PamelaOry

Well said.

nativetexan

just put a sign that most fabric is $12.00 or up and you buy on sale. otherwise the price would be more. still, people usually think hand or machine quilts should be cheap since it's not for sale in a store (who usually pay about 12 cents per hour to workers). just keep trying.

tranum

Churches in our area make/donate 2-3 quilts every year for a quilt auction that benefits summer church camps. There used to be many quilts and they brought in considerable money. Fast forwarding to now, the quilts don’t bring in much. In fact, we are talking about dropping out. Auction’s been offering table runners for a flat amount ($40) but when I checked them out, some were 10 minute runners. (really?). Even for a good cause, the interest isn’t there. Are people so saturated with inherited quilts etc ?

Dolphyngyrl

That's one of the reasons I don't sell you are never gonna recoup time and money. People want walmart prices for high end quilts. They won't understand unless they buy the fabric and make themselves

cashs_mom

I think there's just not a lot of appreciation of hand made items or heritage now. I was taught by my mother to treasure the quilts my grandmother made. She even showed me the tiny stitches and taught me how desirable (and difficult that was). Now everybody wants instant gratification. I'm always so happy to see twenty somethings participating at quilt guild and making things. Its such a good creative outlet and learning to work with your hands is a worthy and lifelong achievement.

StephanieR

And it's not just quilting, it's any hand craft. I also don't give quilts to people and expect them to be "appropriately" appreciative. The pleasure for me is in the creating and the time I spent just not working on it but thinking about the person I'm giving it too. Anything after that is just gravy.

roguequilter

hello vanna ..welcome to the board.
years ago i made commissioned quilts for a few people. some hand quilted. my husband came up one day as i was working on hand quilting one. he said, based on the amount of time i had invested in the hand quilting, i was making about .05 cents per hour. i negotiated contracts with the client prior to starting the quilt with set rates for pattern design (i design my own), fabric prep, quilting - machine or hand etc. i kept track of time spent cutting, piecing etc. i had previously done commissioned knitting & crochet apparel & some people refused to pay the prearranged price. so, with quilts i used formal, signedl contract. i knew i wasn't going to make a living doing it ..but i sooooo love designing & creating quilts, and you can only use so mamy ..i have no family ..so making for others & getting paid seemed like a good idea. but i quit after few years because i had no time for myself. i think if you can manage an etsy shop, or find a local crafts retailer to sell for you ..that might be helpful. good luck with your quilting endeaver.

ckcowl

I have sold quilts through the website ( quiltsforsale.ca) for 10-11 years off & on. We charge what they are worth ( they have pricing guidelines to follow) and people do buy them. If you want to make money for your quilts you have to value them. If someone asks for a quilt go over with them what it takes, decide on a price you both agree to, put it in writing, get a 50% deposit before you buy or cut a single fabric, get the remaining balance upon completion. I sell anywhere from 5 -20 Quilts a year ( some years are definitely busier than others) mostly through return customers and word of mouth. I use a contract, I keep communication open and I place value on my craft. A cabinet maker doesn’t make beautiful cabinets then give them away or only charge 1/4 what he has in to making them, why would you? I generally charge $125-$150 for baby quilts, Queens start at $350 & go up from there depending on theme, fabrics, time, complexity. I’ve sold quilts for $1,000, - $3,500. On average most of mine are in the $500-$750 range. People do buy them but it takes work to market them and to build a customer base. I have return customers who buy wedding/ occasion quilts, word of mouth is great, they show them to their friends & then their friends contact me. I share pictures of my quilts and let people know they are for sale & I accept commissions. My sales along with longarm quilting for customers supports my quilting habit and provides us with extra vacations, trips to quilt shows, long weekend get always.

applique

I sell quilts too. I make what I want to make (usually applique) have them appraised and offer them for sale with the appraisal.

Anniedeb

Two days ago I was at a nearby mall that was hosting a hand-crafters sale. There were many booths with beautiful items. The lady with the quilting booth had 36" table runners for $15, or 2 for $25, and microwave bowls for $5 among other things. The table runners were Christmas fabric, and each one was flawless. Crisp, great fabric, and well displayed. I talked to her and she said she basically couldn't give stuff away. While we were talking, another lady approached, picked a runner up and said "will you take $5 bucks for this?"!! The seller said "No". People just don't get it!

I think that there are people out there willing to pay for quilts. It's a matter of finding the right person, in the right market. I've done a few commissioned quilts, and for each I was very meticulous. Each square/strip cut exact, and perfectly matched. Each seam the same size. Each sashing/binding/cornerstone exact. I wanted them to love the quilt so much that they were willing to pay for it! As said before, people want hand made, but they want it to look store bought, at rock bottom prices!! Good luck finding your niche!