Bonnie H Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 It seems to take me forever to load and quilt. I've been timing myself, hoping to get faster, but I just can't seem to get rid of my OCD/perfectionism when it comes to advancing, smoothing, lining up the rows on the quilt, checking panto placement, stitching down, etc. It took me a little over 5 hours to load and quilt a 68 x 88 inch quilt, using the Plumage panto. It's a bit of a dense panto. The backing wasn't straight and I had no extra room to square it, so I had to be careful on how I loaded it, which took a little longer this time, but usually I feel slow when it comes to the whole process. AM I slow or is this an average time to load and quilt a denser panto on this size quilt? BTW, I use red snappers and they do help me be quicker. I could never go back to pinning and I don't zip because I have a cat that sheds everywhere so I keep clients quilts out of the "cat zone." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stagecl Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 I don't know if this is slow or not. I wouldn't worry if it were me. If you don't stitch it right and take the time to do it right...you'll spend twice as much or even more time ripping the stitching out. Frogging is no fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littleshoes Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 Doesn't matter how long it takes you.... Enjoy the process and quit worrying about it. You will naturally get faster as you gain confidence and experience. Relax. Carol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 Sometimes it takes longer to load a quilt than it takes to quilt the darned thing! (The really wonky/friendly quilts are the hardest to load and get squared up -- as best you can -- prior to quilting) I don't zip my quilts. I actually like pinning them to the leaders. I take big bites with the pins (about 8-10 inches apart) and then go back and pin another one in between. I have been doing this for about 4 years now and I can probably load a quilt in 15-20 minutes or less, if it's going well. You get better / faster at it over time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 I'm slow and I don't worry about it. I don't want to stress about timing myself and such. I just do what I can get done and try to be happy with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 I'm not familiar with that panto, but I think it would take me longer than 5 hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie H Posted June 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 Thanks for the reassurances. I was asking as I feel like I'm quilting for next to nothing at 0.0125 cents a square inch. I found that another quilter in the area quilts for 0.025 and I am being told by my customers that that is expensive (which I tell them my rates will be going up soon, that I'm "just practicing" quilting right now). When I start calculating how much time goes into each quilt and the cost of thread, I'm lucky to make minimum wage at the pace I go. Most quilters don't realize how much time is involved in the quilting process, I think. Other quilters in the area are more expensive than I am, so I think in the next couple of months a raise is in order. Anyway, I appreciate the feedback and reassurances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 Bonnie, My pantos/pattern boards run from 1 cent to 3 cents, with most being 2 cents per sq inch. Customers can choose their price. I price them according to the density and also whether I like doing them or dislike doing them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primitive1 Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 Bonnie, I use zippers as I find them faster and easier.. but on the speed thing, it is better to be careful and have the quilt straight than fast and not straight. One of the local LA'rs in my guild made the comment "it's good enough" when showing a quilt and people have told me they won't use her - so if your customers know they will get quality quilting rather than a "fast" quilting job - they will prefer to use you even if it takes longer and you are more expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susanne.Hughes Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 Bonnie, In your price structure you need to cover your thread costs and what I privately term - Fart A$$ing around time. I charge $25.00 thread fee and $25.00 set up fee. That gives me my minimum quilt charge of $50.00. This also allows me to discount the quilting without feeling used if it is a smaller quilt or a not so dense Pantograph. I charge $25.00/hour for extra time. I have only charged this two or three times in my two years of taking customer quilts. Both times the Quilters knew why - how to attach border instructions where given gratis;). The other was an ironing job. I quilt and don't like to iron my own things, let alone other peoples! I also feel I am slow in loading, but I like to know that as many problems are averted before they cause heartache when actually quilting. I also pin. Don't worry about the speed. Put on some music that you like and think of it as "thinking" time or time for yourself. See it as a relax before you need to quilt! Personally I feel it is wrong to charge less because you are just starting off in your business venture. Before any of us take on customer quilts we have put in many hours of practice on our own or friends' quilts. It is easier to discount if you feel that all is not as perfect as you like it. Psychologically, people are far more grateful to pay less :cool: than to face a price rise after getting used to the "cheap" quilting. Never underestimate your own worth. If you take longer but you love your quilting and its quality, so will your customers. Some will always want the cheapest but you stick to your guns and you will end up with a clentelle of those that want quality and they will give you the quilts you will enjoy working on. But no matter what, if you start to feel that you are not being paid for your efforts and you feel used, then you need to re-analyse your business plan and pricing. And remember, we all have quilt skeletons in our cupboards - you know the ones I mean!! The ones that took twice as long as they should have and that made us work for less than minimum wage! :cool: Cheers, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zora Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 I have started keeping time on my quilts. I bought an inexpensive count-up timer at Radio Shack, which works well. I note on my invoices..your quilt took X number of hours to complete. I have told customers I would earn more money and have less stress at a job where I wore a uniform and repeated "Do you want fries with that?" There a a lot of LA quilters around here. If they want cheap, they can go to one of them. If they want something special, I'll be happy to do that, but I am not swayed by the "so-and-so charges 2-1/5 cents an inch" argument. I smile and say..."then that's where you should take your quilt." I haven't had anyone decide not to hand it over yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda G. Craig Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 bump spam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdaurio Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 I wish I could load and quilt anything in 5 hours or less Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 I have decided at the beginning of my business that I will not be charging cheap, so I set my prices according to what my experienced competitors are charging. I would rather have quality customers. Corey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elkayr Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 I use to worry about how long it takes me to load & quilt...and then I started enjoying the process...and now i don't worry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustee Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 I am not fast either. I take my time when it comes to loading a quilt. I would rather make sure my quilt and backing are as close to perfect as I can possibly get. I too have OCD and enjoy the quiting process so much more if I feel the loading process is just right. I am getting faster with time. Don't rush your self, it will all come together in good time. I agree with the others on the pricing. Don't short change yourself. Raise your price, talk to your current customers and educate them all about the quilting process and the time it takes to prepare a quilt and do quality quilting. Let them know why you are raising your prices. Hopefully they will understand and not mind paying more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 Most of my pantos are .02 psi and I'm thinking of increasing my prices a little. I may just add a thread charge which I don't do currently. When I started I had set my prices where I wanted them but gave a discount. That way the customer saw what it should cost them and I've never had an issue. If somebody tells me the price is too high I tell them I understand but if I wanted to quilt for free or cheap I'll quilt for myself. I say this in a funny way and usually the get a good chuckle. My goal is $25 or more an hour and that is really tough with custom work. I've started telling customers $25 an hour for heavy custom and I give them an estimate of hours so they can decide for themselves. I don't charge them when I have to frog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 That's about the time it would take me. If it was a very good top and a looser pattern then I would be faster, but for the quilt you're describing I would say we would be pretty equal. I think I charge more per square inch though, and that might make all the difference. Ferret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 I don't think that's slow either. I doubt I could do it much faster. Even with the IQ, it takes time to load that quilt. I do use zippers and the quilt is on in a flash, but I spend a lot of time making sure everything is flat and smooth before I start to quilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie H Posted June 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 After reading all the responses, I feel a lot better. Maybe I am not slow after all. I do know that I am a bit compulsive about wanting everything straight on the quilt and I walk around that darn frame more than I would like some days. When I first gave thought to quilting for others, I asked at our LQS what they charged. I didn't want to undercut by much as it wasn't my intention to "steal" clients, but it was my intention to be cheaper as my experience level I didn't feel should warrant charging the going rate around here. They told me they charged a cent and a half a square inch, so I thought my cent and a quarter was a good place to start and get proficient as the only quilts I had quilted were my own to that point. Little did I know they charged 2-1/2 cents, quite a difference in where I was starting. So that is why I'm rethinking my rates. I do have my pantos sorted out into price categories but I've not been brave enough to tell my clients that the one they chose is more expensive. Over the last five months, I've gained a lot of confidence through the comments I'm receiving from my customers and am ready to "take the next step" and be more professional. I appreciate everyone who has offered advice or input. This list is an amazing place to learn so many aspects of longarming. Thanks for letting me learn here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mestuart Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 Good thread, and pricing is something a lot of us struggle with. An hourly rate is a good thing to look at. So 5 hours to do the quilt, = $125. how much were you getting at your price. Your mechanic isn't going to give you a break cause the apprentice did the work, The plumber's helper was billed out at the same price as the plumber, (they just didn't get paid as much). Don't shortchange yourself. There will always be quiltiers willing to charge a very low price, You just have to ask yourself if you're going to be one of them. Give them a discout if you feel you need practice, and let them know what it will cost them. HaPPy stitching everyone. Marion in BC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 Originally posted by mestuart Good thread, and pricing is something a lot of us struggle with. An hourly rate is a good thing to look at. So 5 hours to do the quilt, = $125. how much were you getting at your price. Your mechanic isn't going to give you a break cause the apprentice did the work, The plumber's helper was billed out at the same price as the plumber, (they just didn't get paid as much). Don't shortchange yourself. There will always be quiltiers willing to charge a very low price, You just have to ask yourself if you're going to be one of them. Give them a discout if you feel you need practice, and let them know what it will cost them. HaPPy stitching everyone. Marion in BC This is exactly how I got to my prices. I kept timing what I did and working out what that should have cost. It took some time to get it right but I am now happy to go to my quote system for a guide of how long the quilt will take. Makes planning a lot easier too. It is much better to show the 'proper' cost for a job and then discount it if you think you need to for some reason as the customer will always know what the job will cost next time. Ferret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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