what is the going rate for binding services?
 

I would like to know what is the going rate for binding services. I love doing the binding for quilts and know many quilters hate this last process in the finishing of a quilt. I can help, but what would I expect to charge for this service?

This has been discussed before. As with quilting service, the price varies by geographic area. Check with local long arm quilters, guilds and LQSs in your area. You can also look at online services. Binders usually charge per inch, with additional charges for cutting the binding etc. Also different prices for hand or machine binding. Here's one of the previous discussions.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...es-t99211.html

I would like to see samples of the finishes before I committed to having someone do it for me.

I agree, rates will be different in different regions. I recommend asking around at your local guild and quilt shops for recommendations.

I do professional, show-quality bindings. I charge $.25 per inch for straight binding and $.40 per inch for scalloped binding. Price includes EVERYTHING - you give me your quilted top and your binding fabric, and I do all the rest: trim the quilt if needed; cut & assemble binding; sew binding on to front by machine; hand-sew to back.

In the past, I have agreed to a discounted rate for people who would machine-sew the binding on themselves to save money, but I have discontinued that practice. Too many times I ran into major problems that became quality control issues: uneven seam allowance when sewing binding on, which results in the binding being different widths. Straight seams instead of diagonal seams in the binding, which results in lumps. One customer didn't sew her binding strips together, she simply folded them over. Some bindings were stretched as they were sewn on, which results in puckers. Same goes for quilts - if the quilt is stretched, then the binding ends up wavy. I will only put my name on quality bindings, so I always removed the binding and/or resolved whatever issue the quilt had, at my own personal cost. I refuse to give myself those headaches any more.

I have pictures of quilts I've bound, both for customers and myself, on my blog and available via email for potential customers to view. I also have samples that customers can look at and touch in the local quilt shops in my area, along with references. My best reference is the owner of one of my local quilt shops. She sends me both her shop samples and her personal quilts to bind.

When I give a quote to a customer, I measure all four sides of the quilt (in case it's not square), then send them the quote in writing. I request that their approval of the quote also be in writing and not over the phone. This protects both of us from any misunderstanding about the cost. I let them know that I work in a smoke-free, pet-free, food-free environment and that I treat their quilt as if it were my own. I always extend my estimated completion date quote by one week, because life does happen.

I hope this helps! Feel free to PM with any questions.

I was told to charge a $1.25 per foot for binding when I bought my long arm.

By whom??? If you're running a business, YOU should decide what to charge.

O how I wish ya'll lived near me! I absolutely HATE the binding part of a quilt. I have only done maybe 5-6 quilts so far so I am kind of new. I just have not improved with this part. I'm going to try to machine bind and then hand sew the back next time. Just not sure if I will ever get this part down. LOL.

I did a machine binding on a cheater. Sewed the back first then finished the front. I was happy with the way it turned out and the recipient loved it. It was a utility quilt. I just do for myself not anyone else.

Makes total sense to me to do the whole thing from start to finish.

If you had not remedied the "bad spots" - the customer probably would have blamed you for the "bad" binding job.

It is a lot more work to undo something than to do it correctly in the first time around.

I use to charge $8 to attach and $8.00 per 5 feet because I timed myself and it took me an hour to hand-stitch 5 feet of binding to the back. That was back in the late 90s.