Can I run this one by the members please?

I know there will be many variables cause every quilt is different, but say you wanted to make yourself a quilt next month - how much would you want to budget so see this project to completion (assuming you are going to quilt it yourself)

I will attempt to quilt it myself and cut out my own fabric from yardage.

Cause I figure I gotta start preparing for my first.

Hi, not sure how much it would cost, but Ido know that fabric in Australia and NZ is really expensive. I now buy most of my fabric online, and even with postage it is still heaps cheaper. I'm sure others have lots of suggestions for the best online places :)

As the other member said fabric is expensive here in Australia. Check out the classifieds on this board but also look on ebay and Google Quilt fabric. Don't know if you have a Spotlight Store near you. Not 100% sure but think someone told me there is one in Maitland.
Some are better than others with sales but they are getting more expensive. I get most of my fabric from America these days. Even with postage it works out cheaper.
Quite often members will put links up for sales.

Well you didn't mention what size quilt, or if you want quilt shop quality fabric, threads and batting, but let's just say 12 yards of fabric, for the top and the back.

$132 for fabric.
$35 for batting.
$10 for thread (piecing and quilting)

Your labor? Priceless.

It also depends on the size of the quilt, baby, lap, utility, twin, etc...
If you do applique, there can be additional expenses, as well as specialty threads, etc...
So it is really hard to say how much you would spend, it really is an open question :D:D:D

Average queen size quilt with quilt shop quality fabric would cost between $150. to $200. finished. And as others said, time an labor priceless.

since fabrics vary from $1 a yard- right on up...
figure 8-12 yards for the top (depending on the pattern chosen- and of course you can make it easy- big block= in theory make a queen for less fabric- but for a quilt with a block = many pieces- it takes alot more than people realize.
then you have your backing/batting/thread-
you can make a quilt for anywhere from $20 right on up to thousands--
a tuning 20 quilt- with borders to make it into a queen takes- 20 fat quarters (and if you buy fq's instead of yardage figure about $2- $2.75 each for fq's- then another 3 yards or so for borders-
if you use a wide back (108"-118") you need 3 yards=(108") to back it- wide backs can be found from anywhere between $8.99 up to $25 (more or less)
of course you can pick up lesser fabrics-
there are shops that advertise $20 quilts-(for the top)
it can get a bit overwhelming when you look at a pattern that calls for 12-20 yards of fabric-just for the top- i guess that's why i tend to do scrappi-er quilts- work from my stash- watch yardsales- thrift stores- sales-
if i actually have to go buy yardage it's only a yard or 2 (3 if i want a continuous border)
it takes alot of fabric to piece a quilt

i've made quilts for as little as $60 and for as much as $700 (yes in materials-before quilting)it's all relative to what you are doing

Yes, we have a Spotlight in Rutherford, near Mailtand.

Is this pricing estimate for a double?

I've read and am grateful for all the responses - seems like a quilt is about $200.

How long does it generally take to make one of these rewarding projects, a month or so?

Guess I'm pretty nosey, but I figure I better know what I'm getting myself into. Maybe it's a male thing?

Unfortunately, this is one of those things for which there truely are many variables, making it hard to give solid answers.

I am a Stay at Home Mom (SAHM) of a 6yo boy and a 3yo girl. I started quilting 7.5 years ago and have finished 3 quilts (2 crib and 1 twin). I have 4 UFOs (2 crib, 1 twin and 1 a bit smaller than a crib) that ONLY need a bit of quilting done on them. My WIP is a hand pieced Queen sized GFG.

The GFG I started basting the first hexes the last week of May. I am getting towards a sixth of the way through (just a couple more flowers to get there). I don't have a stash so had to buy the fabric. It took 7 yards of black for the pathway and 12 yards for the flowers. That was $400. That does not include ANYTHING else. No thread, batting, backing, binding, etc. JUST the fabric for the top.

So, how long? Depends on the complexity of the pattern, how much time per day you put into it, etc. A month? Entirely do-able depending on the size, pattern, amount of time per day, etc. Some women here have finished a top in a day. I am hoping to get my GFG done by Christmas.

Prices? Australian prices seem a bit more in line with Canadian prices. The prices listed by Americans are nothing like the prices here. Batting $16/yard. Fabric is $16 to $24/yard. When this top is done I will find out the price of the LAs here since there is no way in you know where that I will be shoving a Queen size through my sewing maching. I already have to stand to shove a twin through there. Not happening with a Queen.

I have also figured out that I am a topper. I love all the steps of a quilt except the actual quilting. You'll notice all of my UFOs only have quilting to do.

I love quilting. How many quilters are there? Yet you won't find identical quilts unless someone has worked to do so. Even then you rarely get two exactly the same. This keeps my hands busy, my mind engaged and gives an outlet for the creative side of my mind with non-artistic hands per se. I can't draw, paint, sculpt, etc. But I can sew the more traditional quilts and it makes me happy.

That's what's important to me! LOL

Tara

Are you an engineer by profession? lol Time is relative. Depends on how complicated the pattern is, size of the blocks, are you counting the cutting time or just the piecing? How many hours a day are you going to sew? Generally I figure it takes me about an hour for a block that is in the middle (as to difficulty). That doesn't count for any hand sewing or applique. Maybe it you pick a pattern and the fabric we would be able to better help you.
Sue

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.

That's about an average price for a single bed size if you buy everything in Australia.It can be slightly cheaper if you get the fabric on sale at Spotlight.

I agree with this and add 100+ if you pay someone to quilt it for you. My cousin wants one, told her it would be about 300 dollars and thats not including my time

Mo_Chride, that's beautiful!

quilttiludrop, what is your long arm machine? Tell me a little about it please.

lscho4jm, the 40% off I like. Yes we have yard sales here (garage sales) and all the rest, thrift, op shops etc - must check em out. Do you usually go for 100% cotton?

jitkaau, do you recommend Spotlight? Are their cotton fabrics good quality?

Dolphyngyrl, lucky cousin!

Picking up my machine tomorrow. $1000 off atm - better get cracking!

.,..and don't forget to add in the fee for taking it to a quilt shop to have it "sandwiched" and top stitched...if this is the way you go.

ckcowl, I cannot imagine spending $700 on a quilt without the quilting.

The one my mom is making right now:$160.00 for the top and backing with not many leftovers,$30.00 for batting and the cost of your thread. This is all top quality Asian fabric from LQS. The size is about a full size one. I have spent up to $400.00 just for a block of the month one ( I think they cost more anyways). If you have scraps you could really save a lot.

I would average $150-200 for twin -full size quilt. This would vary depending on if fabric and batting was on sale. But set aside $200 to be safe.

DeeBooper, what does LQS mean?

BigSister63 (I need a big sister - that'd be cool) Thanks for your estimate - after reading ALL the responses, $200 seems to be a rule of thumb.
Again, thanks to everyone and there were SO many wonderful people chiming in on this thread. Thank you again, so much!

Hi I think it would be more like 400 + for a double queen if you include backing and wadding , on average the fabric can be 22 to 30 dollars a meter

LisaR, $22 - $30 a meter!? Sounds like you live in Australia.

I notice you live in New Zealand. I think you should buy your fabric online - I'm going to and have been buying photographic equipment and other stuff that way for years - never had a problem and camera gear is VERY expensive - I trust the internet system.

Your bank will always support you if you have problems. Promise.

Whatever you think your budget is for a quilt - it will cost more.

just a word of advice...if you haven't made a quilt before, then start on a smaller project first--or an easier one like an Eleanor Burns quilt in a day pattern. Nothing kills the enthusiasm of a new quilter more than working on a very difficult large quilt (without other quilters to help you in process). Good luck, can't wait to see the outcome!

Starting with something small is an excellent idea! I have seen too many beginners just plain quilt because the quilt they started was the size of Egypt!

I don't know anything about the cost of fabric or batting in Australia, but I can tell you how long it usually takes me to make a quilt. I know because so many people asked me that I finally just timed myself through sort of an average quit, which in my case, would be twin sized. ..40 hours. I quilt on my machine and that is part of my figuring.

I am still a bit of a beginner, so I don't pick really complicated patterns. I didn't count picking out my pattern or fabric as part of the 40 hours, though does40 hours does include cutting the fabric.

Hope this is helpful?

This is a great hobby. I hope you enjoy it. I swore I would never quilt, and am on quilt 26. (I started attending quilt meetings 2 years ago, just to keep my sister company and got hooked.)

I have NEVER paid more than $130.00 to make a queen size quilt. I buy the fabric on sale, the batting (wadding) on sale and thread as well. I shop thrift shops, go to garage sales and on occasion have purchased a bed sheet for the back of the quilt. I just made a 69 inch square quilt top for less than $10.00 with fabric purchased at a garage sale.

There have been quilts posted made of men's 100% cotton shirts, skirts, etc. that have been cut up into squares and etc. They are beautiful quilts.

"Where there is a will, there is a way", as the saying goes. I would suggest you find a simple pattern and use color for your more complicated design element within the simple pattern and you will be amazed how little fabric you really need to make a stunning quilt.

I hand quilt my quilts as well, but yesterday I tried machine quilting for the first time. It is not easy and I admire those who can machine quilt on their home machines. I much prefer hand quilting, but I don't have the time to do all of my quilts by hand, so those I am donating I am going to try machine quilting. If they do not look good, I will just remove the machine quilting and do them by hand....oh, for more time...

LQS means local quilt store...