quilter.tena

A friend of mine asked me to make two recycled denim quilts for her family. It is with old jeans - pockets, part of bib overalls, etc. I didn't use batting, didn't do it 'raggy,' backed both with flannel and used the flannel for binding.

I have now finished them both and wanted input on how much to charge her. They measure approx. 55 inches by 60 inches.

Thanks for your input!

butterflywing

this is tough for a number of reasons. this is a friend, so you don't want to cheat her. but this is you, and you don't want to cheat yourself. you didn't offer. she asked. it's her fabric, but you had to work out the design details. this was something that should have been agreed on before the work was done. well, what is, is.

try this: figure out as near as you can, what you actually spent on products that you used. thread, binding, backing if you bought it, etc. that's a given. try to figure, as close as possible, how much time you spent. decide what your labor is worth. remember, you have the skills and she didn't. and the time you spent working on her items was time that you didn't spend on your own interests. multiply the hours times the price per hour and add the actual cost. that's the real price. the size shouldn't matter that much unless it gets soooo big that it's hard to handle. that would make the hourly rate go up.

if you want to discount because she's a friend, by all means, do it. you might charge only 75% or even only 50% of the normal price. how dear a friend is she?

you should set a going hourly rate in case anyone else wants you to work for them. whatever you charge will set a precedent. as your work becomes more in demand,you might raise your prices. but once the word gets out, and it will, people should know in advance what the approximate cost will be. no surprises later. and a deposit, please, up front.

as a professional sewer for many years, i can't tell you how many people wanted work done and never came back for it or paid me.

Maride

This advice probably comes in a little late, but keep it in mind for the next. I speak to my customers before hand. If they don't know the process I explain some of what it takes, how much thread, batting, fabrics, needles, and with those jeans one you tend to break several of them, I sometimes even make them buy the fabrics themself. By the time I start the quilt they know how much I will charge and sometimes require a deposit, so they do come back to pick it up, there are no surprises (I hate surprises) and no misunderstanding. Unless the quilt is a gift, make sure you are both comfortable with the fee ahead of time, for the sake of the friendship.

But your quilt is done and now you need to charge. Think for a while, how much woould you pay someone to make it for you, and take it from there. Look on line or at local shops to see what other are charging to give you an idea.

Maria

SaraSewing

Since it's denim, charge by the pound!

butterflywing

:thumbup: :thumbup:

bearisgray

also remember all the equipment and supplies that you use that your friend probably doesn't have

rulers- cutting mat - cutters - scissors
thread - needles
sewing machine
studio/sewing space
iron and ironing board

table or floor for laying it out

it gets staggering when one starts to think about what it would take to do this from "scratch"

omak

DITTOES!
During our first quilt show, DGS was helping hang quilts. The group we were working with had the guys climbing ladders to put the rods with the quilts on them into the slings on the stands.
Not only did they have to lift the QUEEN-SIZED quilt once, but the curator hadn't explained the mounting process correctly, so the boys had to take that monster down from the stands, re-work the clamps and then put it back up there.
DGS rarely complains about anything, but he very pointedly said he NEVER wanted to lift another denim quilt again!
One time, I made a car quilt for oldest DS and used upholstery fabric behind the denim pants ... he told me that the first time he used it, he was concerned that he wouldn't be able to get it off of himself in an emergency ... on the good side, if a strong wind ever came up, he knew he wasn't going to get blown away! LOL

adrianlee

Yep, those denim quilts get heavy and if you sleep on your back, they bend your toes. When my brothers were little guys our mother had denim quilts on their beds, needed something tough for those guys.

butterflywing

that's funny. i had forgotten how they do bend your toes. you either have to turn to the side or lay down like a ballerina walks, sort of waddle mode. :lol:

omak

What a pretty picture! LOL
If I lay on my back, my toes touch the mattress ... I didn't know that your feet/ankles aren't supposed to do that! I guess I am going to be a real challenge in the old age home - - job creation of sorts for PT specialists, eh? <g> This is NOT the mark I intended to leave in the world! LOL