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Charging for Batting?


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Okay, ladies, I need some wisdom. I have a gal coming in with two twin-sized plus quilts and she is interested in using my batting, but I am not sure how to price it out. Do I charge her by the yard? Or calculate square inch price (which would seem more fair), my batting rolls are Queen & King size.

If I charge by the yard, should I give her the leftover batting?

Not sure of the best way to handle this and will appreciate any advice you can give me.

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I would charge her by the yard just as if she went to a yardage shop and give her the left over batting. You don't always have a left over piece that is really usable in your business. Most of the longarmers I paid to quilt before I had my machine sold batting in bags and she sold me the size required and gave me the balance. I didn't think anything should be different at all.

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My batting on the roll is charged by the linear inch (not square inch) so if that is what you are thinking about, yes, charge by the inch and give her back any side pieces that are left over. In this case I trim one side of the batting before loading so I can give back one piece that she might be able to use. For example, I charge 31 cents an inch for 94" wide Warm & White--comparable to what the per-yard cost was at full retail when I bought the roll.

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My batting on rolls is sold by the metre (or tenth thereof), and the customer -- since she has paid for the whole piece -- of course gets the remnants. I charge double what I pay wholesale, standard retail practice, and if size allows, I cut the batting so the quilt lies crossways on the batting so the cost to customer is less.

Barbara

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I charge by linear inch also and give them the leftover batting UNLESS the leftover is big enough for one of the next quilts I will be working on and then I only charge per square inch and keep that leftover batting to use in the next quilt it fits. It's the frugal side of me coming out. If the business side of me would come out, I would always just charge for the cut off the bolt and not worry about it. :)

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I only buy the bags. My customers want the paper insert that tells about the batting care and properties. The bags are easier to store for me. I did buy one roll of QD Puff, but used it for my quilts and charity quilts. It seemed my customers didn't like it. I'm not sure why, though, as none would agree to try it.

My downfall with this system is the shipping charge. I don't have space to stock a lot ( currently have about 5 cartons of mics batting from QD) and the $14 shipping charge is a "killer."

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Thank you so much for your perspective on this. Can I translate the info and then you folks tell me if I am on the right track.

I need to turn this into a math problem (sorry) in order for me to "get it".

I have a roll of QD Blend 70/30. My cost, direct from QD is: $142 + shipping of $30 (to Hawaii). That equals $172 for a king size roll 122"x122". If someone ordered retail from Batt-Mart: $228.83 + shipping.

Per linear inch price (retail) = $.254. Her batting cost for a twin-sized quilt 93" x 72" = 72" x $.254= $24.48. She would take home the leftover batting.

Per square inch price (retail) = $.0021. Her batting cost for a twin-sized quilt 93" x 72" = 6,696 sq" x $.0021 = $14.06. I would keep the leftover batting.

Per yard (retail) = $9.15. 72" = 2 yds x $9.15 = $18.30. She would take home leftovers.

Per bag cost (double-size, retail) would be $24.48 +shipping. She would take home leftovers + batting care instructions.

Am I on the right track?

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You ideally should charge for what you are selling. If it's batting on the roll, charge for batting on the roll--just like the quilt shops. Also remember to add the extra 6 inches you'll need for the sides when you calculate a linear inch charge. Your decision is whether to charge by the inch or by fractions of a yard like the shops do. You will be buried under batting scraps if you don't give them back to the customer--believe me!:P

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