I agree with so many others here. I would take her to the fabric store, decide on a pattern, buy the fabric, batting, backing and thread. After she sees that the 12 dollars she offered barely bought a yard of fabric, she may have a better appreciation for the art of quilting. I would love to know what you end up doing.

$12? If she works, how much does she make an hour? What about her husband? And how many hours would it take you to make this runner?

I probably would have laughed at her (hopefully kindly), and then sent her off to Walmart to see what she could get there for $12!

This is how I have solved that problem. When someone asks me to make an item for them, I tell them how much yardage is needed and tell them to go buy the fabric and all the notions and I will be happy to make it for X dollars. I usually don't hear from them again. When they find out the cost of the fabric, that seals the deal. I very nicely explain how long it would take to make that item, and how much I charge per hour. Non-sewers just have no idea or appreciation for amount of time and love involved.

I was just thinking the same thing... I am sure she is clueless about the cost of the materials. She can go to a Christmas Tree shop and buy something made overseas for next to nothing and doesn't realize how cheap that is.... I know my DDIL had no clue that to buy the fabric/bats/backing for her queen sz quilt that my DM made them as a wedding gift cost about $200. She found out by asking a clerk at JoAnn's. What an eye opener. I think she thinks handmade means a cheaper way to give a gift!!

:hunf:

I agree with Deena. If you don't quilt, you don't realize the cost and effort that is involved in making one. All of the materials add up to be costly and there is a lot of time and often frustration involved in creating a quilt. If she values the quilt, she'll be willing to pay a reasonable fee.

Give her the cost of the materials and ask her how much she thinks your work is worth over that. Put her on the spot and if she squirms just don't do it. She will respect your work and ethics more if you stand up for your time and work.
GJoyce

I am a paster's wife and I am not offended. How about asking her to supply the fabric, then could you make it for $12.00. It could be a very simple pattern so it wouldn't take up your time. Maybe ask her to supple the pattern also. Would that help. Just a thought. If not stick to your guns. Good Luck. pstrwife !!

I agree with all that has been said here, and it brings up a point I have often pondered. I make gifts for my family quite often and I wonder if they have any idea of the cost, time and effort that goes into even seemingly simple projects. I recently made 40 mug rugs to distribute throughout the family, and they were made with designer coffee prints, quilted and embroidered.

I'm quite sure they have no idea as none of them are quilters or even sew for that matter!

There were lots of good comments to this email but since the woman did not ask you to reconsider, I'd drop it.
No need beating a dead horse!

If she asks again, I'd just give her a price and only mention the cost of materials, generally speaking, and let it go.
Some people have no clue and don't want to be educated.
There are also those who have no clue about the value of years of experience or training. They don't want to pay for you being smarter or better trained/educated than the next person...

WOW I agree! With just about everyone.

I'm glad I'm not in the situation. I think her attitude may stem from not understanding the cost of the fabric - not to mention the time involved.

If she provided the supplies that might help her understand.

I had a young lady at work ask me to make her a t-shirt quilt when she saw one I had made. she had the shirts and asked it I would do it for $25. I put a price sheet together with all the supplies needed not counting shirts since she would supply them and she was shocked to see it was almost $200. not counting labor. then she got a better understanding, I did not make the quilt

i kindly told her that i cant do it for 12.00 and that the fabric alone would cost more then that....i am not close friends with her and dont see her often at all...while she is super sweet i just dont mesh with her if that makes sense and i just dont want to get involved in a project with her...ie teaching her how to quilt and such...the spicy spiral takes me 3 hours to make from start to finish with a meander stipple on it but i am gonna pass on this one...i am saving for a long arm and i dont want to get in the business of giving away stuff so i am just going to pass. with my super sweet southern smile haha

My suggestion would be to have her enjoy an ebay quilt top only excursion. Should she not find that enjoyable than etsy would be another nice choice to guage what it might cost to enjoy handmade (in america) items. I just remembered that $12.00 buys just two large cups of coffee designer style. And then teach her to quilt take her twelve and buy one yard of batik. Did cotton get more expensive since I started this response?

I have always found that the offer to teach works well. No one ever has time in their busy schedules.

NO, do not give in; option, ask her to go to a LQS and purchase/price ALL the material, backing, batting and thread, oh and the pattern if you don't have one, then ask her if she would make one for $12.00.
$12.00 will buy a store bought PLACEMAT, no way a table runner.

I don't think you should give it to her, then everyone in the church would think you give your work away and that's not a good way to start. I would just tell you that your sorry but the investment is to great for you to do it for that price. If she is offended by that then it's on her and not you and don't feel guilty about it..

My mother hasn't been in a fabric store in YEARS --- and I mean YEARS. She has no idea either --- she thinks fabric is $.50 a yard. Was telling me the other day that she can't figure out why the "young girls nowadays don't make all their clothes"....and "they could make a blouse for $1.00"..... so maybe the preacher's wife thinks she's giving you a good price. :) I agree with others --- don't give in. Tell her how much yardage is needed and how much it is per yard.

It is amazing what some people think our time is worth. When asked to do a custom job, I right out the costs of the goods, the estimated hours to complete the piecing at $20 an hour, and the quilting, binding costs. Yes, sometimes they are shocked and walk away. I feel that if I am going to "give" something away that I will choose my charity myself. You can probably do it for less if you are not in business. Those in business have to remember that 1/3 of the total goes to taxes, 1/3 goes to equipment and supply costs which only leaves around $7 hr for profit. I think that $7 an hr is very cheap for skilled labor. You did the right thing by turning down the job. I wish more quilters would stand firm on a decent wage. It would make it easier for those that quilt for a living.:-)

Most likely she doesn't have a clue about fabric prices! If she's a really good friend and you explain the cost, she'll understand. If she's not ... move on!

Even $12 for labor isn't fair.

Lots of good suggestions. If you want to five her a deal, just discount from the price of this one on Artfire at $45.00. http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/prod..._runners/other P.S. Just for fun I googled table runner Walmart and came up with a plain white hemmed one for $12.97. An opportunity for education.

I would not do it for $12.00. You cannot even buy the fabric, thread, or the batting for that. I would just forget about the situation.

$12 is not enough. Do not give in and don't feel guilty. People who do not quilt or sew don't realize the cost of the fabric nor the time it takes.
I just made one for one of our friends with fall colors. Materials alone were $15, a rock bottom price I might ad. :-)

I had an experience regarding 2 quilts for my brother and sister in law. They saw some pictures of some of my quilts that I had posted on Facebook. My brother commented about how nice they were and how much he would love to have a "blankie". I said that I had no idea that he would like one but that I would be happy to make him one and also one for his wife. They live in the mountains and I thought between twin and full size would be good for snuggling under while watching tv. So I started making them. I had to do them in stages because I had to budget the money in stages as I could afford the cost of the materials. All the while, I was getting good natured "reminders" about his "blankie". It took me a year to get them ready to go to the LA'r and I wanted to give them to them in person so I also had to wait till I was going to be able to make the 2000 mile trip. Any way, they loved them when they got them and he said something about "even if it did take you forever to get them done". I told him, " hold on there, I don't think you understand what goes into one of these." I then educated him about the cost involved, including the fabrics, batting, thread, classes I took to learn how to make each particular quilt and the cost of the longarm service. I then went on to explain that if he wasn't my little brother and if I didn't love him and my sister in law so much, they would have had to pay for all that PLUS my hourly wage and overhead expenses for machine maintenace etc. When he found out that without my labor, the cost of each of their quilts (including LA cost) was over $400, he was completely overwhelmed. He said I really didn't know. I just see quilts in dept. stores and figured that's what it would cost. I told him that that is why I don't quilt for profit. I made these for you because I love you very much. I couldn't put a price on that. Needless to say, he has a lot more respect for quilts that he sees now days.

Offer to teach her how to quilt, then she can make her own + find out how expensive it is to make table runners, quilts,etc.

+1

I quilt but this year I have been making quilted purses. Started out for my 2 neices but I have also sold some on etsy. My Dad ask me to make 3 for him to give to family for christmas gifts. He will NOT let me do it for free even thou he will help us for free. He knows how much time and effort it takes to make these items and takes pride in the things I make. The lady who is asking for a $12 table runner was out of line. I don't even know where you could even buy a line one in a store for that price. This summer I made a quilt for a work friend of my husband, he paid me $200 more than I was asking because I was able to finish the quilt in time for his sons wedding. It has taken me a long time to value my skill and the work I do and not give all my things away for free. You don't have to make a profit on everything but people have to understand the cost of doing business same as everything else. If she is a true friend she will come back to talk if not then you have lost nothing.

She obviously has no idea about cost AND time.

$12 just to make it isn't worth it in my estimation.

She must not sew and doesn't understand time and money that goes into making a quilted runner. I would say I am proud of you for speaking up about the price and if she decides she can't afford it...both of you have a solution. Forget about it and continue with life...life is to short to corcern yourself about this. You go girl

Or....maybe offer to teach her? Take her shopping so she sees the prices? It may just be she doesn't know.

This will be a similar post to what you've already received. You can offer to teach her how to make one.

First make sure she has a sewing machine, mat, rotary cutter, ruler and finally the material. If you want to, you can even accompany her to JoAnn's. If you really want steam coming out her ears, bring her to a LQS for prices.

It's up to you whether you want her to pay for this lesson, or do it free of charge. Once nieve people realize just how much things add up to, they may think differently of 'just asking and assuming' quilters will do as they wish.

Don't cave. Be strong!

Good Morning -- the original post does not say that the person wanting the table runner asked for it at that price because she was a pastors wife -- the way I read it was that the person posting just commented that. Just by 2 cents.

That's what I was going to suggest. I think she just doesn't realize what's involved financially, let alone the investment of your time...

You may even recruit a new quilter :)

Maybe she's very old and still thinking 1920 costs?

She can go and get one produced in China for that price. Take her to a LQS and let her pay for everything! It will be more than 12.00 Don't forget the thread!

I don't mean to offend anyone, but here is what I have learned this far in my life. There are some people who think because they are who they are, they are "entitled" to things at a reduced or free price. Some preachers and their wifes fall into that catagory. I have some in my family that are like that and I have others in the same position in my family that would NEVER do that. Some just think they are entitled to get things just because they are who they are. Don't feel like you have to do this for them. They would be offended if they were asked to preach for nothing or a very small fee. Hold to your guns!

Have her buy the fabrics needed and you give her a price for your labor.

I agree with Airwick156 , do not do it for $12. that would only get you a yard of fabric. and that is what I would tell her.

If she ooo's and aaahhh's over your quilts maybe this could be a chance to make a sewing buddy. Tell her how much fabric is needed then give her a coupon to JoAnn's. Then make a date to show her how to cut out the fabric and help her sew it together. You could possibly make a life long friend.

What a good idea.