I've made many quilts. I've given away most. I sent one to my aunt recently and she is insisting on paying me for it. AND she wants to take it to work and show it off. What if someone at her work wants one?

I have no idea how to go about setting a price. After the cost of fabric and paying the LAQ, how much should I add on top?

Ideas? (I'm talking basically simple quilts, like log cabin or strip quilts or a friendship block) Nothing intricate like I've see you ladies do.

Someone will come by and tell you. I am going to watch this topic. Good Luck. I also give all mine away. LOL

Nothing less than double the price of everything that goes into the quilt and even then you're giving away a lot of hours of work.

It depends on whether you need to make some money or you would just like to sell some to get back the money it cost you to make. Also the area where you are could have high unemployment, businesses closing down, people not making the wages they used to. If it's a depressed area, you may not be able to get double what you've got in it.

This is a hard one because she is a family member and you made the quilt without the intention of getting paid for it.

If it was someone you don't know asking for a quilt, it is easy. It depends if you want to make the quilt for sale or not. Many people enjoy just making them to give away. Once you start taking orders it can become a chore. This is under your control. If I don't want to make the quilt I ask for a lot of money. Usually I don't hear from them again.

I prefer to make a quilt I like and then sell it. When they start asking for particular colors the headache begins. If I decide to make the quilt I make them buy the fabric and the pattern (or at least select the pattern) so there is no possibility of confusion or the colors not being the right shade, tone or value. I am also very clear about the size. I explain that I then have to charge for hours of work, and I don't sell myself short.

I have an elderly lady friend that is having a "living" estate sale. She is selling her home and moving into a retirement apartment.
She has 4 tops she wants to sell...one is from keepsake quilting, it is the falling leaves one..it cost over $100 for that kit back in 2000...they lady doing the estate sale told her she would be lucky to get $25 for it!!!

making to sell is road not worth going down...especially in todays market...people just don't understand what it costs to make a quilt.

just say NO. when i first started quilting i made my sister one and she then said a friend of hers wanted a Wedding Ring quilt. i have yet to make one and it's been over 20 years!

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I would have said it was marvelous the friend loved the quilt, that I would teach HER how to make one for HER friend.

Bet that would have changed her mind right there.

You should get out at least what you put into it for materials. From there you need to decide if you would be making this as a means of just giving you something to do or as a means of earning a little extra and if so how much extra. Then find out how much they would be willing to pay and work from there. Make sure if you do agree to make one that they agree and pay for at least materials up front and that amount is NONrefundable.

Someone will come by and tell you. I am going to watch this topic. I never know either.

For family, I would do everything I could to not be paid. It just doesn't seem right. However, if she insisted, I would throw out some low-ball figure like $50. I'd be afraid of causing offense if I asked for double the cost of it--I always spend waaaay to much on quilting supplies!

If you don't give it, friends and family can AT LEAST pay for supplies and LA expense.

Hello,

Can't help on the selling price to non-family, but for your family member what about asking for a donation to a chosen charity instead of payment to you?

You would need to make it clear that this is a family-rate situation only (i.e. hugely discounted) if you do ever go down the sale-to-strangers route.

Panchita

I would probably do the same thing...but this is a special family price...to anyone else it will be cost of materials +++++

When you start doing it for money it doesn't become fun anymore

Just say no...thanks for the compliment....Most people will not pay the cost it takes to make a quilt and expect for 1/2 nothing. Unless you really love quilting and are not interested in making money then take it on and have fun ..Or give them your honest figure and I bet they don't bit....But make sure they know the cost before you start buying fabrics...You might want to get a deposit if they are serious of 1/2 the cost of the fabric. This way if they back out you have something on the cost.

I paid $150 for all materials to make a quilt for my aunt. She paid me for the materials and then asked what I wanted on top of that. I told her to just buy me an icecream cone. She later gave me another $150 for all my hard work. I turned around and went right to the LQS and bought a lovely kit for $152 to make for myself! That's payment enough for me!

That's the truth!!!

If someone asks me about what a quilt is worth I tell them, "if I were to make this quilt for money, I would have to charge... $$$$(fill in the blank). That usually stops any thoughts of payment. By the time you add up the cost of the fabric and count the hours you worked on it, the cost is up there. Use minimum wage times your time..... WOW!

I used to make quilts to sell and it was still fun. Just figure how much time it takes you to make the quilt. For instance, how long does it take to make a block TIMES how many blocks are in the quilt. Don't forget your time to get the fabric, washing, pressing, cutting, etc. Add 20% for all those things you forgot.
Now, how much do you want to make per hour? Are you happy making $1 an hour, I know I am not. However, I don't need to make as much as someone going out to a job, as I don't have the expenses of commuting, work clothes, etc.

I would never do it for twice the materials costs. I tend to buy things on sale. When you get a job done by a plumber, carpenter, or auto mechanic, you are paying twice what they paid for materials and THEN they add in their labor costs.


PS - if they don't want to pay the price you come up with, smile sweetly and say, "Try Kmart, I'm sure you'll find something you like there..."

PPS (not really, that's kind of snarky. But you can think it.)

Agree will all of the above - don't lose the joy for the money. Be so proud of the compliment and enjoy doing it for yourself. good luck either way.

I've seen mentioned that you double or triple the cost of your supplies. I just recently saw table runner kits in Keepsake Quilting catalog for $69 tp $99.00. Would someone really pay over $200 for a table runner?? Also, who would pay that much for a kit? In the area I live there is high unemployment and table runners don't sell for over $45. I can't imagine someone around here paying over $200 for a quilt. Whenever someone asks me if I'd sell them a quilt, I always tell them my quilts start at $200 for a baby quilt. They quickly change their minds; I don't want to sell my quilts anyhow. Like someone said, it takes the fun out of sewing. I'm unemployed and the money would certainly help but it's not worth the aggravation to me (just a personal opinion).

Tell her what the true cost of it would be: the cost of the LA and the fabric. Then tell her the cost if you were to sell it (2-3x the cost). Tell her if she insists on throwing some money towards what you have done (if it was a gift) would she please make a donation to _______________________. Problem solved. She feels good, you feel good, if someone wants to buy one, the price is clear.

The only person I ever found who was willing to pay what a quilt is really worth was another crafts person. There is a lady in our community who had been a musuem curator. She had a number of quilt tops her grandmother had made. She paid me to handquilt them for her. She owns a shop that does custom framing and understands the value of craftwork. I basically charged her $.07 a square inch plus my finishing materials, back, batting and binding. She had no problem forking over the money. She admitted that she makes most of her living selling her work at craft events in the Washington DC area where people are more willing to pay for what they want.

Agreed! I hate trying to explain to a family member how much it costs to make a quilt. They just don't understand. The $50 figure would seem like a good one....enough to make the relative feel like they paid for it, but not too much to offend.

As for anyone else asking for a quilt....give them a "real" price and make it high enuf that they won't want it anymore!

I would tell your Aunt that what you made it as a gift from your heart to her. That should stop her from asking for a price! Also, if someone want's you to make one for them just say - no, I'm sorry, this is what I do for pleasure and the pressure of a business arrangement would take all the pleasure away for me.

I find that if you phrase things such that to do what "they" want would be hurtful to you "they" back right off!

I have to agree with everyone's comments. When you start quilting for money, it isn't fun anymore. If you have some completed quilts without a home, maybe you could set a price (low) and see it this friend is interested. Sometimes people say they want to but things as a way of complimating the person who made it. Years ago I was really into Crochet (a short blimp on the sands of time) and made several afghans for co-workers. One loved a particular design and asked me to make her one. She bought the yarn and I charged her $20.00. When I gave her the afghan, she gave me $60.00 and said I wsn't charging enough. She mentioned to me the other day that she still has the afghan and all her kids and grandkids are adults now, so that was quite awhile ago. People like that are few and far between, but I was honored that she liked the work so much. Sorry so long.
Sue

My double the price of materials was for non friends and family who request a quilt. The quilt gifted an aunt should remain exactly that. I would never charge my friends and family for a gift. If they request a certain quilt, then they can pay just costs.

I charged my niece $30.00 for a twin sized quilt.

It was already made and waiting for quilting. She wanted one for her church to send to a friend as a prayer quilt. I was going to just give it to her but sometimes even a token payment makes the article "worth" more to the receiver!

So I finally got it quilted and got about the value of the thread in it!

This is it exactly. If your aunt still insists, tell her she can repay you by making you some cookies / knitting you a scarf / giving you some of her homemade jam - whatever this lady does that you enjoy. If she STILL insists (what's wrong with her anyway?) tell her to send you any cotton fabric scraps that she doesn't use, or buy you a batting, or ??? Don't let her force you to put a dollar value on your gift.

I have never made anything that I would sell, but if I ever do, I think I'd give them a couple patterns I would be comfortable making. I would also explain that I pay a LAQ to do that part so they are completely aware of that cost up front. Then we could shop for their own fabric, backing and batting that would be paid for by the customer. Before bringing the quilt to the LAQ I would show them the top to be sure everything is to their satisfaction. Then I would expect them to pay the LAQ fee. (They might like input into what they would like for thequilting...) Upon completion of the binding, I would then expect them to pay me for what they feel is a fair price for the job I did. This way, the customer is involved and understands what it means to make a quilt.