I'm curious, as a quilter, would you ever be in the market to buy a completed quilt top? If so, why? For a quick gift, to practice FMQ, etc.? What styles would be of interest?

I am trying to come up with a way to make a little money and use up some of my stash to free up space. I thought if there was interest, I'd make up a few tops to sell. I'm to the point where I still want to sew, but need some help to support my addiction!

Your question requires a complicated answer.Some quilters might buy a top to finish, but the rub is,by the time they pay you & shipping....there's still batting,backing,thread to buy,binding to cut,quilting to do & binding to finish.
Most quilters paying for a top would expect it to be squared,seams pressed,thread cuts.
On the other hand, nothing ventured,nothing gained.Try selling a few tops in classifieds.I'd go with kids quilts to start,making some you can use if not sold.Good luck.

PS... might see a lot of ppl selling quilts or quilty things to support their habit of buying fabrics :-D

I do so many during the wk that I put mine on ebay...Don't plan on making any real money...You'll get the cost of fabric and maybe a few extra bucks for labor but nothing your time is worth. I sell them because how many can I keep and finish. So I look at it not as making money but clearing out so I can do more and pretty much break even on the supplies

I've seen quilt tops sell on ebay and even seen them listed here in the classified section. That said, there are as many answers to your question as there are people. Someone who really enjoys quilting but not piecing may love the opportunity to purchase a ready quilt top. Others won't because they can make their own and enjoy the process. Keep your price reasonable and try it. As for price, you might be able to make some money on your money (ie cost of fabric in the QT), but don't expect to make a lot on your time -- at least that's always been my experience in selling hand-made goods. Good luck!

we cannot sell here for a profit, so that would not be a good option in this situation.

I don't expect to really make anything on the labor end. I was just hoping to get a bit over the cost of materials. The kids quilts is a good idea. Anything I didn't sell can be used as a gift or donation.

I recently purchased eight om ebay. Three are tops and 5 were completed. It was a one time thing. They were very attractive online, I put in a max bid of $50.00 and got them all for less than $49.00 ea. I think the highest shipping was like $16.00 for a very pretty red/white star Queen quilt. This includes 2 beautifully completed queens, 1 queen top, 1 completed twin, 2 twin tops, 2 completed baby size.

With my slow healing wrist I am behind on my charity quilts and decided to give ebay a try.

I was very surprised and more than pleased with each of them. At the same time it made me sad that they sold for so little, knowing the time involved and the cost of all the materials. I think about the poorly made "quilts" being sold in stores and it just makes me shake my head.

I made little labels with the sellers name, location and date received to attach to the back of ea.

Instead of selling the tops you may find it easier to make them into pillows and selling them. That way it will be a finished product. I may be wrong but I would think most quilters like to do the tops best. You may make more money to offer doing peoples bindings for them. There is a quilt shop near me that does the binding for 25.00 a quilt and she is very busy.

I was just checking ebay...they do sell them cheap http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from...All-Categories I love the - BEAUTIFUL HAND MADE QUILT TOP, COUCH THROW,OR LAP COVER - click on the picture it was all knitted around the fabric...looks really nice.

you could also open a shop on Etsy. It's free to open a shop and their fees are low. Only $0.20 to list an item for 4 months, plus a small fee when sold. You can put up 5 photos per item too. People do sell a lot there (me included) but as others have said, most of the time you can't get the money a quilt is really worth. I put on tops on all the time and have had some success. Good luck!

people don't seem to get a whole lot for their tops. i love to make the tops too.

The on lqs sells tops too. Not sure if someone consigns them or if they were samples from a class or just why they are there but I know they have them for sale. Not sure if they sell many or the prices. Never really looked at them.

I have purchased some tops from ebay, cheap. After receiving them and looking at them I wonder how someone can sell them so cheap and make any money. Good luck!

I love QTs and have had a few from eBay in the past. I'd probably look at doing pre-cut kits and/or pieced blocks. I think this would allow people to have input to a quilt of their own with some of the grind taken out.

Sad thing is quilt tops are not going for the prices they used to.

i know a few LA people in my area that purchased tops to learn how to use their setup but this was before all the charities you could join that send you tops to quilt for free.

you provide the batting and the thread and then send it back to them for the binding.

Some like to piece, some like to quilt, so you could maybe sell to those only interested in quilting :D:D:D

Hi,

I buy them sometimes as I have problems with accurate cutting and straight stitching--do a lot by hand therefore,

A completed top that looks good is very tempting

Nancy

I make quilt tops and do quilting, and sell quilts, but still buy tops when I find a good deal. Sometime I need an additional top for a quick gift, sometime to donate, sometime I just like the top and it goes in my collectio, or sometime it just needs rescuing. We have 5 children and 8 grandchildren, so there is always a need for a new quilt for someone, besides my friends and other relatives who are always asking when do they get one...now it would have to be a good deal, since I can make my own, but to help someone clean out their stash so they can recover their cost, and I especially like scrappy ones, which often don't have as much fabric cost invested, since most of it would probably be left-overs from other projects. If you have some tops to sell now, PM me and I'll see if any strike my fancy...

I just found an OLD muslin quilt top at a garage sale for $3..... picked it up to try FMQ or ANY kind of quilting as I don't want to ruin anything I make. i might buy a new quilt top if I fell in love with it....... otherwise, I'll make my own.

Thanks for responding. I'm glad I asked before doing anything with this. It sounds like Esty might be the way to go if I decide to try it. I don't have any extra tops lying around. I was just inquiring to see what kind of feedback I'd get.

Yes, there is a big buy for quilt tops on e-bay. If you like making quilt tops, and you produce them quickly you really could have a good source of income off e-bay. I can't sell none of mine, I feel like they are my kids. I put alot of effort into them, I just can't part with them that that quickly.

The prices I've seen for quilt tops on E-bay varied from $35-$75.
You might have a lot of business, but I can't see that you'd make a lot of money.

I have seen some quilt tops for sale here and they've always sold. They are sold very reasonable though. Like maybe up to $50. I think they are made and the maker decides they don't want to put any more time into it because they aren't happy with the final product.

Hi,

I would like to know more about the charities you just mentioned--I think that might be something I would enjoy

Thanks

Nancy

I actually have a couple of very large quilt tops I would like to sell only because I can't afford to have them quilted by a long-armer and can't quilt it myself. These were BOMs from my LQS. I only did them to learn some new techniques.

I did a quilters garage sale at a local quilt show last year and did sell several quilt tops as well as block sets (with finishing kit). Did rather well too price-wise. I guess it's just where you sell them.

Good Luck !!

I sometimes buy tops because I love hand quilting more than piecing. However, I only buy if I can see the top. Most importantly, the back of the top.

I think mine sold well because I'm a stickler with precision (it's a flaw I have). My neighbor teases me about being so perfect with my seams and points. But I figure if I'm going to put so much effort into a quilt, I might as well do the best I can. If my pressing isn't quite right, I have to fix it before I can go on.....like I said, it's a flaw I have... maybe a bit OCD LOL

I have just asked a quilter in FL to piece a top for me. I hate piecing and love applique. The trouble is that I love putting applique onto pieced backgrounds. I am giving this a try to see how it goes. I have a feeling that what I want to do will sell well, I just want to do a piece of it.For example, it took me forever to do the piecing on the quilt pictured, but only two hours to satin stitch the applique! I will post how this goes.

there are hundreds on ebay everyday ........ some have lots advertized ..... think they must be imported or made in a business .... some are really pretty but prefer to make my own ..... have had friends who buy to practice on but they are so cheap....

There is a wonderful quilt shop in Mifflinburg PA called Verna's Fabrics and along with her wide range of fabrics/books etc... she has lots of unfinished quilt tops for sale... prices range based on the size of top, difficulty of pattern, and number of fabrics used... I saw prices between from $100 to $250.

A user on here, Linda Rotz Miller Quilts and Quilt Tops, has a website for her quilt tops. I'm sure Linda could give you some valuable input :) She makes some darling quilts.

On Facebook there is a place called Yardsell or Yardsale and they have quilt tops for sale all the time. I never thought of ebay, Ill take a look. I know people who have bought them and they are happy with them.

They seem to sell well on E bay. I've bought a few and use them as mid arm practice peices and then donate them to our local VA hospital.

I love to quilt, but I really really dislike making tops. I hate cutting (especially buying expensive fabric and then cutting it!) and I don't like going from the machine to the iron to the machine to the iron, repeat, repeat, repeat. And I'm not enough of a perfectionist for it. So I buy tops all the time (ok, not all the time, but a LOT!). However, I usually spend $50 or less on them (shipping included) and have only gone over that number ($100 for my stained glass one) when it's one I just couldn't live without!!

I just want to quilt. I don't want to sew, cut, bind or shop for fabrics. Just quilt! :)