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  • It costs What...do you think?

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    Old 08-15-2014, 02:55 PM
      #21  
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    Originally Posted by Pennyhal
    There is a mind set that "women's work" is not as valuable as men's. You see it in the work place in general, not just in quilting. We keep working to change that, but it's been a long, hard road.
    You got that right. Keep on working for change! If not in our life time , maybe our daughters!!!!!
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    Old 08-15-2014, 03:00 PM
      #22  
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    This reminds me of the articles I used to see that show how much money a mother's work at home would cost if she were paid wages. No one could afford a mom if they had to pay by the hour It was usually broken down into services such as driving to school, appointments, etc. Caring for sick or even well kids, anyway, I don't have one of these articles to share, but I bet it could be googled.
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    Old 08-15-2014, 03:01 PM
      #23  
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    I do what I love, and love what I do! The whole process, from start to binding and label. Get to do it a lot more since retiring. I'll never get rich from it, but will leave my children and grandchildren, and great grand children something to remember me by. Who could ask for more?
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    Old 08-15-2014, 03:25 PM
      #24  
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    I worked for Mennonite Central Committee, and many of the quilts are auctioned at relief sales throughout the US and Canada. I once saw one auctioned for $10,000, bought by a San Francisco businessman to hang in his office.

    It was a Baltimore Album, and the lady that made it worked on it for over a year, then it took a group of church ladies several months to quilt it. It was all applique, with rushing, embroidery and it was the most beautiful hand work I have seen.

    And like someone has already said....it was a labor of love.
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    Old 08-15-2014, 03:36 PM
      #25  
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    Originally Posted by Jan in VA
    Is it time to post this again? Found online years ago....

    Jan in VA

    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 - $107

    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)
    Maybe we should start a new trend of including a nice little card with any quilts we give as gifts with Jan's info- updated to reflect today's prices of course :-) Fewer gifts would end up in dog beds and car trunks I bet!
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    Old 08-15-2014, 03:54 PM
      #26  
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    Originally Posted by PurplePassion
    That is why I try to not buy fabric for more than $5. a yard. With all the Charity quilts I make and ones I give to friends and family; I can't afford to buy more expensive fabrics.
    I read all the time where sewists get used clothing/sheets and make use of it for their projects. Even using used mattress covers for the batting. If that helps.

    And you can purchase twin flat sheets from Walmart, 66 x 96, almost 5 yards of fabric, in a wide selection of colors, for a little over $4 each. They are 60 percent cotton, and wash up nicely.
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    Old 08-15-2014, 04:08 PM
      #27  
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    Originally Posted by Pennyhal
    There is a mind set that "women's work" is not as valuable as men's. You see it in the work place in general, not just in quilting. We keep working to change that, but it's been a long, hard road.
    I don't think it's just a problem of "women's work" that is devalued, but generally crafts and handmade items. It's probably also a fact that crafters themselves dare not to price their work appropriately. Oftentimes because they feel that they won't make the sale (which is unfortunately often true).

    I think I posted this link before, but it might shed some light here as well.

    Bottomline of the article: Simplest baby quilt possible is worth over $250!
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    Old 08-15-2014, 04:46 PM
      #28  
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    Originally Posted by Lori S
    I have made a few quilts that had over 300 hours in just the cutting and machine piecing. I would not be so quick to say "no way" .
    I'm with you, Lori. I've tracked over 200 hours just longarming a single large wallhanging. That included many, many hours of knot tying and burying.
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    Old 08-15-2014, 06:57 PM
      #29  
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    The number of hours from start to finish can be mind boggling. The cost of the fabric, thread, and batting is a whole other issue, and then there is the quilting and binding! I give most of my quilts to my family, they love and appreciate the work I do. Those who want to purchase a quilt never understand the time and cost that go into one!
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    Old 08-15-2014, 07:24 PM
      #30  
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    Wow! We really are underpaid! Good thing we enjoy it. And to think most of us give our quilts away. We must be a crazy bunch !
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