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Hi there! I have been running a quilting business now for 9 months part-time (I have two toddlers! BOYS!!!) and have done about 50 plus quilts and only made about $2200. Is this normal? I have plenty of work, but not sure that I can upgrade machines if I can't make more than this. I was in hopes of doing this full-time when the boys got into school, but I am not seeing myself making more than $6-8,000/yr. Is this normal, or what? Will a better machine help?

Thanks!

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Hi

I sent you an email that may help you a out a bit. I have a few key questions that I would ask you to better answer your question. If you would like give me a call and I will be happy to chat with you. A couple of things that I would ask.

1. How much time are you are able to spend working?

2. What are your rates.

3. What type of machine do you have? Is it a longarm? Is it stitch regulated?

Doing 50 quilts in 9 months is about 5.5 quilts a month and 50 quilt into $2200.00 is 44.00 per quilt. Depending on the size of the quilt and the quilting, that seem very low to me.

Review the return on your investment that I sent you and give me a call if you like.

Myrna

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Guest Linda S

I hope the majority of your quilts have been very small wall hangings. If not, you are definitely not charging enough.

Linda

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Hi, if you are only doing small quilts, you need to have a minimum charge. I do not quilt for others, but if I did my minimum charge would be at least $50 dollars. You need to take into consideration the time it takes to load the quilt, quilt it, talk the customer, etc. Time is money. Are you charging for your thread? Are you charging for batting?

I highly recommend going to Cindy Roth's site (I think it is www.longarmuniversity.com) and check out her booklet. She talks about what you need to charge and lots of other good things. (Cindy is the person who also puts on Innovations which will be held in the Tacoma, WA area in September.)

You will never make any money charging only $14 for a quilt. There are some very successful quilters who actually charge by the hour and not by the square inch. You need to rethink how you are charging. You need to run this as a business and not a hobby!

Sue in Scottsdale, AZ

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Sue is correct you need a minimum charge, $35-50 is average I thing. If the quilting is open I will charge my minimum charge, but if I do the same size quilt and quilt it very heavily I will charge a lot more. My minimum is $50. Now granted on some very small things I make very good money on others I may make less, but it averages out in the end. Of course you will get much faster the more you quilt. So what took you 4 hours today may only take 2 in a couple of months or one month even.

For any of you ladies that are in any of the areas that I am teaching this summer I highly recommend you come take some of the classes. I have a new class "Pick My Brain, What, When, Where, Why". We will talk about all kinds of things for running your business and quilting. This will include pricing. Come join me, It will be worth your time. If you can't make to any of the class locations I have posted on my website. Then try to get to some others. And keep asking questions.

Myrna

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Hi--

I agree. I took Cindy Roth's beginning longarm classes the month after I got my Millie. One day of the class covered the business side including what to charge. You should be shooting for $25 per hour for your time standing at the machine. Whew--sounds like a lot doesn't it!!! But-----you know you cannot charge $100 for a baby quilt that takes 4 hours (unless you don't want to do any!!) A minimum charge--say $50 or even $35--- will take into account the time spent discussing the top with the customer, loading the top, and the time spent when the customer comes to pick up. Those minutes really add up--probably an hour--that's your first $25. This minimum may deter customers with small projects so you may want to build business by offering a small precentage discount to a new customer. So far I have only had one instance where a customer didn't like my minimum. When they ask "what do you charge" I ask what size is the top, do the math and if it is less than my minimum ($50) I gently explain my pricing policy. The potential turn-down may disappoint at first, but the resentment you feel after undercharging lasts longer and is more bitter. Trying to balance the money part of the business with the joy of the work is not easy--this is the best place for pep talks and direction. I'm off the soap box now!!!

Linda Rech

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Hi Luv2 quilt

I don't know what Myrna will suggest but you can be sure it will be great advice and Sue too.

I guess we really need to know how many hours you have spent quilting in the 9 months, the style of quilting ie. custom or continuous, how much you are charging per sq ft, an idea of how long it takes you to load the quilt, even if its continuous quilting the density of the quilting.

You said you have heaps of work - I'm wondering if you are not charging enough?

Unlike some quilters, I don't have a minimum charge. The reason for this is that if in the beginning you don't have enough work, you don't want to turn any away (unless its out of your comfort zone) and often customers will bring a small quilt to test your skills. Also the customer who has the small quilt will often tell her friends what a great job you did and you'll get work that way.

What type of panto are you choosing? My customers are now tending towards more open designs rather than custom quilting. I must admit, I encourage them this way when it suits the quilt and their budget. Its quicker and easier for me too

I find zippered leaders a real time saver.

Next time you do a quilt try timing yourself. How long to load, how long to wind the bobbins and layout the panto, did you take a break part way through to attend to something else.

I'm glad you brought this question up, I am sure there will be lots of quilters reading this who have some great time saving suggestions for us all.

Best wishes

Sue in Australia

Well those are a few things to think on

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Thanks so much, everyone, for the all the advice coming in! I see that I am not the only one who is having problems, and with all the questions you guys have given me to ponder, I have done some real number crunching. I have realized that for all the quilts that I have completed, if I had charged the amount I should have, I would have made $4046.34. This seems more reasonable to me, but still low. I didn't have a minumum to start with, and I did some quilts for a quilt shop for free to get my name out. I have also done some donation quilts for the hospital, Leukemia Fund, and Historical Society's. I have also done two of my own quilts--custom--for samples. These all take time and should have brought in money. I will be looking over some other people's prices and adjusting mine.

Tell me, does $4046 seem reasonable for the first 9 months when I only work about 16-20 hours a week, and have been learning better ways to do things as I went? That would average out to be about $5400 for the first year working part-time?

I guess to say how long it takes to load a quilt depends on the size. A baby/wall quilt would take about 15 minutes. A queen would take more like a good half an hour. This includes getting the three layers layed out, and measuring again if needed or cutting batting if needed. Sound right?

I would have to say that I make about $12-15/ hour on most quilts when I time myself. THis is from the start of laying out and pinning to completely taking it off. Some quilts I make a little more $15-18/ hr. and others if I have machine issues I make a little less $9-10/hr. I do know that I have been timing myself since the beginning, and it has gone up considerably as I have gotten faster. To begin with, I only made like $8-10/ hr. But now it is higher.

I am realizing that I may also need to encourage people to get more overall meanders and open pantos. Do people have any favorite, quicky panto that they would like to share? (I mean, tell me the name and designer so I can buy my own--not literally share their personal panto!) I have a lot of luck with Chantilly Lace, Wild Flowers, Chinese Crescent and some Linda Taylor Feather Meanders. Any others that may help?

Well, you all have been great! Any suggestions or comments are welcome!

Sincerely,

Monica

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Originally posted by luv2kwilt

Do people have any favorite, quicky panto that they would like to share? (I mean, tell me the name and designer so I can buy my own--not literally share their personal panto!) I have a lot of luck with Chantilly Lace, Wild Flowers, Chinese Crescent and some Linda Taylor Feather Meanders. Any others that may help?

Monica, I love Jodi Beamish's pantos (www.willowleafstudio.com). She has her pantos broken down by difficulty. Take a look, I'm sure you'll find something you like. I have used Waterworld quite a few times, Ribbons and Roses is nice, Angel Wings (looks like butterflies), and others.

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My favourite quick pantos are:

Angel Wings, Ribbons and Roses, Inblot, by Willowleaf Studio

Daisy Chain by Trillium House

Come Dance with Me by TimelessQuilting designs

Swirl and Twirl - by Lorien Quilting

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Myrna,

Will your new class cover when you're pineapple will be called SPAULDING when it will be called WILSON? Two months later, I still chuckle after LA classes with Myrna.

Along the same lies as charging. I would like to hear the experts talk about completion date. To date, I have always been able to give a time for completion and have always been able to complete in time no matter what type of disaster/fluke of nature/fluke of procrastination took place. Now I am dealing with 4/6 calls per week and I don't want to underestimate myself but I don't want to over-estimate the time for completion.

I took my DH to deliver a quilt today and luckily had a love fest with the quilt-store ladies (me and my

wonderful APQS tension). Unfortunately, he (DH) hasn't agreed to the second machine with the CQ. But it is coming, I'm sure, along with the new space to put it in. o:)

Donna (Linda)

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Donna- Linda. Let me chat with your Dh about the CQ. I know we can get him to see the light. We can always find the space. I would love to bring my CQ with me to Colorado, but it's hard to move. You can always bring him here to check it out.

I do believe that may have been the most fun week i have ever had. LOL that's funny. It took me minute to remember the pineapple event :P How funny, it still brings tears of laughter to my eyes! I hope you are going to be able to come to classes again. We can talk about anything you want to talk about.

Scheduling is another great topic to discuss. Start putting those questions on paper,or email them to me.

Myrna

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi Everyone. I am wondering what to charge when you piece a quilt and then do the quilting on it. My DH boss wants to buy my first every made quilt and I am having a hard time letting it go. I don't want to charge too much or too little. Any suggestions on how to price a quilt when you do it all? I really appreciate all of you and your wonderful advice.

Bekah

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Selling your first quilt is hard. How much you should charge depends on size, quality, cost of material, hours it took to make and how much you really want to sell it. Using $25-$35 per hour plus cost of material is a good starting point. Does you DH's boss understand the value of handmade quilts? If not, he will be in for a big surprise. If you really don't want to sell it, you could offer to make him one using colors of his choice. Either way, don't under value your work.

I had a lap size quilt in the LQS as an example of a class that I was teaching. It was my own design with Asian fabric and a large embroidered dragon, Foo Dog, and other Asian motifs. It has always been my favorite. One day a gentleman came into the shop and asked how much for my quilt. The owner called me to see if I would sell it and for how much. Since I didn't want to sell it I quoted $750. About a week later the man called me to asked if I would take $600. I stuck to my price and now the quilt hangs on the wall of my diningroom. It was flattering to be offered the money but the truth was, I didn't want to sell it. So just be sure before you come up with a price. BTW, I have never regretted my decision.

Happy Quilting,

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Regarding amking monet at quilting, NO WONDER YOU ARE SO BUSY!!! You are dirt cheap! The rest of us charge more because if we didn't it would not be worth the time and effort.

You are welcome to look at my website for pricing ideas, I know I am not the most expensive in the area, nor am I the most experienced. I do have a minimum of $35 for allovers and $45 for custom, like on a baby quilt. But if I think I should charge more than the minimun, I do. I also have a $5-7 thread charge, I charge for separately quilted borders, and if it's pieced to the edge I charge to baste all around. I would say just for the quilting charge I am averaging $100 per. I would like to get more custom, but when I get them I am glad for the easy ones, too.

Good luck! Oh and regarding selling a quilt. I charge .08 to .13 cents per square inch for my own work and start at .015 cents per inch to make a custom quilt, plus any photo transfers and other odd things. If they like it great, if not, I am not crying that I am not getting enough for my time

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Oh thank you so much for all of your answers. I had decided that maybe I should offer to do a quilt like mine with their own choices for fabric at say $10 an hour for cutting, piecing and quilting and my husband said, you will just always give your quilts away. Believe in yourself more and I bet the other ladies charge more than $10 an hour. Now I see he is right and I have a good idea of what my prices should be. You have all given me a new light and hope this day.

Every grateful,

Bekah in Oregon

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