True cost of making a quilt, part 2
05-30-2011, 06:11 AM
#72
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Central PA
Posts: 3,736
I count the cost of quilting but there is always some fabric left over so how do I factor that in? The leftover usually goes out as a charity quilt. In all, I give up trying to guess and just enjoy the time I spend "building" a quilt.
05-30-2011, 06:15 AM
#74
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 1,457
Originally Posted by Joan
I don't even think about the cost of this addictive hobby.
It brings me so much pleasure, I don't even consider the cost.
(but, please understand, that I'm retired, kids are grown...etc. :mrgreen: )
It brings me so much pleasure, I don't even consider the cost.
(but, please understand, that I'm retired, kids are grown...etc. :mrgreen: )
05-30-2011, 06:17 AM
#75
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 130
I shop at Joann's a lot so that gives you an idea of my cost per yard (using coupons of oourse). My husband supports my habit and says as long as the bills are paid he could care less. Maybe I should make him another quilt for his support............ But on the other hand he has his fishing hobby with boat and gear so that isn't cheap either. We are happy and that's what counts but this is an interesting question.
05-30-2011, 06:18 AM
#76
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 563
Why does one ask?
Having become addicted to quilting at this late stage of my life, I must admit that my first few years in this hobby have been $$$$$ astronomical ...
Considering all the equipment I thought I "had" to have .... all the fabric that I could not resist buying .... The extra machine and hand quilting needles I couldn't decipher needing, not knowledgable enough or savvy enough to be able to settle on just-the-right-stuff .... I'd say my first quilt -- a queen size - was QUITE expensive.
Had I joined this forum BEFORE jumping into the hobby blind, perhaps I could have saved a lot of $$ ...... but .... what the hey! For better or worse: I am in now .... and a full-fledged memeber of the Cult-of-Denial!
As I look at it now: that first quilt was the "inexpensive" part of the hobby .... all that "stuff" that has been accumulated and seldome used, and all the beautiful fabric I could not resist accumulating that will out-live me, etc. has become a source of embarrasment.
Since I am not doing mass-production, all I really needed, was a good pair of scissors and one good ruler, the right needle and thread. But now that I have the rotary cutter and all the other stuff, might as well use it.
Yes ..... quilts of any size cost a pretty-penny .... and if you have no one in mind to gift the final product to (or gift it to one who does not appreciate its intrinsic value), it can SEEM a waste of time, effort and money --
BUT, if I consider all the soul-satisfying, mind-soothing benefits -- AHHHHH: QUILTING IS PRICELESS!
Having become addicted to quilting at this late stage of my life, I must admit that my first few years in this hobby have been $$$$$ astronomical ...
Considering all the equipment I thought I "had" to have .... all the fabric that I could not resist buying .... The extra machine and hand quilting needles I couldn't decipher needing, not knowledgable enough or savvy enough to be able to settle on just-the-right-stuff .... I'd say my first quilt -- a queen size - was QUITE expensive.
Had I joined this forum BEFORE jumping into the hobby blind, perhaps I could have saved a lot of $$ ...... but .... what the hey! For better or worse: I am in now .... and a full-fledged memeber of the Cult-of-Denial!
As I look at it now: that first quilt was the "inexpensive" part of the hobby .... all that "stuff" that has been accumulated and seldome used, and all the beautiful fabric I could not resist accumulating that will out-live me, etc. has become a source of embarrasment.
Since I am not doing mass-production, all I really needed, was a good pair of scissors and one good ruler, the right needle and thread. But now that I have the rotary cutter and all the other stuff, might as well use it.
Yes ..... quilts of any size cost a pretty-penny .... and if you have no one in mind to gift the final product to (or gift it to one who does not appreciate its intrinsic value), it can SEEM a waste of time, effort and money --
BUT, if I consider all the soul-satisfying, mind-soothing benefits -- AHHHHH: QUILTING IS PRICELESS!
05-30-2011, 06:22 AM
#77
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 563
That's what I was trying to say ..... Thanks for putting it so nicely ....
Originally Posted by Bubblegum0077
I think I've tried to figure this out once before, but I didn't have enough time to work the numbers. I had to get back to quilting. Let's just say it really does cost quite a bit of money from beginning to end when making one of these heirlooms. The fact that some of us get our fabrics at yard slaes, estate sales, thrift shops or GoodWill is just a bonus. Our time can't quite be figured into the price because if we did try to account for every hour of our time spent on the entire process a quilt could cost into the thousands. I don't know of anyone who would pay that much for it. Not to even mention if the quilt is finished on a long arm and the expense for that as well.
I once visited a handicapped woman in a small town and she made quilts by hand. I looked at a very pretty quilt in a king size and the price tag was $1250......I gagged and my husband thought that was totally outragous. Now that I am quilting and understand the process from beginning to end, I could see that her price was cheap for the size that it was. Can anyone understand the cost? Not if they don't understand the process and we all know this is a process. For every choice we make will determine it's final look. I don't know how many times I've had a fabric in mind and searched high and low in all my magazines to find the perfect pattern. This can take hours. Then the coordinating fabric. Well keep adding time. And maybe the pattern isn't rignt, so I keep looking. But I do have to admit that when I need to make a quilt it usually has a reciepent in mind and I try to work off that. After all, if it's going to be for a child then I will choose an appropriate pattern and fabric based on the child.
At the present time, I got my machine back out and fnished :
.....the baby quilt for a friend's baby shower
.....sewn on the label for my son's quilt
.....sewn on the label for my granddaughter's wall hanging
.....finished cutting and making 16 block squares for a friend's quilt. This will be posted as soon as the top if finished. And I must say I think it's coming out really nice. This will be a gift for her birthday which was May 6th. Delayed due to my husband's passing. So now I am trying to get back into the swing of things and I am pushing myself to finish some projects in the pending.
Happy Quilting to All
I once visited a handicapped woman in a small town and she made quilts by hand. I looked at a very pretty quilt in a king size and the price tag was $1250......I gagged and my husband thought that was totally outragous. Now that I am quilting and understand the process from beginning to end, I could see that her price was cheap for the size that it was. Can anyone understand the cost? Not if they don't understand the process and we all know this is a process. For every choice we make will determine it's final look. I don't know how many times I've had a fabric in mind and searched high and low in all my magazines to find the perfect pattern. This can take hours. Then the coordinating fabric. Well keep adding time. And maybe the pattern isn't rignt, so I keep looking. But I do have to admit that when I need to make a quilt it usually has a reciepent in mind and I try to work off that. After all, if it's going to be for a child then I will choose an appropriate pattern and fabric based on the child.
At the present time, I got my machine back out and fnished :
.....the baby quilt for a friend's baby shower
.....sewn on the label for my son's quilt
.....sewn on the label for my granddaughter's wall hanging
.....finished cutting and making 16 block squares for a friend's quilt. This will be posted as soon as the top if finished. And I must say I think it's coming out really nice. This will be a gift for her birthday which was May 6th. Delayed due to my husband's passing. So now I am trying to get back into the swing of things and I am pushing myself to finish some projects in the pending.
Happy Quilting to All
05-30-2011, 07:14 AM
#78
Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Plano, TX
Posts: 72
In response to the person who said they couldnt find quilters for $100. It is a lot more expensive around here.............No kidding, I took a quilt top and back I bought in Guatemala (close to king but not a queen) to a "professional" quilter who quoted me $800. Of course the batting was included in the price. I still havent decided if that quilt is worth $1000 to me. Actually I think it is but I dont know if Im willing to pay for the fact that the quilter has lots of show ribbons.
05-30-2011, 07:16 AM
#79
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: currently AR Ozarks
Posts: 590
I am anxious to see how the numbers roll. This is a question I have been asked. I usually just consider the current project when responding. Need to think about more than one. Not sure I want to face the stark reality of a total, though. Think there may be some denial going on here. Lol
05-30-2011, 07:23 AM
#80
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 621
I've been keeping track of my time and supplies on the quilt I'm working on right now. It's a wedding gift. It's almost done, but the part I'm at now I have to fight with it to get it together. (I'm doing it as a quilt as you go.) I only have the 4 rows to sew together and the binding and I'll be done. I's just too hot here right now to try and get those rows together. (I don't want to be dripping sweat on the quilt.) It's a wedding gift for my boss's daughter. Not due till November
I have about 71 hours in so far
Cost is about $300.00
(Now that is with buying everything on sale or with coupons. It would have been about $400 if not on sale.) I'm a good sale shopper and since I had a lot of time for this quilt, if I needed something I just waited for a sale.
I have about 71 hours in so far
Cost is about $300.00
(Now that is with buying everything on sale or with coupons. It would have been about $400 if not on sale.) I'm a good sale shopper and since I had a lot of time for this quilt, if I needed something I just waited for a sale.
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