quiltmom04

I think there is a point with anything you personally do with your own hand, that you just can't make anymore money without raising prices. If you're an exceptional quilter, the market might allow it, but if you're not, the customers won't pay it. Perhaps long arm quilting has an upper income limit that you just can't break unless you're willing to sacrifice personal time for it, and even then, there are only so many hours in the day. A long arm quilter running a business is always in charge of their time. They can say 'no' to jobs, and if they want to get their own projects done, they need to make that decision of time management, not just charge more money.

kristakz

I just started quilting for others, after buying my longarm a year and a half ago. I picked a price per square inch on the low end of what I saw online. Admittedly, I have never taken a quilt out to be quilted, so I have no firsthand experience at what others around here charge or how they work. But I luckily have a couple good friends at a local quilt shop, and my first 2 customers came from then. Since then, it's word of mouth (as I knew it would be ) and my rates are one of my selling points. It's a fine line to find a balance between a price that pays what you want and one people are willing to pay. So far I've only done all-over designs - my rate for custom is of course going to be higher (assuming I get any )

Originally I'd thought about a sliding scale for pantos, depending on the complexity, but that seemed too difficult and I didn't want people to balk when they came in knowing one price and I threw another at them based on what design they wanted. So for now I stick with this rate and we'll see how it goes. I do dream of turning this into a business, rather than a part-time activity - but I know I must build a customer base before that's anywhere in the realm of possibility.

Time to quilt for myself however, will only come at the cost of quilting for others. If I want to get it done, I know I'll have to schedule it. I'm not going to raise my rates and try to reduce my workload that way to make time - I'd rather just set appropriate expectations with everyone who drops a quilt off.

quiltingshorttimer

I also just started quilting for others. I expected the learning curve with learning the long arm (only had for about 8 months now). and I agree with many of you that express that with the expense of the machine and supplies, in addition to classes to learn more/better techniques, it is truly a business and comparable to others that require training, skill, etc. Also, like hairdressers AND artists, it requires that quilters can look at the top and envision a design--based on what a customer is wanting/not wanting. I think the trickiest part for me has been the marketing piece that seems to be required to get this business up and running. I've attended some quilting business classes and I'm just not a good sales person! And one thing that I struggle with right now is that everyone wants to "gift" you with the opportunity to work on their charity quilt to gain experience. And while I really don't mind doing my fair share for charity, it seems that I'm doing more charity freebies than paying customers at this point. Help!

JustAbitCrazy

You really need to cut back a bit on taking in the charity quilts then. Just say something like "You know I like to contribute by quilting charity projects, but there's just no space in my schedule for one right now. Maybe I can take your one."

Pam B

I do not think telling a long-armer to raise her prices in order to 'lessen' the amount of business she does is wise advice. All she needs to do is schedule in her own quilts! The person I have used in the past does not just have people drop quilts off whenever they want. She lets one know when to bring a quilt. It would be quite easy to schedule around personal life. I have had to wait up to 3 months for her to let me know that she is ready for my quilt.

SmickChick

So my questions are:
1. If you are a longarmer, would you enter this profession again?
2. Where do the viewiers of this forum feel that the longarmer is positioned (note ALL have "skill/knowledge/training"):
A long armer has expenses of a machine, thread.
A house cleaner has expenses of mileage, equipment such as vacuums and mops.
A manicurist has expenses of storefront and supplies.
A lawyer has expenses of storefront and staff.
A hairdresser has expenses of storefront and staff.
3. If you are a quilter and utilize the services of a longarmer would you expect to pay/per hour the same, or more, or less than: your house cleaner, your hairdresser, your manicurist, your dog groomer, your landscaper, your baby sitter, your lawyer, your mechanic, your dentist...
Where/how do you rate a long arm quilter????

ckcowl

lets see if I can answer a couple of these... 1. would I enter this profession again? by all means! I love what I do (98% of the time) and I would jump in again- knowing what I do now after 10 years of long-arm quilting for others. I've learned a lot over the years and I might (if starting over) organize/do somethings a bit differently- but I would do it again. 2. knowing what I have invested and having had a shop, family members who are in some of the other professions you describe- I think we are right there in the 'same boat' every *job* has its overhead expenses, training, supplies...some people are 'better suited' to organize & manage a business than others- they all take time, management, organization and overhead expenses. 3. before I purchased my long arm I had sent quilts out- I do not know any *successful* quilter who bases their services on (an hourly rate) it is an art form & sometimes things happen that have nothing to do with the customer- but slow you down- the customer should not be held responsible (charged) for time that you have to spend 'fixing' a problem that has come up (tension problems, machine problems, what ever- sometimes I load up a quilt and think....' this one is going to be fun- shouldn't take more than 3 or 4 hours---then 50 frustrating hours later it is finally done...other times I load one & think...geesh- this one is going to take FOREVER,....and 6 hours later i'm unloading it. your pricing needs to be based on something besides you time. and, a comment about the quilter being approached with the 'charity' quilts....do you verify they are in fact being used that way & not just it being said so you will quilt for free? I quilt 4 charity quilts a year- when someone new comes up with a 'this is for charity- would you quilt it?' I ask what the charity is; what type of 'gift' this quilt is- will it be auctioned? raffled? given as a gift? if so, who gets it? is it an *on going* charitable organization? (such as- my granddaugter's are active members of 'Young Champions' cheerleading- have been for years- they have a fund raiser every year to help defray costs for going to state competitions - they sell raffle tickets for a quilt every year) anyway- after I get all of the answers to these questions I decide if I will do this- I let the person know I do 4 a year- if those 4 slots are full (and I really want to I will make an exception & do another) or I will tell the person I can put you on the list for next year's quilt if you would like. then I also give her the name/number of other local quilters I know who also do some 'charitable quilting' or refer them to the guild to see if anyone there has time. networking and working along with the other quilters in your area is a good thing- (instead of cut-throat competition) around here- if someone takes a quilt to one and she does not have time to do it- she will share my info (or one of the others) and send them to someone who may have time- and I do the same- if someone calls * I just can not right now fit in a new one- I give them 2 or 3 names/numbers to try- telling her- if you don't find someone (or have time to wait) give me a call back in a couple weeks & I should be caught up... I do not feel threatened by sending someone somewhere else- in fact it generally brings me more work later. customers appreciate it.