Klermont

I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I'm a newbe so here goes

I got suckered into doing a Tshirt quilt for a coworker.
(the whole time I was smiling and nodding The voice inside my head was saying

"no... don't do it...."

any who

how much should I charge?

twin/throw size, I'll do all the cutting, ironing, piecing, batting, backing and binding.

I know there is no real way to price a quilt, because most people don't understand just how much time goes into a quilt.

but.............I 'm sure not doing it for free.

plus............I'm not doing it again,

if I'm asked I'm to busy

janiebakes

This would be a good time to educate on how much work goes into a quilt. Since the price has not been set it sounds like you are still in negotiations and either party can back out. Give them a break down of the costs including an estimate of how many hours it would take and your price per hour. They are free to accept or decline, just like with any other business. Then practice saying, " I only make quilts for blood relatives".

Iceblossom

It is something many of us face on a regular basis. Also, the "hey you sew don't you?". I tell people I have to know them for 10 years before I make them a quilt and that I quilt but I don't sew. I don't do hems or repairs or curtains or anything else that would be "easy" for me to do.

I'll do a bit of looking, we had a good thread recently that included links from sites that make t-shirt quilts for sale and what they charge.

The big thing is to price everything you will need. I mean everything. Needles. Thread. Any stencils or quilting designs or markers. Fabric. Interfacing. Price it out and write it down. Then decide on what it is worth to you, some people use twice the cost of materials as a starting point but when people try to hire me, I explain that with 40 years of experience I am surely worth the $15 an hour minimum wage in Seattle and that a quality quilt takes me about one month of effort. Even a basic quilt is at least 40 hours. They usually don't go past that point.

I think I could easily sell my queen sized quilts for $350-500. My costs are generally under $100. It's not worth it to me to sell knowing that I am only getting pennies for my efforts. However, I give freely and make many quilts for friends, family and donations because it's what I do.

Edit: Here's that other thread:
What would be a "fair" price?

Grace creates

Surely, follow your gut instincts, with every decision.

Klermont

she brought me about 18 T-shirts, apparently her son is a huge Packers fan,
I tried to explain to her the blocking process, and how much of the design could be used, and I'm not sure but I think she expects me to use every shirt.

seriously she wants a twin/throw quilt that's as large as she gets

I plan to sit down this weekend, and decide exactly what and how I'm gonna do it, and bring it back Mon. explain how it's gonna look, I'll give her the option of getting backing, batting or if she wants me to.
And......I will make sure we have this conversation in a place where other people are listening (witnesses)

anything I have to purchase I'll save the receipt.
I'm just not sure where to start.

Klermont

I just looked on etsy..............they only charge $100 !!!!!!!!!!!!

Iceblossom

It's probably best to refer them to the sites and explain that since that is what they specialize in, you would feel their project would be in better hands than yours

And if they think that's too expensive, well -- that tells you something!

Tartan

Are you going to use interfacing on the back of the shirt squares? Price out how much that alone will cost ( it’s expensive) If you decide to just do squares of the shirts and stabilize the sides from stretching too much with straight of grain fabric, it will be cheaper but trickier to sew. Also be aware that stitching over large plastic graphics from the shirts can be a difficult if not impossible endeavour. Work up a sheet of all your expenses, labour costs etc. and get half the money up front Before you begin. Chances are once she sees the cost, she will decline. Good Luck!

QuiltE

First of all Good Luck!!
.... sounds like you are having buyers remorse, but in reverse,
and already know/feel you wished you had not gotten yourself into this!

No real answers for you, but looks like you are thinking this through quite well at this point.

Maybe by Monday you can just say to her, no way, Jose, I just can't find the time to do it??
Then the old my friend's uncle's mother's sister's cat died and I am grieving excuse? etc.

Anyhoooooooooo if you are going ahead with it ... not only have the convo in public,
but also have an informal contract drafted, along with the expenses (well padded at that!),
and not forgetting all the basics in your sewing room ... thread, needles, pins, basting spray etc.
Add in your labour/equipment fees (at your rate of pay at your job! after all you are worth no less)
plus pre-payment for any out of pocket expenses before you do one bit of work on the project.
Of course, you will give her a final accounting of those expenses and return any $ in excess.

It's not uncommon to ask for a deposit on your labour too.

Maybe a dose of reality will scare her off?? ...... could you be so lucky??

But keep in mind, in making this public, while you may scare her off,
you may also have other colleagues willing to pay the price!

Do you want this "business"?? to say the least about stress!
Maybe it is better to just stop the nonsense now??

QuiltE

Just saw this .... yup, give her the Etsy info
and save yourself all the estimation work, and stress.

Then .... wish her well in getting it done.
You could even encourage her by mentioning that you are considering getting one for yourself!