Raffle Quilt Question
 

Does the color of a Raffle Quilt have an impact on the ticket sales?

If so, what color sells best?

What size should it be?

(My committee has various opinions so I thought I'd ask the board for thoughts and experiences.)

Not just the colour .... but also the overall design and skill of the quilt.

There are no set rules ... what one person likes, another does not.
However, you probably want to consider a quilt that is of the most liking to more people.
Your community likings are apt to be different from what others may like in other communities within you rstate and beyond.
Also, you need to consider who your "target market" is for selling your tickets, and what may be to their liking.
Plus ... what are the other prizes ... some people may not want your quilt, yet would want the other prizes in teh drawing.

Of course, you may be fortunate enough to have people who will buy tickets, no matter what is in the draw, buying tickets to support the overall reason for the draw.

My suggestions would be a quilt with a neutral background i.e. white, grey, etc., and pops of colour in the design. For me, a quilt with colour throughout and no neutral colour would be more difficult to fit into a particular colour scheme. Size wise, my suggestion would be a large lap quilt i.e. small enough to move around the house for cuddling under but big enough to fit over a single bed or folded on the bottom of a double bed for pulling up. I have added links below to the kinds of quilts I would buy tickets for.

http://www.diaryofaquilter.com/2016/...-patterns.html

https://beechtreelanehandmade.com/20...d-scrap-quilt/

I wouldn't buy a ticket for a very traditional quilt, a quilt with a theme i.e. cats, hearts, etc. or a quilt with a very definite colour scheme. Just my thoughts. Good luck with your raffle quilt! I'm sure it's going to be awesome and please share when it is finished. :)

I had made a raffle quilt each year for over 20 years for our little country church and the one that brought in the most sales was a patriotic sampler quilt with off white background

I think raffle quilts do best when they will fit a double bed because they are versatile. Our quilt guild usually does a sampler quilt. This year they sold more tickets than ever before. The color scheme was warm colors but not overpowering. The blocks were of varied sizes and bordered together with a pieced border with vines and some flowers in the corners. It looked like it would be "at home" in most any home. It is felt that a "modern" quilt does not work because most viewers think of quilts in a more traditional way. This is the feeling in this region of the country.

This was going to be my suggestion as well. I think it has more universal appeal vs seasonal colors or any other specific colors. Most folks are very willing to have something of a patriotic nature regardless if it fits in with their particular color palette at home. And I would also go with a large lap quilt.

our guild does best with queen sized quilts. one year we made a king and it didn't do well. traditional quilts do well here. however, this year we did a judy niemeyer quilt Parisian Parasols and it did just as well. it's my opinion that the excellent quilting really made the difference with this quilt. the colors are washed out in this picture... the colors were almost fluorescent in person.
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I do lap size. No problems with "that won't fit my bed". The fellows asked that I make one that they would like. No pinks or girly designs

The guild I belong to did theirs to match their quilt show theme. This year they did The Wild Wild West, and chose a design and colors to tie into that. It matched the décor and the turnout in ticket sales were great!

Personally, I think there are enough people out there to like nearly any pattern chosen as long as it is pieced well and quilted nicely.

I wish you luck in your choices and your show!

The guild learned a lesson a few years ago. The quild had an elaborate hand appliqued hand quilted quilt that took a year to finish for a raffle quilt. Another sew group made a fast to make big block quilt that featured the state's college football fabric. That group sold triple the tickets for that quilt then the guild did. Don't put a lot of work in a raffle quilt. Bright colors and a popular theme sells best.

I agree with the idea of a patriotic themed quilt.

you know I have been making quilts for my church's raffle for a few years now... I never really thought that what I made could influence the sale of tickets.... hhmmm.... gives me something to think about. I was just donating to the church not thinking about driving ticket sales... hhmm

ir depends on the charity, I made one for an animal shelter. I made a "funky" cat and dog quilt. It was appliqued. dogs and cats and a mouse here and there. Everyone loved it.

Other than that. I'd go for a white cream or black background. Most people don't know what goes into a quilt and wherater it's inticate. I make my cousins a jelly roll quilt and they carried on abut how i made it so neat, and all the rows added up!! If they only knew. I made them yoyo pillows with pearls in the center. They were even more flabbergasted about the neatness, and how did I get them all attached. So you see, what we know, they don't know. All they see is pretty. So i'd go with a soft color scheme. Years back it was blue and brown, or pink and greys in the 80's. Maybe take a quick survey on the colors, of go by the color of the year. Please show us what you do.

I read once that blue and yellow quilts were very popular. However... I think it depends a lot on where you intend to sell tickets. If you're mostly selling them at quilt shows, then the purchasers are mostly other quilters. I think that they respond best to more complicated piecing or applique. If you're selling tickets more to the general public, then the quilt can be simpler and the colors will probably matter more. The idea of using team colors is genius in this case.

Some other considerations ..........
* some people ARE ticket sellers!
They have that natural enthusiasm about doing so and will ask anyone and everyone at anytime and everywhere to buy a ticket, or even tickets! Whereas some, will never take their tickets our of their pockets to sell or if selling the tickets at a booth, will sit there with their heads down, avoid eye contact, never say boo .... and then say, no one buys tickets!

* some people ARE ticket buyers!
For some, it doesn't matter what the raffle is for, they will buy. Some will buy one. Some will always buy the 3 for price. Some are affected by the individual price of the tickets, and buy or will not buy accordingly.

There are so many variables, that choosing the colour of a quilt, is not the overall deciding factor towards a successful (or not successful) raffle.

I agree. If you are selling to the general public or even a large group of quilters, color and first impact are going to make a better response than a difficult technique. I also agree with the selling aspect. I used to sell 50/50 tickets for our car club at the car shows. I sold tons. I quickly realized that if I walked up to a group of men and got one to buy, they would all buy. I also used to take my little dog with me and he would walk up to everyone and make and friends and then I would ask if they wanted to buy tickets. It makes a lot of difference if the people selling really try to sell a lot.

Thanks for some great ideas and information. I'll let you know what the committee decides.

You're in Wichita Falls, TX, correct? Air Force base close by. Texas in general is patriotic, and "everything is bigger" there. I'm thinking a big block quilt in patriotic colors would do well. Maybe something with all branches of the military in the fabrics?

I make a quilt every year that raises money to support a local autism group, (my son attended one of their schools). Thank you for some great ideas.

QuiltnNan - your quilt is absolutely delicious. I love Judy Niemeyer patterns. My small guild (27 members) gave away a beautiful hand appliqué quilt last December - Baltimore Christmas. We sold more than 3 times the number of tickets we've ever sold and lots to first-time ticket buyers. My other guild (118 members) has done a combined pieced and appliqué quilt for the last several quilt shows and tickets sold very well. My small guild did a very basic quilt (log cabin with colors not to my personal liking) several quilt, hows ago and tickets did not sell well.

I buy buy lots of tickets - from guilds wherever I travel and have only not purchased one - it was nothing spectacular and kind of something that any beginner could make. I firmly believe people will buy tickets for a quilt that is a standout.

Sandy in Mooresville, NC

our Guild usually does queen size cause that seems most popular in our area. color doesn't seem to be their most important feature but rather one that is unique enough that that people, especially quilters since we sell tickets at quilting events like shop hops, shows, etc, look at it and think "I love that and I would never take the time (or have the skills) to do one myself" and will buy tickets.

I know that if you made a quilt with orange and black with motorcycles and Harley emblems, you will sell a lot of tickets.

My small (12) quilt group has made raffle quilts for several years now, but for our specific annual charity project- cancer. We donate the proceeds to our LOCAL County Cancer Organization. All of the money in our local Org. stays in our county and is used to assist anyone in the county that needs help with gas money or motel costs when they go out of town for treatment - which they must do if they live in our county. Myself and one other in our group have had cancer and one quilters spouse - all 3 of us are cancer free or are in remission currently. Prayers are answered!!!
We have had very good results with our raffles and for the last few years the drawing and as been held at our local Rodeo in June on "Tough enough to wear Pink night". We usually sell a lot of tickets during the Rodeo time. We have our quilt for 2017 finished and are currently selling tickets -this quilt is a T-shirt quilt - tied, made with T-shirts of past years Rodeo T-shirts which were donated for making a quilt. Hopefully we will sell more tickets this year since we will have a much longer time to sell them. We didn't make a quilt for 2016, as we had planned to raffle this quilt, but did not get it completed in time.
We were able to contribute over $900.00 in 2015 after our cost of LA quilting and only had a couple of months to sell tickets. Most people in this county are extremely generous because they know specifically where the money is going

Cost of the tickets is a factor, as well. In our area they are usually $1 for one or 6 for $5. One group had a gorgeous quilt available for raffle but the tickets were $10 each! I don't know how many tickets were sold but I think most folks would spring for the 6 for $5 offer more easily. A generous throw size up through queen would be what would attract me. Throws can used anywhere but bed sized ones might "need" to be more in keeping with the colors of bedrooms unless they are neutral colors that will blend with anything.

We do something different with our tickets at our raffle. We have tickets, but the buyers do not get them. They put their name in the tablet next to the numbers they have bought. They only have to write their name once with a line and arrow to the last number of their tickets. The tickets themselves go into the pot to be drawn.

When we draw the number, it's easy to look at the list and find out who has that ticket. If you don't have to be present to win, it's an easy way. And people don't have to stand there and write their name on all the tickets they bought.

The quilt club I belong to does a raffle quilt every year. Most people seem to want a queen size. The quilts that have done the best in ticket sales have been gender neutral. This years quilt was in rich blues and greens and it did extremely well in ticket sales. Even the men commented on the colors. If I can find a picture I will post it

Your comment is right on. I also consider men's opinion. I find that they are buying tickets more now than in the past. I have given up on queen quilts because as vicki says that are not as useful as a smaller 'move around' quilt.

Audrey, our guild has found that blue quilts seem to sell better. I would make it large enough to cover a full bed. We usually make the quilt large enough to cover a double bed, but, depending on the pattern, we have made intricate queen-sized ones.

This is a great idea. I would often buy more tickets if I didn't have to write my name and info so many times.