perhaps you could barter with her...does she do/ or have anything you could trade for?

Would she be interested in learning how to make one herself? If so go to the store with her to help her get fabrics which will look good which she can pay for. Then show her how to cut and sew. You could even suggest that after she learns how she could make more for her Christmas gift giving. Who knows you just might get a quilting buddy.

Nicely, tell her fabric is expensive, inform her how much fabric would be required to make the item, and suggest she go to the local fabric store and check out the price of fabric per yard. Then tell her that it will take you X number of hours to piece and quilt the runner and that if you just charged for the fabric plus minimum wage for your work, the cost of the runner would exceed the $12.00 amount. End the conversation with a statement explaining that you do quality work, that you are an expert at your craft and that an expert at any job is paid more than minimum wage. If she gets huffy, you should add that if she wants something at garge sale prices, she needs to go to a garage sale.

I saw those for $35 in a shop. I would not waste another minute of my time on this. she can sew, just like the rest of us. MrG says "you will do it if it means enough to you". She won't appreciate it.

Have you thought of telling her how much fabric you'll need and how many colors. Let her pick out and buy the fabric, batting & binding and then charge her to put it together, or give her the pattern and mentor her creating the project... Just a suggestion

Some people will never get it. Don't waste your time worrying about people that have no common sense.

Not knowing how old this woman is, but she probably thought you have a stash of left over fabric and could make it from that.

A friend of mine was asking me to crochet angels for her. She was in her mid 70's, a good friend and I did it without thinking twice. After making 4 of them, she mentions to me she has been giving them to friends. The next time she asked me for one I told her I was no longer making them, I was onto other projects. At one time she did offer to pay for them, but I declined since they were for her. It never occurred to me that she was giving them to others.

Sounds like it's a quilt sewing lesson to give her for $12.00. Then she can make her own.

Lmao! I wouldn't give in. Nope. Fabric alone is more than that.

The fabric along cost more than that.