I do longarm quilting and occasionally make a quilt to order, I also keep some on hand that I have made if someone wants to buy something or to see samples of my quilting.

I very seldom sell quilts because most people won't pay the $300. and up that it costs to make a full size, or larger, quilt. I should also state that I only use quilt shop fabric, no JoAnn's or Walmart. So even though I do the quilting myself I still have a bundle in fabric without considering my labor.

I recently quilted a (queen size) top for a customer and she said she was asking $750.00 if anyone wanted to buy it. She said that she had that much money in the fabric, batting, backing and quilting plus a very little for her time. Again no JoAnn's or Walmart fabric.

Of course when people see ads selling quilts at $39.95 or slightly more they think they are being ripped off by those of us who use only quality fabrics and put a lot of time and effort into making a quality product that will last for generations and not fall apart the first time it is washed. They have't checked out the price of fabric which is $10.00 a yard, or more, and a small spool of good thread starts at about $3.00 and I don't know how anyone piece a quilt top with one spool of thread.

So tell this person "NO" unless she is willing to pay for all materials, the quilting and your time and I don't mean sweatshop wages of .50 cents an hour.

Good luck.

Longarm

If you want to "discourage" people from asking, just start adding up how much it will cost them to have you do this; not just the fabric, your time, your mileage to buy supplies that might be necessary, wear and tear on your equipment, etc., etc. Most people who want us to make them quilts for friends/relatives as gifts don't understand how much it will cost them in cold hard cash.

I tell them "No, I'm not a professional sewer. If I were, I'd have to charge you more money than you would be willing to pay."

I also use this one. " How big do you want this quilt? Oh, that will cost $$$$$." Only had one lady who said fine and I made the quilt. She was happy and so was I all the way to the bank.

some great answers everyone! This is so helpful! Thanks!

AMEN!!!!!!!!!

I always just tell people I am "over-committed." I suggest someone else who might make their quilt or, in the case of t-shirt quilts (which I hate hate hate to make), give them a place online where they can order one made. When they see the price, they will have a heart-attack, BTW!

I just tell everyone that I don't quilt for others. I have all I can do to get what I want to get done for myself.

I think the best focus to take in this case is to assume the person is planning to pay you for the service they are requesting, so the first part of the conversation should be an agreement on the charges. I usually start with telling them the ball-park figure is $400 and I have found that usually puts a stop to it. One young man wanted me to make him a quilt, and when I told him the cost, he started telling me about the jeans he had been saving and that I could use them for his quilt. I immediately explained to him the extra cost of cutting all those jeans into squares. He finally gave up.

[quote=lalaland]I don't get it either, when people find out I can sew they immediately think I can do their mending and alterations, which I hate to do. My favorite dry cleaners fixes my stuff for me.

When anyone asks me to do mending or alterations, I imediately tell them I don't do alterations but I give them the name of a friend who does. I also don't mend old quilts.