A friend of mine used this method. She set an electric clock to 1:00. Each time she left her sewing, she unplugged it. Thus, when she came back to her sewing, she plugged it back in. Not a useless thing when one is trying to keep up with time.
As for cost of quilt, I recently finished a king size, done with a precut kit. Supplies $200.00 My time, estimated 85 hours. At $10.00 per hour - that is $850, then plus the $200. I'd ask no less than a thousand. This was completely done on machine, except for hand work on the back to make final seam closings. Silvia