TRUE COST OF MAKING A QUILT
05-27-2011, 08:38 PM
#72
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Central Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Posts: 7,695
Originally Posted by Gerbie
I think I will enlarge this and hang it with our quilts at the Fall Fair in Oct. Just to give everyone who comes in to view them and idea of what they cost and why one can't make one overnight.
I did speak with a young man who said he had always wanted a quilt and had looked at some in stores but he didn't like them, and knew that they were just assembly line produced so to speak. He ask me if I made quilts for the public, and when i told him no, that people really wouldn't want to pay what they were worth. I told him the story about a lady at work asking what I would charge for a DWR like the one I made for my daughter several years ago. When I informed her that I wouldn't do another like it for less than $1,500.00, this young man informed me that he would be willing to pay that or even $2,500 for a "handmade" quilt he called it, because he knew it would be quality made and definitely worth the price. I almost fell over with his remark, most people would have laughed and said "no way would I ever pay that kind of money for a quilt". He ask me to think about making him one, which I may do later on, but not right now, too busy trying to get my quilts going for Christmas.
I did speak with a young man who said he had always wanted a quilt and had looked at some in stores but he didn't like them, and knew that they were just assembly line produced so to speak. He ask me if I made quilts for the public, and when i told him no, that people really wouldn't want to pay what they were worth. I told him the story about a lady at work asking what I would charge for a DWR like the one I made for my daughter several years ago. When I informed her that I wouldn't do another like it for less than $1,500.00, this young man informed me that he would be willing to pay that or even $2,500 for a "handmade" quilt he called it, because he knew it would be quality made and definitely worth the price. I almost fell over with his remark, most people would have laughed and said "no way would I ever pay that kind of money for a quilt". He ask me to think about making him one, which I may do later on, but not right now, too busy trying to get my quilts going for Christmas.
05-27-2011, 08:58 PM
#73
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Sorento, IL
Posts: 364
Just last year a friend of mine wanted twin size quilts for her 5 children, I told her I'd charge her for the material's plus 20 for labor and other costs, when I quoted her 75-150 per quilt depending on pattern and quilting, she didn't talk to me for 3 months. Guess she figured I was trying to take her for a ride!
My husband was also very shocked when he first heard me give estimate to people on the material cost of the quilts, to get started before an labor went into them!
My husband was also very shocked when he first heard me give estimate to people on the material cost of the quilts, to get started before an labor went into them!
05-27-2011, 09:34 PM
#74
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,326
All of my quilts are donated and I spend at least $800 - $1000 per year for fabric and batting. I usually get a large share of fabric at garage sales. I'd croak if I had to buy all my fabric at retail! I keep track of every cent I spend for tax purposes.
05-27-2011, 09:45 PM
#75
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1,703
Originally Posted by okiepastor
I spent nearly 600 hours hand quilting a 42 x 48" wall hanging for my daughter--it is reversible.....think I could have done a quilt in that time--it was very intricate!
The charity quilts I make are quickies, so I can make more, but the embroidered quilts I am about to sash and finish finish will have about 1000 hours of time in them...
The charity quilts I make are quickies, so I can make more, but the embroidered quilts I am about to sash and finish finish will have about 1000 hours of time in them...
05-27-2011, 10:30 PM
#76
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Posts: 278
Going to print this out and put with each quolt I make. If the quilt is a gift they will know how much I love them to spend that much money and time on them. If its for sale then people will know what a bargain they are getting since I could never charge that much for my time since I enjoy quilting, if I give it for charity then they know where to start the bidding. Reading this thread and the one about feed back on quilts given as gifts made me realize how much we don't value ourselves or our work. We will overpay for things we want that are from well know lables or stores but put little value on what we do. Handmade or homemade used to mean something.
05-27-2011, 11:40 PM
#77
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Bavaria/Germany
Posts: 65
I will print this calculation out and hang it on the wall in my sewing room! And calculating the prices in Euro would add another 20%. I order almost all my fabric from the states, that's cheaper than buying fabric in Germany. And speaking of quiltshops in Germany: they are few and far between - but we do have them!!
Greetings from Germany! Tirolgirl
Greetings from Germany! Tirolgirl
05-28-2011, 02:37 AM
#78
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Ohio
Posts: 478
Originally Posted by goosepoint
I may print this out and put it with every quilt I have and send it to my 3 girls whom already have 2 a piece. When I am called 'home' one day they can look back and maybe appreciate my 'hobby'. I commented one time that it was cheaper therapy making quilts than it was going to a 'head' doctor and taking Xanex and Valium. I just maybe wrong about that.
05-28-2011, 03:40 AM
#79
Banned
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Liberty Hill - Central TEXAS Hill Country
Posts: 1,040
Jan - THANKS for pointing out this is for HAND quilting - I had assumed it HAD to be. I hand quilt & when I 1st started back in the 80's, really never heard or seen of much machine quilting in the general quilting world - only in the commercial.
When I 1st joined this board a couple of mo's ago I was AMAZED to hear the numbers of completed quilts by individual quilters. Then it finally dawned on me they've got to be machine quilted! (ole timers some times slows me down).
Boy was I relieved - I was really doubting myself & thought I had to be the slowest quilter in the world. Before uncle Arthr-itis visited so much - & I was in "prime quilting form" - I could do maybe 12-15 lg size quilts a yr. w/a few smaller projects thrown in!
No matter how they are finished, to me quilts still represents being wrapped in warmth & love.
Have a blessed holiday week end & may all your quilts be filled w/love.
When I 1st joined this board a couple of mo's ago I was AMAZED to hear the numbers of completed quilts by individual quilters. Then it finally dawned on me they've got to be machine quilted! (ole timers some times slows me down).
Boy was I relieved - I was really doubting myself & thought I had to be the slowest quilter in the world. Before uncle Arthr-itis visited so much - & I was in "prime quilting form" - I could do maybe 12-15 lg size quilts a yr. w/a few smaller projects thrown in!
No matter how they are finished, to me quilts still represents being wrapped in warmth & love.
Have a blessed holiday week end & may all your quilts be filled w/love.
05-28-2011, 03:46 AM
#80
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,648
I would post those prices in a prominent place for people to see. That's very much an eye opener...
But then you have the jerks who say "skill to sew? I can sew that." at which time you tell them..."go for it"
I don't sew for the public any more for this very reason... I have a BS in Apparel Design with 30 years experience.
But then you have the jerks who say "skill to sew? I can sew that." at which time you tell them..."go for it"
I don't sew for the public any more for this very reason... I have a BS in Apparel Design with 30 years experience.
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