kyquiltlover1942

Just have your friend send me the yarn. I can't find it anywhere. I quoted person $35. for the scarf, and she did not bat an eye. Of course we were standing next to a display of $45 up to $75 scarfs. I could be making quite a few, but there is no yarn to be found in Louisville. Spent about 3 hours calling around yesterday.

Caswews

Oh now that is good( I was asked to make some more 18"doll dresses and a quilt to go with) .. I now have a good idea what to tell people as they never turn out the same twice-each piece is unique and individual. I have told many people to buy and bring me the material, thread and other accessories that go with each item. . Many have never shown up again; nor asked again.

MargeD

Last year I made a couple Bow Tucks bags and showed them to my girlfriend at a church yard sale - they all loved them and suggested that I make them for the church craft fair that Nov. We are both retired, my husband because of vertigo and when he got sick I was laid off 2 days later and couldn't find work again. So, I decided what the heck, I've got plenty of time and no money to really go anywhere. Well, I brought 12 Bow Tucks bags to the fair, one was a gift for my girlfriend, but I sold 8 of the remaining bags, along with some quilted table runners, plus I took requests for more bags. One of my best friends bought 2 - 1 for her and 1 for her daughter, then her sister came up from NC, saw the bag, loved it, so she asked if I could make another one and I did, as I had just enough fabric left. Last month I got another order for a Bow Tucks bag and I said yes. I like making them in between quilting projects and I got a considerable amount of money just for me. Yippee. When I get tired of making them I will do what I did when I used to make and sell Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls, I kept raising the price hoping people would stop buying them, but when they kept asking I quit - it was just too much, but again I loved the "Mad Money". If you want to make an item for a family member or friend, go for it, but they get the "family discount" and you should charge more for any more that you make. That's how I would handle that (the long-winded version of course), but if you want to make it and make some extra money I say you should go for it, but others won't get the family/friend discount.

catmcclure

Check out the prices for Vera bags. Charge as much for yours.

reginalovesfabric

let me tell this story, many many years ago when I was in high school most people didn't have much to do with me, this one girl spread rumors about me after school....fast forward 40 years I saw her at walmart and she hugged me like I was her long lost friend, in the conversation, what have you been up to, I mentioned quilting, she said oh I want a king size quilt, NOT my answer was I'll put her on the list.

Jo Anne B.

I have found myself in these type of situations all ready and I have only been quilting less than two years!!!
I offered to make dgd a throw for her bed when they redecorated her bedroom, mom decided I should make the quilt a bedspread. Thought I'd make my niece a blue jean throw for HS graduation and something to take to college, DB decided I should make a quilt for her dorm bed...Made a couple of donations quilts for Quilts for Kids, DIL asked me to make a donation quilt for a extended family member on the other side(7 yr. old with CF) But they would like to give it to her on her bday in Aug...(can we say freebie bday present...) I did eventually tell her "No" as I would be there to present it and to get a picture of her and her quilt for my photo album, she was not to happy about that, but she had no real argument. URGGG!!! It almost pays to be a "closet" quilter...
Sad truths are...the blue jean quilt has been put aside as it was too heavy(as warned), donation quilt to Family member may end up as dog blanket or to cover the lawn mower.
Anyway, we love what we do..

JuBee

When this happens to me I name all the projects I have waiting for me and tell the person making the request it will be X number of years before I could get to their project. That has always stopped them from asking again.

Skittl1321

I'm going to say no, she doesn't. Most people don't think of quilts as art. They see 'quilts' at Walmart for $50 and think that is -at tops- what we spend to make our quilts, and since it is homemade, probably even less than that.

The best way I've found to get people to go away is tell them to buy the materials and I'll charge $10 per hour. No one ever makes it out of the quilt shop with materials, and most people never even make it TO the quilt store, because they have zero interest in making any effort.


I made twin size quilts for my mother and she loved them and asked me to make a King for her bed. She offered to pay, and I said I really had no interest and didn't think I could do it for under $1000. She said she'd pay that, but thankfully could tell from my tone I really didn't want to do a king. Rather, she has asked for another twin (she has 3 grandchildren, none are mine though) for the third bed she bought. I'll make it for her (I haven't charged for any of those) but on MY time.

I also think I created a monster out of my oldest nephew. He asks for sewing projects all the time that he thinks I can make on demand (and I have). In the future, I think I'll tell him he has to wait for a holiday.

kacie

Wow! Is he perfect in other ways, too?!!

sewbizgirl

Either say yes or no... You don't have to make any more if you don't want to. Just say you are way to busy (doing something you find more enjoyable!)