jeanetteparkerdesign Posted October 30, 2017 Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 Hello. I'm new to the site and longarm quilting. I'm wondering how you all charge for batting on an 80/20 roll of 96", when the quilt is smaller than 96"? Are you just charging per yard regardless of the extra that isn't used? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neher-in-law5 Posted October 30, 2017 Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 I figured out how much I paid a yard then set my per yard price. Then I had some quilts that left a lot of batting unused but still belonged to the customer so sent it with the quilt. I now have figured a per square inch price for batting I have on hand. It still comes out to a similar pricing but I get to keep the large leftover pieces and the customer can figure the cost of the per square inch price for the quilting and for the batting used. Then there are no surprises in the bill. Be sure to add the extra 4 inches to the batting figures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeanetteparkerdesign Posted October 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 Thank you Neher-in-law5 So basically you have a formula for square inches instead of yards? Then you only charge for the length plus width plus 4 inches? Can I ask how you figured that formula? I'd rather keep the extra to use on charity quilts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted October 30, 2017 Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 If you are selling batting on a roll, do as the quilt shops do and sell by the length, giving them the off-cuts to take home. I figure out the cost per running inch (like W&W is $.27 per inch) and do the math. I charge full retail so I'm not undercutting my friends at the LQS. If you would like to use the extra yourself, post where your customer will be writing her check that you will gladly accept donations of batting pieces for your charity quilting. I also sell unusual kinds and sizes of packaged batting. King size wool is a big seller for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RunningThreads Posted October 30, 2017 Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 We do it just like Linda charge by the linear inch and don’t undercut the Local Quilt Store. If the quilt is less than 48 wide we will usually cut the batting in half and charge accordingly and use the other piece on another customer’s baby quilt. Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neher-in-law5 Posted October 31, 2017 Report Share Posted October 31, 2017 I don't have a formula, but if we charge quilting per square inch then the same can be done for the amount of batting. I did some more checking last night on what my batting per square inch charges would be by checking the regular price of purchasing batting from the local quilting store and the regular price of the company. Their costs are all over the place when you figure the inches. I got the square inch figure for each of the sizes, then figured what the cents price would be to get to the dollar charge listed. The crib and throw prices ended up being higher than queen and king! I still need to see how I will balance them all out. I have no plans to under cut any of the local (or other) quilters with my quilting or my batting. My brain doesn't work well trying to keep track of inches, feet, and yards of batting so the square inch works for me. I also plan to use a square inch price for any piecing requested with the more involved blocks at a higher price. Tracking hours is hard with interruptions here. In figuring those prices I have started with some of the prices other quilters have listed and kept mine in the same ballpark. I just need to have the figures in a manner I can work with and easily answered when customers ask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeanetteparkerdesign Posted October 31, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2017 Thanks to all of you who offered information! I think going with the square inch method will be the one I use so I can keep the extra batting. I appreciate the information on supporting the LQS and selling batting at the retail price. Neher-in-law5, you bring up a couple of good points in that the smaller quilts ended up being more expensive on the batting than the larger. I'll need to take a look at that. Also, I appreciate your insight on piecing; someone had asked me about doing a complete quilt top for her, and I didn't know how or what to charge on that. I'm glad you pointed out that it is hard to track the hours. Thanks again to all of you for your advice. I really appreciate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neher-in-law5 Posted October 31, 2017 Report Share Posted October 31, 2017 I am glad I could help. For my piecing price I started with an hourly wage I felt was appropriate and then broke it down into a cents price per square inch that would fit. If I have to rip out or rework something, that is on my cost because I am the one that didn't do it right the first time. We have had a business for years where the price was per piece and each operation was give a portion of that per piece price. When we had rejects that time was our fault and we needed to eat those costs. I see the piecing the same way. My per square inch price is for labor, utilities and machine costs. The materials needed for their quilt should be a separate charge. When I give an estimate I start with a full quilt shop price per yard of fabric. If you happen to get fabric at a better price then the customer happy that those costs are reduced but they at least know at the beginning what the total costs could run. That is why the cents per square inch on each makes sense for me. Then they can decide what size quilt they want as it fits their budget. You can call me if you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbams Posted October 31, 2017 Report Share Posted October 31, 2017 Jeannette and Madelyn, I'm guessing that it is packaged batting that costs more per square inch in the smaller sized than the large sizes? Although there is less material in the smaller batts, there is basically the same amount of labor for the cutting and packaging, regardless of the size of the batting, which drives up the cost of the smaller sizes, on a square inch basis. If you are using the large rolls of batting, and cutting it yourself, your price per square inch will be the same no matter the size of the quilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeanetteparkerdesign Posted October 31, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2017 Betsy Could it be that the retail cost on the smaller battings is difficult to find except for in the packaged battings? Most of the roll battings are so big that a straight across comparison is hard to come by. That might be what Madelyn is talking about. Good information for sure for me though as I get things all figured out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neher-in-law5 Posted October 31, 2017 Report Share Posted October 31, 2017 Betsy, yes I did figure that the labor of cutting the smaller batts was reflected in the pricing so when I cut from a roll the effort will be pretty much the same for any size so I can create a base price. If I was purchasing packaged batts then the package cost would be what I would charge the customer. At this point I don't plan to have packaged batting available for others to purchase, just the rolls that I would choose to use for my quilts that I could sell to a customer. Customers can bring a packaged batt but I do hope they and I can come to an agreement on a good brand we both would like. Thanks for your thoughts. It is still a work in progress here for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.