TRUE COST OF MAKING A QUILT
05-27-2011, 05:40 AM
#41
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Central Minnesota
Posts: 1,751
My quilting is a hobby that I love and no way does it ever take me 750 hrs to hand quilt even a queen size quilt and I have done 230 quilts in the last 10 years.I don't quilt to get rich just love to do it.
05-27-2011, 06:26 AM
#42
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Shakopee MN
Posts: 498
Originally Posted by Pete
A friend sent me this:
TRUE COST OF MAKING A QUILT
QUEEN SIZED, Machine Pieced, Hand Quilted
MATERIALS:
Fabric 12-16 yards @ $9per yd. $108 - $144
Batting $25 - $40
Thread $8 - $16
Total Money Invested $141 - $200
LABOR HOURS:
Piecing 20 to 60 hours
“Setting” (designing your quilt) 10 to 20 hours
Quilting 100 to 750 hours
Total hours invested 130 to 810 hours
TOTAL COST
Paying $1 per hour (Would you do this type of work for $1 an hour?!)
Materials $141 - $200
Labor $130 - $810
Total $271 - $1070
Paying minimum wage $7.25 (by law in 6/2009)
Materials $141 - $200
Labor (130-810hrs) $942.50 - $5872.25
Total $1083.50 - $6072.25
Paying skilled labor wage $20 per hour (Don’t you consider yourself trained and skilled in this craft?)
Materials $141 - $200
Labor (130-810hrs) $2600 - $16,200
Total $2741 - $16,400
....what about the costs of using your sewing machine? Maintenance, depreciation...oh my..so much else we could all be adding in!
Anyone want to comment with an estimate of how much you spend (not counting your labor) for various sizes of quilts you've made in 2010 or 2011?
TRUE COST OF MAKING A QUILT
QUEEN SIZED, Machine Pieced, Hand Quilted
MATERIALS:
Fabric 12-16 yards @ $9per yd. $108 - $144
Batting $25 - $40
Thread $8 - $16
Total Money Invested $141 - $200
LABOR HOURS:
Piecing 20 to 60 hours
“Setting” (designing your quilt) 10 to 20 hours
Quilting 100 to 750 hours
Total hours invested 130 to 810 hours
TOTAL COST
Paying $1 per hour (Would you do this type of work for $1 an hour?!)
Materials $141 - $200
Labor $130 - $810
Total $271 - $1070
Paying minimum wage $7.25 (by law in 6/2009)
Materials $141 - $200
Labor (130-810hrs) $942.50 - $5872.25
Total $1083.50 - $6072.25
Paying skilled labor wage $20 per hour (Don’t you consider yourself trained and skilled in this craft?)
Materials $141 - $200
Labor (130-810hrs) $2600 - $16,200
Total $2741 - $16,400
....what about the costs of using your sewing machine? Maintenance, depreciation...oh my..so much else we could all be adding in!
Anyone want to comment with an estimate of how much you spend (not counting your labor) for various sizes of quilts you've made in 2010 or 2011?
05-27-2011, 08:51 AM
#43
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: N. California
Posts: 323
I went to a class where the quilt instructor (well known) said that she hires women in Indonesia to assemble and sew her quilt designs, then mail them back to be sold under her name. She said she can't invest the time to personally make the quilt and make any profit.
How many professional quilters take that route? Overseas labor costs even apply to quilting, which is no different than the ready made quilt prices in dept stores.
How many professional quilters take that route? Overseas labor costs even apply to quilting, which is no different than the ready made quilt prices in dept stores.
05-27-2011, 08:53 AM
#44
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Somewhere North
Posts: 6,180
Wow, and I have had people ask me to make a quilt for them and when I tell them the materials alone would be $300 to $400, they say no way is a blanket worth that much!! I guess I need to have this handy.
05-27-2011, 09:11 AM
#45
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,038
Several times, I made an estimate :shock:
can only come to the conclusion ignorance is Bliss and enjoy my hobby.
When I gave a potential customer the cost of making just a lap size quilt you can just imagine the disbelief about the price.
can only come to the conclusion ignorance is Bliss and enjoy my hobby.
When I gave a potential customer the cost of making just a lap size quilt you can just imagine the disbelief about the price.
05-27-2011, 09:14 AM
#46
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: South Arkansas
Posts: 231
Most of us quilt for the joy of creating something unique. It's a creative hobby. I don't think about the value of my time (The old joke ends "What's time to a hog?")
When I fed my friend's dogs when she was out of town, I noticed the full gun case that her husband has along with his 4-wheeler, his bass boat, a couple of trailers, and his giant truck to pull all that. That surely is expensive deer chili and fish they are eating.
When I fed my friend's dogs when she was out of town, I noticed the full gun case that her husband has along with his 4-wheeler, his bass boat, a couple of trailers, and his giant truck to pull all that. That surely is expensive deer chili and fish they are eating.
05-27-2011, 09:24 AM
#47
Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Newark, DE
Posts: 35
I quilt and am also a woodworker. I have never and will never make something to sell.
I have people asking me all the time "what would it cost for you to make me XXX". I just reply "I don't make items to sell". Anyway they would be shocked if I told them what it would cost to make the item.
I prefer to give items to friends and family and see the surprises on their faces.
Both hobbies are just for fun and I do enjoy both of them.
However, with nice weather her I do have another item that keeps me away from both.
I have people asking me all the time "what would it cost for you to make me XXX". I just reply "I don't make items to sell". Anyway they would be shocked if I told them what it would cost to make the item.
I prefer to give items to friends and family and see the surprises on their faces.
Both hobbies are just for fun and I do enjoy both of them.
However, with nice weather her I do have another item that keeps me away from both.
05-27-2011, 01:29 PM
#48
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 295
Originally Posted by noveltyjunkie
This has often occurred to me (and here in Aus we can easily pay more than 20 dollars a yard for quilting fabric), but I don't look on quilting as work, so I do not charge my time in that way.
I certainly would not be selling any quilts I make though, because then I would start to think about my time and what it is worth and then I would just start to feel bad about the whole thing.
If I keep the quilt or give it to someone I love, then the payment for my time is knowing they like it. Plus, I put a lot of effort into making things unique, so I know I have something no one else has in the whole wide world- pretty special.
If I keep it, I get to enjoy it and show it off, and that is worth more than any money to me.
I certainly would not be selling any quilts I make though, because then I would start to think about my time and what it is worth and then I would just start to feel bad about the whole thing.
If I keep the quilt or give it to someone I love, then the payment for my time is knowing they like it. Plus, I put a lot of effort into making things unique, so I know I have something no one else has in the whole wide world- pretty special.
If I keep it, I get to enjoy it and show it off, and that is worth more than any money to me.
]
AMEN
05-27-2011, 01:53 PM
#49
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Littlefield, TX, USA
Posts: 1,077
Queen quilt:
Materials:
Fabric 12 yds at 10 a yard, 120.00
Batting 14.00
Thread 6.00 *includes thread to quilt it with.
total materials 140.00
Time to quilt, 12 hours @ 20.00 = $240.00
So, about $380.00 to make you a queen size quilt.
No way it would take 70 hours to quilt. I make quilts using my Qbot & freehand custom... A simple panto or stars n loops would take about 4 hours...6 hours tops.
I don't count the time staring at the top, figuring out what I want to put on it.
Marge
Materials:
Fabric 12 yds at 10 a yard, 120.00
Batting 14.00
Thread 6.00 *includes thread to quilt it with.
total materials 140.00
Time to quilt, 12 hours @ 20.00 = $240.00
So, about $380.00 to make you a queen size quilt.
No way it would take 70 hours to quilt. I make quilts using my Qbot & freehand custom... A simple panto or stars n loops would take about 4 hours...6 hours tops.
I don't count the time staring at the top, figuring out what I want to put on it.
Marge
Originally Posted by Pete
A friend sent me this:
TRUE COST OF MAKING A QUILT
QUEEN SIZED, Machine Pieced, Hand Quilted
MATERIALS:
Fabric 12-16 yards @ $9per yd. $108 - $144
Batting $25 - $40
Thread $8 - $16
Total Money Invested $141 - $200
LABOR HOURS:
Piecing 20 to 60 hours
“Setting” (designing your quilt) 10 to 20 hours
Quilting 100 to 750 hours
Total hours invested 130 to 810 hours
TOTAL COST
Paying $1 per hour (Would you do this type of work for $1 an hour?!)
Materials $141 - $200
Labor $130 - $810
Total $271 - $1070
Paying minimum wage $7.25 (by law in 6/2009)
Materials $141 - $200
Labor (130-810hrs) $942.50 - $5872.25
Total $1083.50 - $6072.25
Paying skilled labor wage $20 per hour (Don’t you consider yourself trained and skilled in this craft?)
Materials $141 - $200
Labor (130-810hrs) $2600 - $16,200
Total $2741 - $16,400
....what about the costs of using your sewing machine? Maintenance, depreciation...oh my..so much else we could all be adding in!
Anyone want to comment with an estimate of how much you spend (not counting your labor) for various sizes of quilts you've made in 2010 or 2011?
TRUE COST OF MAKING A QUILT
QUEEN SIZED, Machine Pieced, Hand Quilted
MATERIALS:
Fabric 12-16 yards @ $9per yd. $108 - $144
Batting $25 - $40
Thread $8 - $16
Total Money Invested $141 - $200
LABOR HOURS:
Piecing 20 to 60 hours
“Setting” (designing your quilt) 10 to 20 hours
Quilting 100 to 750 hours
Total hours invested 130 to 810 hours
TOTAL COST
Paying $1 per hour (Would you do this type of work for $1 an hour?!)
Materials $141 - $200
Labor $130 - $810
Total $271 - $1070
Paying minimum wage $7.25 (by law in 6/2009)
Materials $141 - $200
Labor (130-810hrs) $942.50 - $5872.25
Total $1083.50 - $6072.25
Paying skilled labor wage $20 per hour (Don’t you consider yourself trained and skilled in this craft?)
Materials $141 - $200
Labor (130-810hrs) $2600 - $16,200
Total $2741 - $16,400
....what about the costs of using your sewing machine? Maintenance, depreciation...oh my..so much else we could all be adding in!
Anyone want to comment with an estimate of how much you spend (not counting your labor) for various sizes of quilts you've made in 2010 or 2011?
05-27-2011, 01:57 PM
#50
Banned
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Liberty Hill - Central TEXAS Hill Country
Posts: 1,040
Originally Posted by margecam52
Queen quilt:
Materials:
Fabric 12 yds at 10 a yard, 120.00
Batting 14.00
Thread 6.00 *includes thread to quilt it with.
total materials 140.00
Time to quilt, 12 hours @ 20.00 = $240.00
So, about $380.00 to make you a queen size quilt.
No way it would take 70 hours to quilt. I make quilts using my Qbot & freehand custom... A simple panto or stars n loops would take about 4 hours...6 hours tops.
I don't count the time staring at the top, figuring out what I want to put on it.
Marge
Materials:
Fabric 12 yds at 10 a yard, 120.00
Batting 14.00
Thread 6.00 *includes thread to quilt it with.
total materials 140.00
Time to quilt, 12 hours @ 20.00 = $240.00
So, about $380.00 to make you a queen size quilt.
No way it would take 70 hours to quilt. I make quilts using my Qbot & freehand custom... A simple panto or stars n loops would take about 4 hours...6 hours tops.
I don't count the time staring at the top, figuring out what I want to put on it.
Marge
Originally Posted by Pete
A friend sent me this:
TRUE COST OF MAKING A QUILT
QUEEN SIZED, Machine Pieced, Hand Quilted
MATERIALS:
Fabric 12-16 yards @ $9per yd. $108 - $144
Batting $25 - $40
Thread $8 - $16
Total Money Invested $141 - $200
LABOR HOURS:
Piecing 20 to 60 hours
“Setting” (designing your quilt) 10 to 20 hours
Quilting 100 to 750 hours
Total hours invested 130 to 810 hours
TOTAL COST
Paying $1 per hour (Would you do this type of work for $1 an hour?!)
Materials $141 - $200
Labor $130 - $810
Total $271 - $1070
Paying minimum wage $7.25 (by law in 6/2009)
Materials $141 - $200
Labor (130-810hrs) $942.50 - $5872.25
Total $1083.50 - $6072.25
Paying skilled labor wage $20 per hour (Don’t you consider yourself trained and skilled in this craft?)
Materials $141 - $200
Labor (130-810hrs) $2600 - $16,200
Total $2741 - $16,400
....what about the costs of using your sewing machine? Maintenance, depreciation...oh my..so much else we could all be adding in!
Anyone want to comment with an estimate of how much you spend (not counting your labor) for various sizes of quilts you've made in 2010 or 2011?
TRUE COST OF MAKING A QUILT
QUEEN SIZED, Machine Pieced, Hand Quilted
MATERIALS:
Fabric 12-16 yards @ $9per yd. $108 - $144
Batting $25 - $40
Thread $8 - $16
Total Money Invested $141 - $200
LABOR HOURS:
Piecing 20 to 60 hours
“Setting” (designing your quilt) 10 to 20 hours
Quilting 100 to 750 hours
Total hours invested 130 to 810 hours
TOTAL COST
Paying $1 per hour (Would you do this type of work for $1 an hour?!)
Materials $141 - $200
Labor $130 - $810
Total $271 - $1070
Paying minimum wage $7.25 (by law in 6/2009)
Materials $141 - $200
Labor (130-810hrs) $942.50 - $5872.25
Total $1083.50 - $6072.25
Paying skilled labor wage $20 per hour (Don’t you consider yourself trained and skilled in this craft?)
Materials $141 - $200
Labor (130-810hrs) $2600 - $16,200
Total $2741 - $16,400
....what about the costs of using your sewing machine? Maintenance, depreciation...oh my..so much else we could all be adding in!
Anyone want to comment with an estimate of how much you spend (not counting your labor) for various sizes of quilts you've made in 2010 or 2011?
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