Had someone want me to give an estimate on a quilt
12-16-2010, 07:12 AM
#121
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Illinois
Posts: 5,142
A man once asked me to give him a price for an oil portrait of his grandson. I thought for a while and said, because you're a friend I'll give you a discount. Live size, unframed, $900. (that was a $300-$600 cut) You'd have thought I'd asked for his arm! I told him that there was 16 hours of prep, mixing paints, making acetate drawings, etc., before even putting a brush into the paint. Then the painting itself would take between 200 and 250 hours. I then asked him, "Would you work for that little?" I never did the portrait. He actually told me that he thought it would be more in the $25 range. I told him to take his grandson to Walmart and have them take a picture.
12-16-2010, 07:37 AM
#123
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 2,375
Originally Posted by raptureready
He actually told me that he thought it would be more in the $25 range. I told him to take his grandson to Walmart and have them take a picture.
Yeah, if you want Wal-Mart prices, go to Wal-Mart. Literally.
12-16-2010, 08:14 AM
#124
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: In Hiding
Posts: 1,210
Originally Posted by bearisgray
I'm thinking that most people don't mean to be insulting - they are just totally unaware of what is involved.
I totally agree with this.....and on the opposite side how many people do you know that could truly pay 650 plus for a handmade quilt? They are few and far between especially in today's economy. I can imagine there would be a lot more things more important to them that having to pay that much....maybe like food or utilities, etc. I am a quiltmaker but do not make quilts for money, I make them simply for the joy of making them and for the person who receives them. It is an expression of joy and love.
Personally I am a little sick and tired of hearing people talk about how awful store bought quilts are. They may not be the same quality as we could make ourselves but then they may mean the world to whomever purchases them for themselves or a gift. Justifying our quilts by demeaning others is not a nice thing to do and to me is not in keeping with how we should portray ourselves.
People who make quilts to sell or are asked to make a quilt have the right to ask what they desire but to continually demean others for not understanding how much goes into a quilt serves no purpose. If you make quilts to sell or on commission your customer knows up front what the cost would be. They can take it or leave it. That people is called choice on each side of the fence.
12-16-2010, 10:29 AM
#125
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Valdosta GA
Posts: 1,876
Jan, I wish I had thatquote a couple of days ago. Someone who said the quilted at one time asked me about making her a quilt. Told her she couldn't afford me. When I said a minimum of $500 to $600 she didn't say anything about the price. I think she wanted me to make and just give her one. I had never laid eyes on this woman before--she was just someone at the beauth shop!!!
12-16-2010, 01:50 PM
#126
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 357
Originally Posted by raptureready
It's because what YOU do isn't as important as what HE does.
Since he's a hunter tell him you'd like to have a real bear skin rug. Would he please go to Canada, get a permit, kill one, have the meat processed, the head and skin made into a rug and give you a price for that. He'll start listing the costs of everything including his time off from work. Then tell him that you just want a small bear and couldn't he do it for $200?
Since he's a hunter tell him you'd like to have a real bear skin rug. Would he please go to Canada, get a permit, kill one, have the meat processed, the head and skin made into a rug and give you a price for that. He'll start listing the costs of everything including his time off from work. Then tell him that you just want a small bear and couldn't he do it for $200?
Mine would be "Run, don't walk, the other way". Don't even get involved. The guy is dreaming.
12-17-2010, 07:27 AM
#127
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Macon, Georgia
Posts: 353
Originally Posted by raptureready
It's because what YOU do isn't as important as what HE does.
Since he's a hunter tell him you'd like to have a real bear skin rug. Would he please go to Canada, get a permit, kill one, have the meat processed, the head and skin made into a rug and give you a price for that. He'll start listing the costs of everything including his time off from work. Then tell him that you just want a small bear and couldn't he do it for $200?
Since he's a hunter tell him you'd like to have a real bear skin rug. Would he please go to Canada, get a permit, kill one, have the meat processed, the head and skin made into a rug and give you a price for that. He'll start listing the costs of everything including his time off from work. Then tell him that you just want a small bear and couldn't he do it for $200?
12-20-2010, 07:41 AM
#130
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: TN
Posts: 213
I'm keeping this tucked away thank you for sharing.
I really like the way you broke this down in terms of material, labor, etc. Most quilters definitely don't get paid what their quilts are worth...they are doing it often for the love of the craft and for the recipient...which is priceless. But still, if they are going to be paid they shouldn't be reluctant at all about deciding the price that's best for them. Their work is worth it! Then the person can decide if they want one or not.
Originally Posted by karenm36
Originally Posted by Jan in VA
There are some of the best comments here I've ever heard! Wonderful sentiments, valuing your own work.
Remember to print this out and keep it at hand for future 'questioners". (And as it is, it's behind the times fabric price-wise!)
What It Really Costs To Make a Quilt
QUEEN SIZED, MACHINE PIECED, HAND QUILTED
MATERIALS:
Fabric 12-16 yards @ $9per yd. $108 - $144
Batting $25 - $40
Thread $8 - $16
Total $ 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
(Found on the Internet 1995; unknown author)
Jan in VA
Remember to print this out and keep it at hand for future 'questioners". (And as it is, it's behind the times fabric price-wise!)
What It Really Costs To Make a Quilt
QUEEN SIZED, MACHINE PIECED, HAND QUILTED
MATERIALS:
Fabric 12-16 yards @ $9per yd. $108 - $144
Batting $25 - $40
Thread $8 - $16
Total $ 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
(Found on the Internet 1995; unknown author)
Jan in VA
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
craftybear
Links and Resources
1
02-12-2011 07:29 AM
