Pricing Questions

[DoryJM]

I have a first-time client that is going to give me her rathar large Civil War BOM to quilt. I want to offer her several alternatives, but I'm thinking she'll probably lean toward SID and (hopefully) the same freehand design in each block. This would also mean a potentially third design for the borders.

So...pricing:

I'm good with allover pantos and freehand, but I'm not sure how to price when SID and some design work is included. I don't think you could go so far as to call this totally custom since each block will be treated the same (at least that's what I'll suggest to her), but how/where does it fit in the middle?

Help!!

[JLM]

I price pantos and freehand in one category and anything else is some grade of custom. If I'm doing a separate border, then I consider this custom, SID is definitely custom, individual block quilting is custom. You might want to have different levels of custom pricing ranging from light custom to heirloom. Remember your goal is to make money doing this, so figure out how long it takes to do things and set your prices accordingly.

Janet Mohler

Colorado Springs

[DoryJM]

Thanks, Janet....I've heard that before, but didn't remember. I was thinking custom=heirloom, but that isn't necessarily so. I'll give it some thought....

[ramona-quilter]

I agree with Janet. It's really all about your time. It takes longer to position for separate designs in each block than it does for the same design. Besides switching the designs themselves, it is more time to stitch different designs. For the same design, after you quilt one or two, the rest (of the same design) go much faster. I don't know what your pricing is up there but I can give you my price points and then it can help you plug your numbers in.

If you are quilting blocks and a border. for me, that is custom, even if that quilting is done freemotion.

Light custom (most economical) - same design in all blocks, same simple sashing where required and a border that you can freemotion...including freemotion the side borders without turning the quilt. It takes time to turn quilts. I don't price "turning" separately, it is included or, in this price point, NOT Included. No SID.

Medium custom - different designs in each block, more complex sashing, more complex borders that may require turning the quilt. Still no SID.

Full custom - different designs including some background fill where necessary, complex sashing and borders requiring turning the quilt and this is where SID is included.

In my neck of the woods, that is 2.0, 2.3 and 2.5 cents per sq inch.

When my customer is there with me, I give them the batting and thread charge, that stays the same regardless of the quilting. Let's say the batting is $20 and the thread is $5. so that charge will be a constant $25 no matter what pricepoint the customer chooses.

Then we get the measurement of the quilt and figure out the square inches. I use MQBM to compute these price points (which I have already added into the build list of MQBM). The customer just sees the name "Light custom", MQBM does not show that I charge .02; it's all in the background

Then I multiply the sq in by each price point. So for a queen that is

94 in X 100 in = 9400 sq in.

Light custom = $188 + $25 + tax

Medium custom = $206.80 +25 + tax

Full custom = $235 + $25 + tax

When they leave my studio, they know exactly what that quilt will cost them.

Of course, I discuss the pros and cons of each price point. Sometimes the numbers are overwhelming and I have to break it down for them.

The difference between light andmedium custom is $18

The difference between light and full custom is $47

It's their quilt, so they get to decide which price point they are willing to pay.

You are the quilter and you make the decisions for design based on their decision on price point. Don't work so hard at custom that you end up working for minimum wage.

If SID scares you, you can always stabilize (baste) the quilt, quilt the blocks and borders on the longarm and then take it to your DSM to finish with the SID. The only time you have to worry about that is for a quilt that has potential to be in a show. Some of the shows have rules that the quilt must be done on a track system. SID on my Bernina would not qualify for that rule.

Good luck and remember to breathe both when quilting and when quoting prices to customers. It's your time, your talent, and your machine that they are paying for. Don't cheap-out!

I don't do heirloom so I have not included that price point.

[quiltmonkey]

Wow Linda that's excellent advice and great detailed info. Thanks!

[DoryJM]

It is great...thank you, Linda!!

[juliagraves]

If you're nervous about the SID, try using monofilament thread. It won't show your booboos nearly as much as a colored thread.

With SID, you also have to look at the quality of the piecing. SID will point out where things aren't matching up.

Another option is to do something like wavy lines, or tiny loops. A Civil War quilt calls for more traditional quilting like SID, but keep alternatives in mind for other quilts. Too many quilters think SID is easy and it isn't...

Julia

[DoryJM]

My first SID was with the really fine bottom line #6-something. Not a great choice. Since then, I've used strictly monofilament and what a difference that has made. Plus, every time I do SID I get a little better...hmmmmmm, could that be why everyone says PPP??:P

[MarieBrewer]

When you use mono on top, what do you use in the bobbin and is the tension adjusted so it's looser? How about metallics. Have to do one today. Think I'll use so fine in the bobbin and is the tension looser on top or still a little taught?

[hollyc]

Don't shortchange yourself or second guess the price. Here's my price list:

Set-Up Charge____________________________________________$25.00

All quilts will be pressed and checked for problems before it is put on the quilting machine. If trimming threads takes more than 10 minutes, there will be an up charge of $10.00. Please press any seams in your backing OPEN. Batting and backing must be 4-6 inches wider and longer than the top.

Turning Charge____________________________________________$25.00

A quilt with a specific pattern in the borders requires that the quilt be turned on the machine to do a continuous border

Marking Charge____________________________________________$25.00

When a motif is marked on the quilt, it will be removed. Some motifs cannot be effectively done free motion for a uniform appearance on the quilt

Threads________________________________________$8-25.00 per quilt

High quality Superior threads will be used on your quilt. $5 for each additional color change.

Special order threads______________________additional $10/color

Varigated cotton thread____________________________additional $5/color

Basting___________________________set up fee plus $1 per line

Basting can be done for you hand quilting projects. Horizontal rows only. You decide how many rows you need.

Batting Hobbs 80/20____________________________$6.50/yard

Warm and Natural___________________________ $5.00/yard Quilters Dream Poly 70/30__________________________$6.00/yard

Miscellaneous sewing charges

Ironing_______________________________________ $15.00/hr

Sleeves__________________________________________ $25.00

Trimming threads (every 10 minutes)___________________ $10.00

Seaming the backing______________________$1.50/linear foot

Quilting prices per square yard. To calculate square yards:

inch width___ X inch length___ divided by 1296=____square yards.

Pantograph patterns (all over design)________________$25.00/sq yd.

pantograph____________$30.00/sq.yd.

Medium meandering___________________________ $35.00/sq.yd.

Stitch in the ditch_____________________________ $35.00/sq.yd.

Simple custom design__________________________ $45.00/sq.yd.

Complex custom design_________$50-65/sq.yd.

Sample Sizes/square yards:

Crib (30”X45”) 1350 sq.in.= 1.04 sq.yd.

Twin (65”X95”) 6175 sq.in.= 4.76 sq.yd

Double (80’95”) 7600 sq.in.= 5.86 sq.yd.

Queen (86”X100”) 8600 sq.in.= 6.64 sq.yd.

King (106”X106”) 11236 sq.in.= 8.67 sq.yd.

[ramona-quilter]

Hollyc,

I always like to see what other parts of the country get for their work. I charge by the sq in so I had to get the calculator to figure your charge for a panto on a queen. Did I get this right?

set-up 25.00

panto 166.00 (6.64 x $25)

thread 8.00

batting 32.00 (6.64 x $5)

Total $231 for an edge to edge panto. Wow, and I just raised my prices (after 2 years) so a queen used to be $154 before taxes but is now about $172 before tax. Maybe I need to raise my prices more often than once every 2 years or maybe I need to move to your area Hollyc.

Where do you live, Hollyc? And do you get the white stuff in the winter? (white stuff = snow):P

[hollyc]

Minnesota. Karen McTavish actually gave me advice on pricing when I took a class from her. I still work full time, quilt at night, so don't need to have a huge backlog.

Quilters do amazing work and for some reason we are a bit reticent about charging the value of our work. Don't need to apologize. Karen's theory is and I have to agree...if you are priced a bit higher, you get the quilts you really want to work on...not the "Oh my gosh, what do I do with this one? " quilts.

I'm pretty excited...Karen is quilting one of my quilts which someday will be in quilt shows somewhere as a team effort. Then I took 3rd at Innovations...great to say "Award Winning Quilter" on your business cards!

[Just Sew Simple]

I wanted to put that on my business cards but I felt bad because it is just a local show (482 quilts hung) and I only have 2 red ribbons and a yellow - no blues. I didn't know whether to put it on my cards or not.

[hollyc]

An award is an award in my book, probably more to come with the nice quilts you do!

[juliagraves]

For the question on using monofilament - use something like Bottom Line or So Fine in the bobbin and loosen up the top tension on the monofilament. Adjust to get good tension.

Julia

[Robin]

This all brings up a question from me. What do you do for your thread charge. I have been charging a flat fee of $7.00 for regular and $10.00 for variegated. But I have seen where others charge per bobbin. I am kind of thinking that this would be a better way. The amount of thread used per quilt can vary so much just depending on the detail of the panto or the starts and stops for custom.

This is such a great forum!

[Quilting Heidi]

I don't do a thread charge unless it is a specialty thread like metallic, KingTut or any of the other expenive threads. My normal thread is SoFine. My quilting charges take into consideration the cost of thread.

[DoryJM]

If you're buying your thread wholesale and you're charging $7-10 per quilt, you've more than made your thread costs back. I charge $5 for the first color and $5 for color changes--no difference in price for King Tut or variegarted.