HeatherH Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 Hi Everyone, I am a new long arm quilter living in central B.C. I recently purchased a little used 2005 Millenium. I have been quilting for years but this is a new adventure for me. I would appreciate some advice on what to charge for a project I have just completed. I am working on a beautiful "Thimbleberries" 53 X 62 quilt with approximately 30 stars. I have SID the stars and quilted a small to medium meander in the squares between the stars. My problems started with the arrival of the quilt. The quilt is beautifully pieced but had been spray glued to the batting & backing & the client had tried to quilt with a meander in an area approx. 12" X 20". I ripped that stitiching out which took me 2 hours. I then tried to load the quilt on the frame but discovered the backing seam was not centered and squared so I started again. I removed the quilt from the frame separated the layers and loaded the quilt with a square and centered back seam. I SID the stars then did a small to medium meander between the stars. I buried all the thread ends and the quilt looks very nice. I don't want to over charge but I want to be fair to myself also. The client just said"see what you can do". I Your advice would be appreciated.thanks, Heather Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nadia Wilson Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 Welcome to the forum Heather! It's good to hear from more Canadian quilters! Congrats on your new-to-you machine! In regards to what to charge your client....what are the other longam quilters charging in your area? For any sewing related tasks, such as ripping out the stitching that the owner put on the quilt...was it discussed who would take it out? My sewing charges are $15 - $20/hr depending on the job. From the quilting you described, it sounds like custom work and that (depending on your area) can start at .025 cents per square inch and go up from there. Did you have to turn the quilt to do borders? If so there is another charge.....and remember to work your thread costs into the price too. We'd love to see pictures of this quilt too! Cheers, Nadia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliagraves Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 I find that a lot of upfront communication really helps to set expectations. I try to discuss types of quilting they want, their budget, and design ideas. If I discover a problem after they're gone, I try to call and give them the option of fixing it or paying me to fix it. I'm with Nadia - what you describe sounds like a medium custom, around $.025/sq in. I too would charge for the 2 hours of ripping, but would have given the customer the option of doing it herself. I would charge for reloading the quilt; checking for square backs and batting prior to loading should be part of your intake. I would charge $10 to square it up. (I'm using US dollars - may be more in Canadian?) It sounds like you did a lovely job! Julia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeatherH Posted October 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 Hi Nadia and Julia, Thanks very much for your advice. I certainly will be more careful in the future to ensure there are no communication problems. Lesson learned! The client is picking up the quilt tomorrow and I am sure she will be happy with the result (at least I sure hope so). I am charging her .025 for the quilting and $30. for the preparation time but am currently reducing the quilting by 10% because I have just opened my business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bekah Posted October 5, 2009 Report Share Posted October 5, 2009 Heather the pricing you came up with seems fair. good luck with your business and nice to have you join us. be sure to post pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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