Quilts that you make to sell??
#22
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Illinois
Posts: 9,312
It depends on the quilt and where you want to try to sell it. Do some research if you choose to sell it on line via Etsy check out what comparable quilts are selling . If its local via a craft show ... attend a few and see if there are quilts for sale and the price.
#23
Edie
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: kannapolis, nc
Posts: 392
You might try quilts for sale, it is a website where individuals sell their quilts. It is hard to sell quilts for what they are worth, most people don't appreciate hand work anymore. I only make rag quilts to sell. I get material at thrift stores and I buy flannel sheets for backing and middles. Also, I find handmade jumpers for $2.50 because no one wants them. They have lots of material if they are gathered at the waist and of course the bigger the size the more material. I buy denim jumpers too. Men's shirt are good but you really have to get a deal because of the small amount of fabric. I can sell baby and lap quilts for $40 - $50 and full size for $80 - $100. You have to beat Walmart prices if you're going to a flea market or even craft shows. I sell at a local flea market and on Etsy but it is still slow except for the holidays. If you can save on your materials it will help you a lot. I also feel good about recycling instead of always buying new.
#25
I have been quilting as a business for the last 30 years. I have sold most of the quilts I made. Once the imports started coming in, sales went way down. What can you do, it is a global economy.
You have to figure out how much you would be happy with. Take a crib quilt. If someone gave you $1000 for it you would be ecstatic. If you only got $5 for it you would be unhappy. Now work in from both ends.
We used to sell them for much more than 3x materials, fabric was only $2 a yard (wholesale) and they were hand quilted. Around $400 and up for a bed sized quilt.
I have had a bed size, hand quilted, small piece scrappy Log Cabin on Quilts For Sale website for about a year, for $200. No bites. They do not have a good way for someone to search if they are looking for hand quilted. I am doing better on Etsy.
ETA - plus, when we started, very few people were making quilts. Now there are something like 20 million quilters in the US, it is getting to be like afghans - every one knows someone who can make them one.
You have to figure out how much you would be happy with. Take a crib quilt. If someone gave you $1000 for it you would be ecstatic. If you only got $5 for it you would be unhappy. Now work in from both ends.
We used to sell them for much more than 3x materials, fabric was only $2 a yard (wholesale) and they were hand quilted. Around $400 and up for a bed sized quilt.
I have had a bed size, hand quilted, small piece scrappy Log Cabin on Quilts For Sale website for about a year, for $200. No bites. They do not have a good way for someone to search if they are looking for hand quilted. I am doing better on Etsy.
ETA - plus, when we started, very few people were making quilts. Now there are something like 20 million quilters in the US, it is getting to be like afghans - every one knows someone who can make them one.
Last edited by ptquilts; 07-31-2012 at 05:56 AM.
#27
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Lansing, MI
Posts: 1,038
I'm finding a good market in t-shirt quilts. Since it's more of a personal item, people are willing to spend the money on it. Just finished my 3rd one. I charge $16/shirt. For an average quilt of 20 shirts I get paid $320. Only took me two days to prep and assemble the whole quilt top. Hopefully I can set it up on my longarm next weekend to finish it.
#28
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Maryland
Posts: 2,376
http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2012/ets...ofit-workshop/
#29
I just complete one with 22 t-shirts for $15.00 a shirt ($330.00- this included thread, interfacing and my labor), plus the cost of batting, backing fabric, label with their picture - optional), long arm quilting, shipping w/insurance = total equal $505.00. They sent me $150.00 down payment when I received t's and she has sent me the balance. I will return quilt with an added bag to carry to football games etc... as an added bonus. I will upload a picture when I get foldover edge completed in the next couple days. Can't wait to do my next one.
This was for a lady in Texas, we had a mutual friend that ask if I might be interested - I live in North Dakota. It worked out great. I sent her an email with what I would charge and all the stuff that it included and what would need to added with prices. I included some various pictures of t'shirt quilts and what a approximate price might be if she chose one of them. So it was her decision if she wanted to have me make it before I started. If she didn't, I was out nothing. It was a win win for both of us.
This was for a lady in Texas, we had a mutual friend that ask if I might be interested - I live in North Dakota. It worked out great. I sent her an email with what I would charge and all the stuff that it included and what would need to added with prices. I included some various pictures of t'shirt quilts and what a approximate price might be if she chose one of them. So it was her decision if she wanted to have me make it before I started. If she didn't, I was out nothing. It was a win win for both of us.
I'm finding a good market in t-shirt quilts. Since it's more of a personal item, people are willing to spend the money on it. Just finished my 3rd one. I charge $16/shirt. For an average quilt of 20 shirts I get paid $320. Only took me two days to prep and assemble the whole quilt top. Hopefully I can set it up on my longarm next weekend to finish it.
#30
Power Poster
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 12,861
location matters- also you should visit sites that offer handmade (vs commercially manufactured) quilts for sale & see what people are asking- also look at the ones that have sold- just because someone priced their quilt at a certain amount doesn't mean they sold it for that-
there is a website called-
quiltsforsale- check them out-
also etsy-
those are the 2 i know of there are probably lots more- also quilt shops often sell store display quilts when patterns or fabric lines are no longer available- see what they are going for- what may sell for $350 in one place may easily sell for $750 somewhere else- location matters
also Etsy -those are the 2 i know of- there are probably many more-
also check on-line and local quilt shops- for links to 'quilts for sale' often they sell their store display's when the pattern or fabric line is no longer available- or they are simply moving on- they generally charge what the market value is-
check the local guild- see who else is selling & what their prices are like.
a (crafty-rule of thumb standard) is 3x materials- which includes, fabrics, batting, thread, patterns, quilting- what ever you put into it- this sometimes works- sometimes needs to be adjusted up or down- but it is just an (average formula) used by many crafters- not necessarily quilters.and---location matters= what i may find sells well for $350 here may seem like a steal in a city somewhere- what i sell for $750 in the city
there is a website called-
quiltsforsale- check them out-
also etsy-
those are the 2 i know of there are probably lots more- also quilt shops often sell store display quilts when patterns or fabric lines are no longer available- see what they are going for- what may sell for $350 in one place may easily sell for $750 somewhere else- location matters
also Etsy -those are the 2 i know of- there are probably many more-
also check on-line and local quilt shops- for links to 'quilts for sale' often they sell their store display's when the pattern or fabric line is no longer available- or they are simply moving on- they generally charge what the market value is-
check the local guild- see who else is selling & what their prices are like.
a (crafty-rule of thumb standard) is 3x materials- which includes, fabrics, batting, thread, patterns, quilting- what ever you put into it- this sometimes works- sometimes needs to be adjusted up or down- but it is just an (average formula) used by many crafters- not necessarily quilters.and---location matters= what i may find sells well for $350 here may seem like a steal in a city somewhere- what i sell for $750 in the city
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