If your are talking to her in a normal setting be sure & mention that this was "special for her" & that you would probably have to charge someone else about $12.00 dollars an hour. Then tell her how many hours you spent on it.
If she refers you then they won't expect a "cheap" quilt, & she will feel "special." Then let it go. Like you said "lesson learned!"
P.S. I'm so sorry that it went this way for you.:(

I wish I could send pictures of the quilts but try as I might, I couldn't get the lighting right and the results were not too pleasing. I didn't even take any for my own records.
Yes, it was nice to get even a little something for my efforts but once bitten, twice shy as they say.
Now I've started a project for a family member and I know it will be enjoyable (and no payment is required), so this one is a win/win situation.

So glad to hear you didn't get burned for the materials and got some compensation for time.

I was thinking she will tell everyone about the great job you did and only charges for the materials. This can actually hurt other quilters that will hear but so and so had her quilt made by so and so and it didn't cost that much. Be sure and let her know the actual cost you would have charged for anyone but her. When I do say yes to making a quilt for someone I make it clear that I'll do it for you for this amount but everyone else pays this amount. I don't make quilts for a living and it keeps the request away to make me one too!

This is a hard one. The fine line between doing what you love to do, and charging for it always a hard line to cross, especially when they are close family and/or a friend. The best thing to do is to be honest and upfront before starting the project. This will alieviate any hard feelings down the road. Her giving you the cost of materials was very nice. The gift card was an added bonus for a great lesson. Enjoy your dinner and move on to your next project as a much wiser quilter. :)

Sounds like you made out ok, considering the circumstances. Hopefully the gift card will cover the cost of the dinner.

When I make a quilt as a gift, I don't exspect anything in return except that that love the quilt. If they don't like the colors or design, I tell them to give it back and we can go shopping for their colors and pattern. Of corse they I don't let them pay for it as it was a gift from me. I would rather remake them a gift they will use and abuse showing me that they love it. I also do not want anything in return, I have only given out to close friends and family.

I made two quilts for a friend of mine that lost his battle to cancer. The first one, a lot of his friends pitched in to help cover the cost as I printed pictures and quilted them all together. The second one I made for his partner of over 20 years out of his t-shirts. Roger, who received the t-shirt quilt started to cry not believing someone did that for him. The first one went to hs closest friend. Their tears of joy was payment enough along with the hug that I received.

Now, if I were to be paid to make a quilt for someone, and depending on who it is, would determine the amount I would charge to piece it together. I would make them pick a pattern, and then we would hit the fabric stores and I would have the pick the fabric and purchase it, and buy extra for mistakes. Then depending on how they wanted it quilted would be extra. If they wanted it fancy I would have them take it to a professional long arm. And then they would understand when I say I would want X number of dollars, they don't think I fell of my rocker.

The real problem is people that don't sew or do any kind of craft do not understand
the Value of the time it takes
Time is so precious.. there is just never enough of it
I hope you enjoyed making the quilt

Yeah, that was part of the problem. It was a friend of my son, not family and I didn't like the materials they wanted. The 'love' factor was absent and therefore making the quilts was almost a chore. I don't make quilts for people other than family and for my own use (gifts or charitable events) but this was the result of my mouth and brain not working together.

You are just like me most of the time; MBSS, mouth brain sync syndrome.