yolanda

yikes that is a bit steep for me - i didn't know it would be that much more then machine quilting...

Rebecca VLQ

Is there a market? Welllllll....

Here's another craft, and this may help you to know: I am making a sweater for my sister, knit with various wools. By the time it's all said and done, just the cost of the yarns will be about $200, because many of them are hand painted and hand dyed. I knitted about one inch at the beginning of the pattern, and it took me about 10 hours. It's kinda a sweeping, flowy sweater so the "length" was about 600 knitting stitches x that one inch. I made a mistake, tried to salvage it, and ultimately started over from the beginning. Now I'm back to where I was before I ripped everything out, so lets say 20 hours total, not including the time I was trying to salvage the mistake. If I paid myself $10 per hour, we'd already be at $200 labor + $200 in supplies, and I'm only one inch in. Even if we just count actual knitting time, it's still $100.

I'd never knit this sweater for a paying customer. I don't think I'd ever reach someone that could afford it.

So, could you make some money handquilting to put away for a longarm....YES! But, it may take you a long, long while to do so, working very cheaply when you break it out into the hours that it would take to complete a project. I know you get paid in joy for part of it (as am I, as the sweater grows) but joy won't buy a longarm, kwim? :D

I go To The Sea To Breathe

I do handquilting but not nearly as good as yours. Maybe if you could advertise on facebook, go to fabric shops and leave a small sample of your work...some people may have never seen hand quilting. You could contact shops that advertise on QB and send them a small sample also. Just keep working on it, maybe even something else will turn up...you never know what is just around the bend....good luck....

prairiequeen

My mom (80) hand quilts and keeps as busy as she wants to be.I long arm quilt but once in awhile I get a quilt that screams to be hand quilted.I go find her.Most of the hand quilting around here is done by church groups or org.,Mainly because you can't charge enough for all the time that goes into hand quilting.Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

Honeynga

I would be in the market, especially since I'm just next door in West Ga. ! However, my issue is bottom line cost; I'm retired on a limited income, live alone and am just learning to quilt...I have 3 tops ready to go, just can't afford to have them quilted. Been reading about hand quilting and will try that as soon as I get the nerve.

Hang in there. I've seen ads in quilt magazines that advertise quilting and the prices seem reasonable.

I think MY biggest issue is I'm not sure I want someone familiar with quilting to see what I've done......I would rather send mine to someone I don't know (such as you) to quilt for me.

ckcowl

i would think hand quilting would be more expensive than hand quilting---if they won't pay for machine quilting would they pay for hand quilting? i think you need to check around the local shops- guild, sewing groups and see if there would be more of a demand.
around here the hand-quilter's charge 3 1/2 cents a square inch for quilting- which is a bit more expensive than most of the long-arm quilters in the area...that being said- here there is a market for it- the hand quilters i know stay busy- of course it takes a lot longer to hand quilt a quilt than to machine quilt it.

NDQuilts

Is there a market, yes. It takes effort to reach a market that appreciates hand quilting and is willing to pay for the time to create. That being said, realize that it will be difficult to make a living wage because of the time investment per item. Also evaluate your personal work tendencies (can you hit deadlines, how long to quilt an item?)

Suggestions are to do your research, set your prices and network locally. Building a base will get referrals. Also stick to your guns as there will be those who want box store prices. (yes I have been offered $20 to hand quilt a queen sized top, and I turned it down in a heartbeat.) I win some quotes, and I lose some. I realize that many walk away with sticker shock. BUT I am going to invest 6 weeks or more into this creation and that deserves to be rewarded.

Why do I hand quilt? I love the look, rhythmic progression of loading needles with fabric, the joy of a challenge, being pushing to add beauty to another's work, handing a relative a remembrance of a loved one.

Best wishes as you look into this.

aorlflood

Google "hand quilting services" and you will find pages from people who do hand quilting for others.

You can even look at the cost info to find out what the going rate is.

neece

I agree that handquilting is gorgeous. Since you are saving for a longarm I have questions. Have you ever used one? How much have you saved? Are you going to open a business with the longarm?Maybe you should take what you have saved get a loan from the bank and get started. Lots of quilt shops have longarms for you to use. I think you need to think outside the box. In Indiana people have Christmas open houses in their own home. Maybe this is something you can do. I know in Bloomington there are lots of artists and some places will take work on a consignment deal. I know if you are a quilter you have lots of ideas if you think about it. BE CREATIVE :lol: :lol: :lol:

Aurora

I prefer handquilting and plan to handquilt all my own quilts at this time. I would rather take my time to handquilt and enjoy the process while using my money for more fabric.

If we don't continue to handquilt, it will become yet another lost art, a casualty of our "gotta have it now society".