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Suggestions needed for quilter's estate sale!


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Early in April, the DH and I drove to Colorado to pick up the quilting-related items that had belonged to my best friend. She passed away in January. Compared to most quilters, she didn't really have a lot. But, it is enough to organize a quilter's home-going sale, but I'm at a loss on how to organize it or how to price the items. She bought the best quilt store fabric she could find, so it's all high quality.

Please share with me whatever suggestions and experience you've had regarding quilters estate sales, pricing for fabric, whether to cut fabric, how to organize / display things, ANYTHING.

Thanks so much!

 

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HI,

I have been to one.....the quilter who passed away did a lot of business at a local quilt shop who happened to have a good sized "clubhouse" used for classes......they measured and folded just about everything except large bolts....I can not remember what fat quarters were priced at....but yardage was priced basically at $2, $3 and $4 per yard.  Most quilt shop fabric of fairly good quality but a lot was more of older material.  they did group it by size of fabric...fat quarters in boxes or baskets so you could easily sort through it.  Most threads were bundled by type.  The only measuring and cutting that was done was of the bolts of fabric.....if you get a good turnout....it will be crowded and you would need a dedicated measuring and cutting person if she had bolts....Just try and organize everything by type I think....thread with thread, rulers and cutters, etc...you might want to look at etsy or craig's list and do a search for "fabric" to see what fabric is being sold for....also check with the guilds to see if they know the pricing of materials around you.  Hope this helps.  I may be needed to think about this for myself soon as I have just been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer.....Lin

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I'm so sorry to hear about your diagnosis! I am praying for you!

Thank you so much for your information! It is very helpful. I just found a short video about quilter's garage sales. I hoped it would have more information -- but it was helpful (done in 2015):

https://www.nationalquilterscircle.com/video/quilters-garage-sale-007247/

 

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This happened recently in a town close to where I live.  The sister of the deceased quilter went to several quilt guild meetings and set things up.  She had it organized into tubs based on color, or theme, and fatquarters.  I think some of the fabric was $4 or 5/yard and was nice quality quilt shop fabric.  That was one of our guild's "programs", because everyone loves shopping for bargains. 

 

Lin...so sorry to hear about your diagnosis.  Hopefully things will work out well for you.

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I'm sending good thoughts and a gentle hug, Lin.

As for the quilter's garage sale---it should be advertised exactly as that and you'll be overrun with buyers. I've seen several pricing methods. One was by the yard---the buyer measured the fabric she wanted on the honor system and paid for the total yardage---$5 per yard. FQs and smaller pieces were done by weight--$5 per pound. A yard of good quality fabric is a bit less than a pound. This way, no one had to measure and price each piece, which takes an army if there is a big stash. Don't do any cutting! Notions in close-to-perfect shape/rulers with instructions, etc---half regular retail. Used notions and partial spools of thread--set up a table with everything the same price---like $2. For our quilt guild boutique at the last show we bagged like-items (six zippers, 5 spools of thread, used notions, buttons, etc, into $2 grab bags. Those went fast! Here's the other method I saw recently. Regular sized paper grocery bags---all you can fit in the bag for $20. This way, only minimal sorting and no pricing. The fabric that was left was sold two week later at $15 per bag. The price went down every couple of weeks until most of the stuff was gone. Put "Prices Firm" signs out so there's no haggling. Quilters know a bargain when they see it. Good luck!

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I haven't been on the forum for a while...but Sharon I am sorry for the loss of your best friend, I lost a very close quilting friend several years ago and still think of her almost every day... Lin I am also sorry for your diagnosis, you will be in my prayers as you go down the road of treatments....

 

I don't have much to add in the sale area...

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Thank you for the prayers and thoughts.....I do appreciate them.  The chemo port goes in on Monday, a PET scan on Friday, and chemo is scheduled to begin the following Tuesday.  Still a bit confused about everything.....the appts and scans have been crazy....I guess they are still gathering info...supposed to be getting more info on all of this next week....Lin

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