Scheduling & Volume these days?

[njquiltergirl]

Hi.

Just wondering how many quilts you do each week.

I know some baby quilts can be done in a day or so and the huge customs can take weeks, but on average, how many would you say you do each week?

Also, how do you schedule your work?

My friend uses software manager program for quilters, I use a pencil and calendar!

One friend does as many as 5 tops each week, I'm busy if I have one a week. Where are you in all this these days?

[mrsbishwit]

Depends on the time of the year, this is now my busy season, runs from October-May and I average 5-6 tops a week (however I have done over 10 per week on occasion). During my slow time I average 2-4 tops a week. I don't do custom only pantograghs.

I also only use paper and pen to schedule, which I keep in my design book binder for easy access.

[Quilting Heidi]

Lisa I normally plan 1 a week and I keep a waiting list. I've gotten pretty good at judging how long quilts take me. I work full-time so I only quilt part time. I ask the person if they want e2e or custom. For e2e I forecast 1 week time for custom I allow 2 unless I know it is a really special quilt then I'll book 3 weeks for it. I'm usually pretty close to what I estimate. I don't take any quilts in until it is time to qiult it. I call them a week ahead and schedule drop-off. This method has worked very well for me. On the weeks where it is a e2e which I can usually finish pretty quickly and if I know it is just a twin or lap I can squeeze a 2nd in or do something for myself. I use the business managers software and really like it.

[quiltmonkey]

I'm like Heidi - a part timer. Only can do these on eves and weekends. I don't have a backlog. Most of my quilts come in spurts. I'll have a few trickle in all at once, and sometimes I'll have none for several weeks. I don't advertise so I get my business through word of mouth - mostly my guild, some from coworkers, and locals thru my town/community, and even some referrals from my fellow (full time) longarmers that can't do the job right away (they know I can do them quickly) so it just depends. I am happy with the flow of work I get coming in because it's not too much for me to handle doing this part time. I do enough to keep me busy and probably average one per week or so? I don't have a calendar to schedule quilting jobs because I don't have a backlog. Usually I can quilt them right away. Every once in a while, I hear stories that longarm quilters (boast?) about having a 6-9 month backlog, or even a year backlog schedule! To me that is unacceptable! If you ask me, that is not something to be proud of! Customers should never have to wait nearly a year to get their quilts back. My goal is to get their finished quilt returned within 2 weeks of receipt. I use Quickbooks software. I have it set up super simple and I love how easy it is to pull various reports. I can quickly enter my invoices, payments, deposits, etc... Love Quickbooks! My CPA uses Quickbooks so at the end of each year, she can easily go in and do her tax preparataion business with my data that I hand her on a USB thumb drive.

[victoriasews]

I usually do about 5 quilts a week and consistently have a backlog of 15. Sometimes, I really push and get more quilts finished and then when I count, I still have a backlog of 15. I took all of December off and yep, I have a backlog of 15.

I just keep a notebook with a list of the quilts I have and cross them off with a bright, bold sharpie when finished. It just gives me a feeling of satisfaction when I get to cross them off. I don't give anyone a definite finish date, just an approximate one. You never know when someone will want to take a road trip or a friend will drop over.

I have a take in sheet and write a completed date when I call the customer upon finish. I keep those in a notebook by last name so I can look up info if a customer wants the same thing, forgot what kind of batting they used, etc. I also write notes like... didn't square backing, not enough batting sent, etc. so if they consistently make the same mistakes after informing them, they get an extra charge for the extra time I have to spend preparing the quilt.

[ffq-lar]

I work 5 hours a day, 5 days a week, at a grocery store. I quilt every day.

I schedule 8 quilts a month--fewer if I know I have a custom one in the line up.

I am fully booked with two spots left in April. May has three filled. Our guild quilt show is this October and my September is booked already because of that. Whew! I have decided to take a breather in May--we may travel to London that month, so I will not take any more in May. Even if we don't go, I might get a quilt of my own ready for the guild show.

I use pencil and paper to schedule with a slot for each quilt. I have a master list of customers in a small notebook which lists each quilt I have done for them, their contact info, the date, payment, and size. I give them a copy of the intake sheet at pick-up and the original goes in a separate bider in the order that they were quilted. I then have a years worth of info ready to go at tax time.

It's kind of primitive, but it works and nothing crashes!

I also love crossing them off the list, but on my calendar I write the customers name on the date it was finished. That makes me feel soooo good!

[Sandra Darlington]

I work full time and only quilt part time. My quilts seem to come in spurts, too.

I schedule 1 week for a panto/edge to edge design. If it is custom, it depends on the size and complexity, how long I reserve. Then I generally add an extra week beyond that, just in case I can't get it done as quickly as I thought. A queen I need about 4 weeks to do, sometimes 5 weeks.

Sometimes smaller quilts I will do 2 a week, or something of mine. Or, or piece with that time.

I use MQBM to track my info. However, I use a DayTimer to schedule clients. I also print out a copy of client invoices for a binder so I have a back up copy. I love technology, but it sometimes paper is better for me.

[RoseCity Quilter]

I quilt almost full time. My husband and I own a quilt store. Roger manages most of the store stuff, but I do a few tasks including some teaching and ordering fabric. So some weeks I quilt every day and some 3 days and occationally not at all. On a good week, I book 3-4 quilts depending on the size and what I am doing on it. I also just use a calander that has all my other store commitments on it and cross off names as I finish them. Works for me.

[Primitive1]

I can do a panto a day, but it seems that I always end up getting the custom quilts that take a week or so ...guess that is my nich...I am booked up into March and would prefer to get them done much faster but that is life...still spending several days per week helping with grandbabies...and that time will pass much too quickly... I too use a calender and keep a master list with each quilt numbered and dates in and out.

[quiltmonkey]

Originally posted by ffq-lar

....I also love crossing them off the list, but on my calendar I write the customers name on the date it was finished. That makes me feel soooo good!

Oh Linda I hear ya! I don't do this with my quilting jobs, but at my "other" job I use the task pad in MS Outlook and I LOVE to check the little box "done" so it crosses it off the list -- I have even been known to enter something in there I've already done and check it off in MS Outlook; makes me feel good LOL!! It's just one of those "makes me feel like I'm finishing stuff" at work!!