Trade for quilting
 

So, I have a friend who is a personal trainer and we are considering a trade. I would sew/quilt for her and recieve her personal training services in return.

We haven't discussed pricing yet, but that is something that will be worked out b-4 we get started. What I'm trying to figure out is what to tell her for my pricing.

I'm really thinking it'd be best for her to buy the materials so she can pick out what she likes and so I don't have to worry about that end of things. So aside from materials how do I figure out what to charge for labor? I have a LA, so I would just charge her what I would charge any customer for the quilting, but for piecing and binding how do I work that out? I know the standard answer is just keep track of time and multiply it by an hourly rate, but what kind of hourly rate should I charge?

She will likewise charge me her hourly rate, I don't know what it is, but assuming it's $25/hr (to make the math easy) if I charge $10/hr for piecing/binding plus my rate for quilting it could very well be over $200 (I know this is a low guess, but I'm just guessing here) for the labor on a quilt which would equal 8 hours of personal training.

Any ideas on how a person would feel about trading 8 hours (or more) of personal training for a quilt (on the personal trainer's side)?

I don't think she'd have a problem with that, but we're not really close friends, so I can't be sure.
I like to barter, but I don't want anyone to feel they are getting the raw end of the deal.

Thanks in advance for any input.

Don't under estimate what your time is worth. When I was working my hourly rate was over $20.00 an hour - why would it be any less now that I'm sewing. Just let her know it could take X number of hours to cut fabric, X number of hours to sew, X number of hours to layer and baste, X number of hours to quilt, X number of hours to bind. Then she can decide if she wants to "pay" that much for a quilt. Good luck

I wuld not do it as you are dealing with apples and oranges. It is difficult to compare the vaue of the two. She has a set price and probably doesn't understand the value of your work. This sounds like a disaster in the making with a lot of frustration. I wouldn't trade 8 hours of personal training for a quilt for anyone.

Great ideas from Nammie to 7. I would involve her in your process of determining price. She may want to involve you in how she determines her price.

Why not just keep track of your labor hours and trade hour for hour? Why would your time be worth any less than hers?

I think it is a cool idea. I would go for 8-10 hours of personal training. How complicated is the pattern?

I once was asked thru a friend "to make a tote bag for a gal that saw my bags...she would give me a massage as payment as she had the print fabric and could do it her self, but was much too busy to do it her self". My friend gave me her number and you may have guessed. . . I never contact her. Just my opinion on trades.

Judy in Phx, AZ

One hour of massage labor for a bag which takes several hours of labor??? Was she kidding? :eek:

Jan in VA

Make it a business deal and not one of friendship and get it in writing or the trade will never be a fair one. I know from experience how trainers work. Schedules change and once they think you know what you are doing you don't need them and they pick up new clients and because you are not paying cash your importance goes to the bottom of the list. That is just the way it is. For trainers time is money. I know this because I've been there.

I've seen lots of friendships ruined over such deals. She is not a close friend so your importance may be less than required for such a trade. Sorry to be so harsh but experience is a the greatest teacher.

Your base price for a quilt should start at 400.00 bucks. Don't underestimate your worth.

Or I could be totally wrong.
peace

My longarmer and I have successfully bartered services (my computer services for her longarming a show quilt), but we are very good friends and, because we are both quilters and both computer geeks, we each knew when the balance had been reached. No rates were ever mentioned, nothing was written down, and we are still very good friends. :)

Your situation is very different. If you go the "rate" route, you should come up with an honest hourly rate that covers everything, materials excluded, for a custom quilt, start to finish. You shouldn't have to break it down or explain how you came up with it, and you certainly shouldn't involve her in determining the rate. It's the rate for your work and you do not have to justify it any more than the trainer has to justify her rate to you. It shouldn't be any more negotiable than your plumber's rate. Materials would be a separate expense and she can decide whether she wants to purchase them or reimburse you for doing so (time and cost).

If you go the "time" route, the trainer will likely decline, for surely it takes you longer to make a quilt, especially if you have to shop for the materials, than she would be willing to match in lost training revenue (if she's training you for free, she's not training someone else for pay). Average personal trainer fees are in the $30-$60/hour range at a chain gym, $50-$100/hour if private, so, in reality, her time probably would be worth more than yours.

Be very, very careful. There's not much worse than a barter arrangement gone sour.