The time involved in choosing a pattern, getting all of the fabrics (for a bargello it can be up to 24 different fabrics!) and all of the cutting before you ever get to sit down at the sewing machine can be hours. If you are able to sit down and spend hours every day, you can finish a quilt in a month....but if you are only able to sew for a few hours a week, then your quilt will take a few months.

The cost of a quilt has many variables, such as size, fabric quality, etc. I normally don't spend over $100 on fabric for the top, about half of that for the backing and then batting is around $30 (for a queen size quilt). All the little things required to make a quilt will add up too if you are a first time quilter....pins, rulers, cutting mat, rotary cutter, basting spray, pattern, plus a lot that I haven't added. Your time involved in the quilting process needs to be added into the price, making the final cost way more than you would ever think.

I would be interested in following your progress, posting pics and such. It brings me back to reality of the time I actually spend in the sewing room when I see what other people are doing. I could sew for hours and never realize that time has actually passed if it weren't for the hubby requiring a cooked meal!

I hope you have a great time with your quilt!

Thanks Mo_Chride and Susie for your help.

Mo_Chride, a GFG?

Thank you Buckeye Rose.

I bought a kit from Keepsake Quilting for a twin the batting and the backing to match, and with the thread and other incidentles, it cost me $250.00.
The quilt is beautiful, and I am going to enter it in the fair. Hand quilted too.

Hi Mal, GFG: Grandmothers Flower Garden. Welcome from CA and good luck, look forward to seeing your creations. BrendaK

GFG = Grandmother's Flower Garden.

Many quilters consider doing *something* in this pattern a "Right of Passage". It could just be a table runner or something small, but something.

This one is made with 1" hexes, hand pieced. It will be Queen sized, with a total of 157 full flowers and 38 half flowers.

Tara

For crib size quilts where I go out and buy fabric, it's costing me at least $20 just for fabric. I whipped together a border on a panel (for a crib size quilt) yesterday. It took me one day to piece the border. Today I'll sew the layers together on my long arm machine. Then I will need to sew on the binding. Total: About 3 days.

I buy most of my fabrics on sale

There was one time, however, that I needed to make a coach's gift for my daughters cross country coach, I had two weeks so I made a large lap size quilt, bought all the fabrics, batting and thread at regular price (granted this was 2005) and it cost me $140 to make the quilt. The girls cross country team each pitched in $5 to pay for it.

In 2008 a quilt I made cost almost $300 for material and I spent 153 hours on it.
It's the only time I kept good records because it was a commission.

Do you have second hand shops, yard sales, Goodwill stores, in Austrailia? I am an extremely frugal person, I never pay retail. I would dare say all of my fabric has been purchased between 40% and 90% off.