got a friend to have me make one for him. From the beginning he told me he wanted me to keep track of every minute I spent on the quilt, which included just thinking about it; travel to the fabric store, wear and tear on the machine, etc. He understood all the time involved and was willing to pay for it. So, there ARE some people out there who value what we do. I also have often quoted a price of $250 - $700, depending on time and fabric, and most people just smile. We both knew they couldn't afford me. Most quilts I make for others are tee-shirt quilts, for graduation. I enjoy making them, and don't expect any payment, and I know my recipients don't realize everything involved, let alone the cost of the material, even for just the backing and batting. Many of us know our clients and know who can really afford to pay the higher price. Sometimes we make allowances.... You just have to know who you're dealing with.