This is why we give quilts - not sell them
01-15-2015, 03:48 PM
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: New England
Posts: 575
When family or friends ask me to make a quilt for them, I respond, "Sure! You pick out/purchase pattern. Then you need to shop for and purchase the fabric, batting and backing. I will be happy to work with you and show you how to put it together!" I have yet to have anyone take me up on it.
01-15-2015, 03:58 PM
#22
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Toronto Canada
Posts: 1,130
Do not undervalue yourself and your skills.
Think about this: One of the things that drives some of us nuts is how girls and certain women think they're not good enough - not pretty enough, not skinny enough, not big enough boobs, etc. Right? And some of us get over that and some of us don't.
Well, the same goes for our quilting. We need to stop critiquing and denigrating our work and thinking it's not worthy, especially since it's a "hobby". Just because it's a hobby doesn't mean we shouldn't get paid. We need to get over that, too. There are lots of people who get paid darn good money for their hobbies.
I recommend this excellent post on the subject.
http://huntersdesignstudio.com/ew-worth-it-2/
Think about this: One of the things that drives some of us nuts is how girls and certain women think they're not good enough - not pretty enough, not skinny enough, not big enough boobs, etc. Right? And some of us get over that and some of us don't.
Well, the same goes for our quilting. We need to stop critiquing and denigrating our work and thinking it's not worthy, especially since it's a "hobby". Just because it's a hobby doesn't mean we shouldn't get paid. We need to get over that, too. There are lots of people who get paid darn good money for their hobbies.
I recommend this excellent post on the subject.
http://huntersdesignstudio.com/ew-worth-it-2/
01-15-2015, 04:44 PM
#23
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Port Washington, WI
Posts: 718
Do not undervalue yourself and your skills.
Think about this: One of the things that drives some of us nuts is how girls and certain women think they're not good enough - not pretty enough, not skinny enough, not big enough boobs, etc. Right? And some of us get over that and some of us don't.
Well, the same goes for our quilting. We need to stop critiquing and denigrating our work and thinking it's not worthy, especially since it's a "hobby". Just because it's a hobby doesn't mean we shouldn't get paid. We need to get over that, too. There are lots of people who get paid darn good money for their hobbies.
I recommend this excellent post on the subject.
http://huntersdesignstudio.com/ew-worth-it-2/
Think about this: One of the things that drives some of us nuts is how girls and certain women think they're not good enough - not pretty enough, not skinny enough, not big enough boobs, etc. Right? And some of us get over that and some of us don't.
Well, the same goes for our quilting. We need to stop critiquing and denigrating our work and thinking it's not worthy, especially since it's a "hobby". Just because it's a hobby doesn't mean we shouldn't get paid. We need to get over that, too. There are lots of people who get paid darn good money for their hobbies.
I recommend this excellent post on the subject.
http://huntersdesignstudio.com/ew-worth-it-2/
Ok - I suggest we all take 4 minutes and read that post. It is the best thing I have read in a long time. Thank you so much for Peckish! Hunters Design Studio is going right next to my shortcut to Leah Day and the Missouri Star Quilt Daily Deal short cut to be checked each morning!!!
01-15-2015, 05:55 PM
#25
Power Poster
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: East Oklahoma - pining for Massachusetts
Posts: 10,477
I had someone offer me $400.00 for a quilt that I had made some years ago. I did some figuring and told her that I was pretty sure that I could do better than 83 cents an hour! She realized in one big hurry that quilts are not cheap.
01-15-2015, 06:13 PM
#26
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: St. Augustine, Fl and Nashville, Ga.
Posts: 267
I tell people right up front. That my price may be more than they want to pay for me to make a quilt. I explain I have a longarm business and when make a quilt that takes me away from my business. I have had a few takers and they were very pleased with their quilts. Quilting is a hobby that I like to share with the people I love. Why do people expect that because it's a hobby you should do it for free?
01-15-2015, 07:33 PM
#27
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Southern California
Posts: 6,254
This is why you don't underprice your work, even for friends and family, they will take advantage and expect it cheap every time. I see so many do it all the time. I would not accept under 500 for a king size , and even to me that is still underpriced
01-15-2015, 08:13 PM
#28
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 2,222
I was asked to make a quilt by a friend (my boss) at work for a gift for her niece.
I had also "sold" her one (her words not mine!) a month or so ago I had made a while back - my king sized thousand pyramid quilt that she paid $100.00 for because she insisted.
Anyway I gave her all the fabric I had left back - and she came up with a total overall price after the batting and fabric total I had over what she paid. (She bought most of the top fabric - and gave me some cash for the back)
Attached is the spreadsheet to include what my labor cost ended up to be based on the total she came up with.
Granted - she asked how much - but like most of us - I can't put a price on my time...its just time.
Lesson learned....lesson learned......
I had also "sold" her one (her words not mine!) a month or so ago I had made a while back - my king sized thousand pyramid quilt that she paid $100.00 for because she insisted.
Anyway I gave her all the fabric I had left back - and she came up with a total overall price after the batting and fabric total I had over what she paid. (She bought most of the top fabric - and gave me some cash for the back)
Attached is the spreadsheet to include what my labor cost ended up to be based on the total she came up with.
Granted - she asked how much - but like most of us - I can't put a price on my time...its just time.
Lesson learned....lesson learned......
01-15-2015, 08:24 PM
#29
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: SC
Posts: 2,027
I'm sorry you have a sniveling boss. I wouldn't make her another one. My first quilt cost $800 for fabric, batting, backing and long-arming. All the fabric was Moda. It is a king size. I would not even think of selling it for $800 much less $100. It took me 2 years to make it. I used to make $60 an hour when I worked years ago. Since I am older now, my time is way more valuable to me than $2.66.
01-15-2015, 09:30 PM
#30
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Clovis California
Posts: 2,259
You are caught between a rock and a hard spot with this friend/boss. It's hard to say no, it's hard to say the real cost when you work for someone who wants to pretend she doesn't know no one, but no one works for $2.66 an hour any more, at least not in this country. Expect to have more requests come your way from her; she is using you and the friendship to get something cheap.
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