MargeD

Your quote was absolutely, positively not too high, in fact I think it was conservative. I have made and sold quilts to friends, and I only charged them for the materials, however, these were very dear friends of mine, so I just wanted the cost of materials back. I once showed off a commission quilt I'd made for one of my best friends at a Weight Watcher's meeting, as a couple members were also quilters. After they oohed and aahed over it a woman came up to me and asked what it would cost if I made her one. I immediately said $400, she looked surprised, then walked away. The quilt was both appliqued, pieced and paper pieced, it was a lot of work as I had ripped out the center appliqued log cabin because I didn't like it. It now hangs off a railing on the second floor of her huge log cabin home and she proudly tells anyone who comments that her best friend made it. I charged her only enough to cover most of my materials, as it was also partly a log cabin home warming present. I'd say the guy was hoping to get it for nothing, as $75 is practically nothing. I would have told him to go to Wal-Mart or one of the other dept. stores and find an inexpensive quilt there.

Lady Diana

The fabric alone would be over $80...if it is quality quilt fabric. That does not include the batting and talent.
He is nuts!

Neesie

I recently bought fabric, for a twin-sized quilt. For just the top fabric, I ended up paying about $60. This was quality fabric from Hobby Lobby, with their 30% discount. That cost didn't include batting or backing. . . or thread. . . or my time.

DebraK

I was gifted a lovely turned seam ripper last Christmas. I love it! One of my most beautiful, and useful tools.

tessagin

Yep the public really is just that ignorant. Do they not realize these are customized? Most quilters have a history that has become quite the learning process. Advise your daughter that you require so much per hour plus all materials. And any special requests like logos and such are extra. Any embroidery is extra. YOUR QUOTE WAS NOT TOO HIGH!

tessagin

My MIL has made many afghans for many members of her family. When I saw her earlier this summer she was working on a couple and was almost finished. She said they were shower gifts and then she would have to get a wedding gift. My jaw nearly dropped. I told her I thought the afghans were plenty "nuff" to cover for the shower and the wedding. I wish I had taken a photo. One was a beautiful white background with floral and the other was a light green background with floral for queen-sized beds. I did not realize that the mother of both of these recipients was sitting right in the same room. Open mouth insert foot all the way to the hip was my next move. She told me how much yarn she had used and how many hours she put into it. I told her then how much I thought her gift was a minimum. $650.00 for each afghan. She had done some applique. The woman opened her mouth and said very rudely to my MIL "Well it's not like you're a professional and what does your DIL know?" MIL stated that "Evidently, no longer than I've known her, she values me more than you and we've been friends (I thought) for many years." She went ahead and gave the afghans for the wedding presents but nothing more. The weddings have since past and she got a "Thank you card saying "Thanks for the afghans but since they're not our style we will donate them to the local shelter. She sent them a reply asking for them back (both). She said she would get them a gift certificate to a store of their choice to replace. If she gets them back they are going to her daughters who appreciate everything she does for them. DH wanted one but she was already working on one for us. I am excited but am still hoping she gets the other 2 back. Her girls don't know they may be the recipients. Itold her it would be our secret. That way no one would be disappointed. I think I've brought a bit of a dragon rise out of my MIL. My SILs have said they don't know what happened but after my visit, she changed. She now tells her kids she did this or that because she's worth it. She absolutely is. She gave birth to my husband which is her lifetime gift to me.

ptquilts

Just WOW to that "thank you" card in the last post - unreal!!


Anyway, here is the ultimate ignorant general public story - many many years ago (1980's) Dh and I were at our first craft fair with bed size quilts for sale. We had signs on them, $190, $250, etc. (I told you it was a long time ago.) A guy comes up, looks at them, and picks out 3 and says he wants to buy them. We start taking them down and he is handing us a $10 bill!! He thought they were $1.90, $2.50, etc.


Oh, and one more story. I have posted about DH's tiny piece wall quilts with over 10,000 pieces each. We were at a flea market and he brought one just for a conversation starter. No price. If anyone asked, he would say, make an offer.

One lady offered $25. He said, "I should let you know, it takes over 400 hours to make one of these." She thought for a second, and said, "well, how about $30?"

penski

well i guess they were not that interested after all !! i had someone ask me if i would make a queen size quilt for a private party it was to be given away for a "door prize " I told them instead i would rather just give them the 400.00 in cash instead of me making one and who knows if the person winning it would appreciate all the time and ehat it takes to make one , and since i am not in the position to be able to afford the 400.00 im thinking the answer to there question would be a firm No !!! they must think we can just make one of these in a few days and they dont understand the cost that goes in to a quilt !!

ArchaicArcane

I look at it less as ignorance as a lack of exposure and training.

Lots of the people who ask don't sew, or quilt. They've never been in a fabric store, they don't know the price of fabric. Their comparison is WalMart, or if you're lucky some of the higher end comforters from Bed Bath and Beyond.

I don't consider them ignorant though, any less than I would consider anyone who can't fix their own computer ignorant. The people who don't want to pay my rate to fix it for them? Still not ignorant. The ones who try to call me out over my pricing and whatnot and at that point start talking down on what I do? Yes, Ignorant.

Am I ignorant because I couldn't do their job / hobby? No. I don't have the training or exposure to it.

We all have different skill sets for a reason.
If someone doesn't appreciate one of yours, so be it, it's their loss.

Neesie

:::::speechless!::::::