longarmlisa Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 I have a gal that has completed a Judy Martin Log Cabin Quilt. She wants it to look like the picture on the cover of the book. It appears to contain feathers in the light sections of the blocks and a stitch in the ditch around the outside of the dark sections. She is extremely "thrifty" and wants the custom quilting done w/o the custom price!!!!! I have never done anything quite this detailed, but think I can do a good job. The problem for me is she wants a quote (sight unseen). I have no idea how big it is or how long it will take. I have a two-fold question: 1. Should I mark feathers and what do you suggest as a marking tool. I worry about the pens not completely disappearing. 2. Has anyone done one approximately 84 x 96 ( I don't even know the exact measurements because I have not seen it yet!!!!!! 3. Can you give me an idea what you were charge per sq. inch to do something this detailed. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarieBrewer Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 I would charge 2.5 to 3 center per sq. inch. There isn't any reason you should do a four day job for a one day price. Remeber these wise words said long before I came a-quilting. It's not your job to make her hobby affordable. I know that word of mouth is good advertising but still, you deserve to get a lot for a lot of work!! I'm not familiar w/the quilt pattern so I'm not sure about marking. Jamie Wallin does a fantastic job of feathers and doesn't mark unless it is heirloom quality. I might mark spines so there's a general idea where you are going next. Hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtreusch Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 Here's one that I did last November. http://www.judymartin.com/gallery/treusch1.html It was for my aunt and she wanted it quilted just like the cover of the book. If I was to do this for a customer, I would charge at least 3 cents per inch. It was a lot of SID. I marked the feather veins with the blue pens very lightly and spritzed the quilt when I was done. Debbi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoleneK Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 I agree with Marie 100%, plus she will expect you to continue with less than fair prices in the future and tell her quilty friends how cheap you are, they'll expect E2E quilting for custom cost also. All sorts pf problems will snowball for your future. Don't undersell yourself! As far as pricing site unseen - I don't do this with a new client. You should explain that you'll need to measure the top for an accurate price. This is when you're able to check to make sure the backing and batting are the correct size, her seams aren't all wonky and such. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheri Butler Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 Lisa, that looks like alot of starts and stops, i think i'd do the .03 per sq inch too. Deb, OMG. B E A U T I F U L job hun!!! Does your aunt have any photo copies of that pattern laying around? How much would she charge for a copy? I'd sure be interested in a photo copy of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 I would definitely quote .03 per sq inch. Stick firm and if that is really what she wants she'll go for it. You can do this! Debbi - I remember you showing this quilt. It is just beautiful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AbigailE Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 What she wants is custom, she pays for what she wants, or she can pay what she wants to pay for something else that gets quilted. Stated as a fact, That quilt is X dollars. Don't speak, next one to talk, loses. You have a price, you know it is fair, it is then the customers choice if they want it or not. No dicker, just an "IS" thing. It IS that much. No justifying, you wait to see what the customers objections are, then you reply. Easier said than done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sspingler Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 For the type of quilting that Debbi did, which I consider heirloom, would be .0450 PSI. Stick to your guns......and your prices. If she wants to pay for freehand, offer her freehand or panto ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoryJM Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 I'm with everyone above. If you start underpricing yourself now, then you'll really have a hard time when you start charging what you should. I have a quilt on my frame now that I originally quoted 1.2 per sq. inch. Big mistake. At that rate, I'll end up owing my customer. However, since that's what I quoted, that's what I'll charge...this time. Next time, its 3 cents for this style. I'm still relatively new (have had my LA for less than a year). At my year anniversary (March), I'm going to re-evaluate my pricing and go from there. There are people around me that have computer-guided machines and only charge $75 for an a queen-sized quilt. This just means that I will have to be more creative to get customers and offer more personalized quilting. Don't underestimate yourself or your quilting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Epp Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 Hi Lisa, First of all, NEVER give a firm price until you see and measure the quilt, backing & batting. If she's already demanding more than she's willing to pay for, you're not going to enjoy doing the quilting and will feel resentful. Is this a repeat customer? If she's new, she's probably shopping around for the best price. Quote yours, which I would put at $.035 - $.04 psi for SID work and feather wreaths, depending on how much SID there is to do. Then leave the ball in her court, and let her make the decision on where to take it. At this point, I'd hope she takes it somewhere else! Quilter's can be "nice" without being door mats! :mad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neher-in-law5 Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 Be sure to put a fair/good price on your work and stick with it. When she wants it done for less, ask her how she likes it when her boss wants to pay her half salary for a full salary amount of work. That should give her a good perspective on it. A side note: I saw a request for a photo copy above. Is this for the picture of the aunt's quilt or the pattern she made it from? If it is for the pattern, how does that relate to others giving part of your quilting payment to their friends because they liked what you did? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 Originally posted by longarmlisa ....She is extremely "thrifty" and wants the custom quilting done w/o the custom price.....she wants a quote sight unseen. Hi Lisa, I have a question. Have you ever dealt with this woman? Is this the first time you've done a quilt for her? If the answer is Yes to both questions, I think red flags would go up for me! I would ask why is she posing this job to you and sight unseen and asking for a quote? Is she shopping around for the best deal? I would never want to rip off a customer, but I also don't want to be taken by a customer. If you want the job, you can give her an "estimate" but with the understanding that your "estimate" may vary after you actually see the quilt and actually start working on it. Everyone above gave you great advice. Don't undermine yourself. If you devalue your services not only do you hurt yourself but you also hurt the other quilters who try to do an honest business to make a slight profit. Think about this, too: People who are extremely thrifty with what they want for quilting, might also be extremely thrifty with the fabrics they put in the quilt, and the batting choice. They may have the cheapest fabrics, which could be a problem. That cheap batting is like a brillo pad. She also could have little to no experience accurately piecing and pressing quilt tops and you might have a troublesome quilt top to deal with. Considering all the worse case scenarios, I hope you get to do this quilt, that it is nice to work with, and that it will be a great experience for you. I am sure it will be beautiful. I hope you will share photos of this finished quilt I would love to see what you do with it!! Best wishes to you... Hey, I think tonight I will go to the nicest restaurant in town and tell the waitress I want the fillet mignon with the crab legs with dessert and a bottle of wine. But I'll tell her I'm extremely thrifty and so I will only pay the price for a hamburger and soda pop. I wonder if I'll get my steak dinner or if they'll toss me out on my hiney? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Epp Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 Originally posted by DoryJM Don't underestimate yourself or your quilting. Hey Dory! Do you need a refresher course on "pricing" and "dealing with customers"? 1.2 cents should be for your cheapest pantograph! What many of us don't take into consideration is that we need to charge for OUR time, but we also need to charge for the equipment we use. A few years back we had some very large boulders/rocks brought into our back yard for landscaping. The bill was $45 hr. for the driver, and $45 hr. for the use of his truck! THAT opened my eyes. We invest thousands of dollars into our equipment, training, travel to shows etc. and expect to make what we could make working at McDonald's with NO investment in machinery, a place to house it, or the electricity to run it! Get back up here and I'll be happy to give you a swift kick....after a big hug of course! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merryjo2003 Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 I would quote her custom prices because you are giving her custom quilting. If you don't, word will get around and she and others will expect more work for less money. I'm sure if the situation was reversed, she wouldn't be giving you a rock bottom price. I offer a customer a choice. Simple E2E for this price, custom for that price, etc. Of course they want the custom, they just don't want to pay for it. I ask them what their budget is, and show them what the can get for their money. Don't feel bad about earning a living. They wouldn't work for 2 or 3 dollars an hour! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandraC Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 This is such a beautiful quilt and I have a borrowed copy of the book right in front of me...it was quilted by our own Sherry Rogers-Harrison! I agree with all the comments above. Can you imagine trying to dicker like this with other professionals, like mechanics, plumbers and dentists? Think of yourself as the professional that you are. If she's just fishing for the best price, you're better off if she goes elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longarmlisa Posted January 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!!! for all the fabuous advice!!!!! I recently did a small baby quilt (51 x60) for her with a heart and butterfly panto that matched her fabric. I charged her .015 per inch so it was around $45.00. It appears that maybe I undercharge anyway. I have done several quilts where I have been paid extra by their owners. I am going to print off all your suggestions and put them in a folder so I know what to do in the future. I can't tell you how much I really appreciate all your advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltnutt Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 All the advise you got is excellent. I can put my 2 cents in here as been there and did that when I started out..I was afraid of not getting any cust. I will not give any type of an estimate over the phone or email. You can't see the quilt and see if it has isssues. If they insist on one, give them a custom price of what you charge. My min charge is $50.00 for a quilt. It still takes time to put it on the frame and quilt it. This is for E2E only,not custom. My good friend told me that we are selling our craft,ourselves,and experience for our workmanship. Never undersell yourself. If she refuses to pay your price,just think of it as a learning curve. You will not give away your services. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiltsinmotion Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 Hey, I think tonight I will go to the nicest restaurant in town and tell the waitress I want the fillet mignon with the crab legs with dessert and a bottle of wine. But I'll tell her I'm extremely thrifty and so I will only pay the price for a hamburger and soda pop. I wonder if I'll get my steak dinner or if they'll toss me out on my hiney? Shana I really need this advice today thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoryJM Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 Originally posted by Darlene Epp Hey Dory! Do you need a refresher course on "pricing" and "dealing with customers"? 1.2 cents should be for your cheapest pantograph! Get back up here and I'll be happy to give you a swift kick....after a big hug of course! Uh, oh...busted by the teacher!! If I had done what I'd originally planned, that price would have been fair. I'm just crossing over to the "professional" side where I truly feel I can charge a more reasonable price for my quilting because my quilting has improved. Unfortunately, when I looked at this quilt at her house with her, my original idea seemed good--then I started thinking about it. So...live and learn.... I'll come up there for a hug, but if you're going to kick me, you can just forget it!!! Even your hugs aren't worth the kick;):P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 I wouldn't mark the feathers, I don't like the risk of markings not coming out. I would charge a minimum of 197 GBP for that size quilt, that type of quilting. Depending on the amount of stitch in the ditch it may be more. I have no idea what my current inch price is, my software does the magic for me and I charge what it tells me Customers seem to like the idea so I have no incentive to remember the square inch prices. Ferret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bekah Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 From someone who has learned the VERY hard way, DO NOT quote a price without seeing the quilt. Be sure you charge for your time and your talent. Do not sell yourself short. Be strong and proud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenscratch Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 Okay, you all know my prices are low compared to yours because this area is very low income, low budget; but to do that quilt I would still charge .02 per sq inch. I also wouldn't even consider giving a price without seeing the quilt and looking for squareness and ruffles. A quilt like that could be poorly pieced very easily if the piecer was not extremely careful. It may be a disaster that everybody else has turned away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliagraves Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 As far as marking goes - always ask the customer if she prewashed her fabrics (I learned this from Karen McTavish!). This will let you know if you can use a marking pen that requires wetting to remove. Always be very careful with red or batik fabrics - they tend to run, and pretest a small area in an inconspicuous spot. I try to not mark anything - maybe just give yourself some inconspicuous registration lines. Good luck! Julia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longarmlisa Posted January 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 I just want to give you an update. Usiing a rate of .04 per square inch. The cost came to around $300.00 before the cost of thread. (currently, I have been charging customers, my cost for thread). That is another thing, I haven't figured out yet. Back to the my story. Apparently, she told my friend, she did not know why it would cost sooooo much because it wasn't that hard to do. Per some of your advice,I declined to do it...whew!!! I guess she spent the afternoon yesterday calling shops asking if someone would give her a quote over the phone. She was told no by all the shops!!!! No one would quote w/o seeing the quilt first. Thanks again for all the great advice!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 Good for you for sticking to your guns. If the customer thinks that custom quilting is not that hard to do...let her try it! If she wants a professional job, she will show her quilt and get her quotes. She may find out that your price is not unreasonable at all. That is alot of work she is wanting done. $2 per thread color is what others in my guild pay their longarmers. Does this sound reasonable to those of you quilting for customers? Seems fair to me considering the cost of thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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