A Lap Quilt for $20!!

[pigletaz]

I was in Walmart the other day buying groceries and they had Chinese made quilts for $39 - twin. I could have screamed. Not only are they paying those women (and children) about $2 per day but they are making our general population think that a quilt is such a mass marketed "thing". Quilts are truly an American art form and the more quilts mass marketed and sold for such pennies detract from that art form. Americans don't have many truly American traditions, we have to keep them alive for future generations.

I made a very simple baby quilt a couple of weeks ago for a very young couple (both 20 years old) expecting in December and I thought, oh no, they will not understand the significance of getting a handmade quilt - but no, the couple actually cried upon receiving it - I was shocked. So, there are pockets of appreciation around.

I make it a point to teach anyone who wants to learn about quilting - especially my children. Ladies - pass it on - your knowledge is priceless!!

[Merryjo2003]

I love to give quilts for gifts. I usually choose carefully who I do this for because so many people think the materials don't cost much and that you can just "whip them out" in an hour or two.

When customers see a quilt I've made and decide they have to have one, but prefer a different color than what I have for sale, I explain the pricing in detail. They are shocked, shocked, and more shocked! I tell them a Queen size starts at $1200 on average. Bigger, more complicated, etc. equals more money. When I show them 9-10 dollar/yd fabric and back that cost out, then back out the quilting charge, then the binding charge and give them the total. Then I estimate the hours needed to actually shop, pre-wash, cut, and assemble the top and devide the balance and tell them that's what I make per hour actually sewing the top together. It really opens their eyes. I ask them if they would work for that price per hour.

One lady told me, "Well, it's just sewing!" (She wanted machine embroidery on some of the blocks, too.) I told her how much my machines and thread cost. Then I said, "Well, if it's just sewing, why don't YOU do it?" She replied that she had never learned to sew. So, this is a skill that you do not have, but you expect me to do it for you for less than a dollar per hour. Now, given the price of my machines, my expertise, and my time, does that make any sense to you and if the situation was reversed, would you be willing to do that for me? Se said, "No!" So, knowing what you know now, do you think there's a "snowball's chance in He!@" that I will do that for you? Then she said she understood my point and decided she could justify the price I quoted. I told her that's the difference between a Target "Bed in a Bag", vs. a custom quilt that will last several generations. Not the type of quilt you wash a couple of times, then send to Goodwill.

Okay, I'll get off my soapbox now.....people like this that devalue our work really get my dander up. "It's just sewing!" My behind! They can't do it, but they think I should do it for nothing! I've got better things to do with my time than waste it on them. I'd rather donate my quilt to a hospice or one of the many other charities where at least they're appreciated for the comfort they give, whether they understand the value or not!

As for the price of the machines and husbands or other family members, "Yes! It's a lot of money!" They think nothing of buying a car, boat, quad, dune buggy, etc., but a quilting machine??? Just who does that benefit? Hummmmmmmmmmmmm....let's see. The $ I earned not only paid for the machine, it paid for Christmas for 2 years now, household bills, car payments, little "extras" you just had to have...........so why exactly are you bringing this up??

Geez, I must have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed today. Maybe I should go back to bed and start over!:mad: Sorry, but thanks for letting me vent!

[kimmiequilts]

:P:D You go Merry Jo! That is one cool soapbox you have there! Well said!:cool:

[ffq-lar]

Merry Jo--well said!!

When someone is shocked by the cost of a hand-made quilt and says they can get one at Macy's for $99.99, I invite them to go for it. Then I tell them to remember---I am not Chinese nor do I have a Chinese cost-of-living. My material is top-notch, my machine is American-made, and I have spend many hours learning my "craft". I have a certain life-style I have become accustomed to--not working long days for low pay in terrible conditions. If they want to support a foreign country for an inferior product, well, that is their choice.

Maybe you and I are sharing the same soap-box, Merry Jo!!;)

[chickenscratch]

I have a lady here that I work with. She asked me how much to purchase fabric, piece, and quilt a king size quilt for her son and his fiance who are getting married in the spring. It told her about $1000. She almost fell out of her chair. She thought it would be "a couple hundred"

The lady I quilt for entered one of "our" quilts in a local quilt show at a bank. She marked not for sale on the quilt, but when she went to pick it up the bank manager asked her if she would sell it or how much to get one made exactly like it. My little lady told them $1500. Needless to say, the bank manager did not want to buy it.

[arbee65]

I'm new here at the forum, but I did enjoy reading this thread. One just has to giggle. The price of fabric is out of this world. Back in New Zealand where I come from (now living in California) we pay $24- $30 and up for a metre (which is 40") of fabric.

A few years ago, I made a dear friend a fabric book and you should have seen their mouth drop when I happened to mention, I had no change out of $100 to make it. With all the embellishments and so forth that I added, it soon mounted up. Its on my blog is you wish to check it out.

[QuiltSnob]

I did a quilt for my mom last week. It was a reversable Wizard of Oz that she is going to give to my brother's wife for Christmas. She loved the quilting and so did her friends. She told them that I would do their quilts for them for $10 and hour! WHAT????? I am now getting calls from complete stangers wanting me to follow through with this. I tell that I don't really quilt for others and if I did it would be more that that. Now my mom is mad because I won't quilt her friends stuff for them. I work full time and have a limited amount of time for my stuff. She said I could just do the 10-15 that her close friends have done and then not do any more. OF course they all want them for Christmas presents. I just can't do it. Oh by the way, I am to provide all thread and battening too. what a deal!

[Quilting Heidi]

Isn't it funny how everybody wants you to do it so cheaply but yet they won't/can't do it? I tell people my time is worth money. If they want my free time then they'll have to pay for it. I guarantee after they piece their first quilt they will have a new appreciation for the time and material that go into these. Not to mention the cost of the machines. Merry Jo you hit the nail right on the head. My family is forever giving me a hard time about spending so much on my machines but I'll turn to them and ask them how much they paid for their motorcycle or their pedicures & manicures and all those things they just have to have. LOL they usually shut up really quickly, especially the men!

[Just Sew Simple]

My SIL wants me to make a wedding quilt for her daugher (who is not married nor engaged). I said how much I appreciated her giving my children each a glass that cost about $100.@. I said I thought I'd reply in turn but not with a quilt that could cost as much as $500-$600. and I pointed out it only took a phone call to the bridal directory to have her glass sent and it would take me weeks and weeks.

[kimmiequilts]

Oh Quiltsnob, too funny doesn't your Mom know how much you spend on this 'hobby'?? You need to give her a reality check with a breakdown of all your costs! Then tell her that her friends quilts are most likely not perfect and will take too much time to load onto the machine and for the price she quoted is she willing to make up the difference?????

I just think that "ooops my Mom was mistaken, sorry I don't quilt for others", call the LQS to find a quilter!

[QuiltSnob]

Hi Kim,

Yes I tried to tell her about my time but she insisit that I should be able to whip out 10 or so quilts with no problem. It is funny in a way. People spens all this money on fabric to piece the top and do not want to pay to have the thing quilted or even nice fabric for the back of their quilt. I have gotten good at saying no lately.

Happy quilting to all of you!

[meg_marsh]

Hi everyone ........... too many chuckles this am:D:D

Everything you say is so true - they haven't got a clue. The other part that gets to me is when they call what we do our 'little craft'. I have one friend that calls me her 'crafter friend' ............ yeah, right ........... and now that she wants 2 quilted duvet covers, she'll finally find out how much this 'little craft' costs!!! Making a good duvet is more work than just a quilt. In the end, she might say 'no' and that will give me more time to perfect my 'little craft':P:P:P:P

PS - hope you all voted .......... don't care how, just that you voted!! I am so glad this will all be over as of tonight!!

[juliagraves]

I'm with Shana. I make quilts for those people I love or who will really appreciate the quilt. I give away a lot of quilts, especially to people in my church who are going through a rough time and the quilts mean so much to them. I don't need them to know the cost of the materials and my time - they are so touched by the thought.

Commission quilts are a different story. I also make commission quilts, but stick by my price. I need to make at least $10/hour on the piecing or it's not worth my time. I'm amazed at the number of people that want the materials, piecing and quilting all done for less than I would charge just to quilt it. I have starting prices for quilts on my web site, and I refer people to my site when they ask about commission quilts. That way I only hear back from the serious people.

My sister handed my a cross-stitch kit for a light switch cover a few years ago and asked me to make it. I was not pleased, but did it. I'm sure she had no idea how many hours it took me, but I learned and now have no problem saying "no" if someone asks me to do something for free that I don't want to do.

Stand by your guns ladies! Only do what you are led by your heart to do!

Julia