Opinions please

[ffq-lar]

The powers that be in my guild have decided to offer quilts made by the members for sale at our auction next month. Has anyone in a guild done this successfully?

We all know what most of the general public thinks about quilts. They're either "granny creations" or cheap made-in-China rags bought at Target. The organizers decided to price these first-time-offered quilts moderately, but not cheaply, and make our guild known as a go-to function to buy real, hand-crafted, beautiful quilts. Prices were determined on donated quilts by a savvy committee and commission quilts were priced by the owner with 15% benefiting the guild.

What should we expect?

[Quilting Heidi]

No idea how that will work but please report back! Hopefully they will get the right audience.

[Sandra Darlington]

I am interested to hear how that goes, too. It sounds like it has possibilities.

[Boni]

Getting the right audience will be the challenge. Unless the money goes to a great service, my experience is that most people don't want to part with their money for a hand crafted quilt when they can get one of those "rags" at Target for $30. I sold a 50x50 wall hanging for $400 because one hundred went to the Oregon Gardens--25%. The lady who bought it was well-to-do and wanted to support the gardens. (I like to think she loved my quilt.) Please let us know how it goes.

[dancing bear]

sent you a U2U

[Tamarack]

About 8 years ago we had quilts for sale at our guild's quilt show. We had about 40 quilts for sale and only one baby one sold. So we gave it a try and decided that it wasn't worth the effort.

Our guild also participates in a craft sale every November and have a one day raffle on a very nice lap size quilt. We make $600 every year on this event but to have a table we need to have items for sale. Members bring items to sell and we have never sold a quilt there but the placemats and quilted tote bags usually sell well.

I am very interested to hear how your guild's sale goes.

[GrandmaLKB]

It all depends on location, location, location. Here in our little rural town my guild has a quilt show at our county fair. We have quilts and other items for sale. We price the lap and baby quilts so cheap because a lot of our supplies are donated to us........even then people think the prices are "too high" and then there are others who feel they got a real bargain. We've had people come in looking to buy a quilt for a bed and when we show them the ones we have for sale, they say...........we like those others better.........(our show quilts) and expect to buy one of those for $50 ! When we tell them those quilts will run closer to $500, the color drains out of their face. haha Good luck to you..........will be interested to hear how it works for you.

[Quilting Grammy]

I hope it goes well. They sell quilts at farm and home auctions around here for as low as $10- $20. My DH says they don't even get the money out of the batting!!!! I had a lady ask me to make her a king size quilt and when I told her I would do it for no less then $500. I thought she was going to stroke out. I explained that it would take at least $250. for the fabric she decided that she just didn't want one.

[Anne from Guam]

I think that each quilt should have a list including cost of materials and total hours for labor with a grand total. THEN show the price the owner is willing to let it go for.

People have no idea how much time goes into making a quilt, especially men. When they see that a 30 hour quilt at minimum wage would be at least $200,they can appreciate the value of the quilt.

[ffq-lar]

Thanks for your input! I'll post the results after the auction.

The organizers of this want to price the quilts moderately so we have some sales but not give them away.

The donated quilts that don't sell will be put into our charity pile to be given away to worthy organizations before the end of the year, so it's a win all around. The unsold commission quilts will of course be returned to the owner. The organizers want this to be an eye-opener for the public as to the true value of well-crafted quilts. And I think they (less altruistically) want the auction to become "Lancaster West"--a place that gets a reputation for offering beautiful quilts you can't find for sale anywhere else. That's my take on the persuasive organizers anyway.

I'm with the program on this but wonder what the benefit is of building a quilt for $100 worth of materials and then selling it for $110? I'm keeping my mouth shut but I imagine after the auction the guild will have a lot of discussion about this.

[KerryM]

Every 4 years our Quild has a a show at the local Art Gallery.WE Hang for four weeks in the fall; Sept/Oct this time. The Art Gallery is one of the first Grain Elevators in Town here, refurbished to be used as a the Art Gallery. It is an impressive space.The Art GAllery features local artists, and is next door to the Tourist Info/Museun. Because we are Mile 0 of the Alaska Hwy, we get lots of USA Tourists. This is my first year hanging with the GUild, but they say that they sell a few..no runnaway though....We have better luck with Raffle quilts, where the money goes to a charity. Would be interesting to hear the results of your Guilds new venture.

[mamu]

I have to agree with alot of the ladies with the prices people are willing to pay for a quality made quilt. I attend Amish and Mennonite auctions of which usually have a selection of hand made and hand quilted quilts for sale. Last year they actually took alot of the quilts off the auction because they were going so cheaply and they weren't even getting materials out of them. Sad, very sad.

I remember when I made a really nice quilt for my sister n law, she was over joyed with it. When her son and daughter n law saw the quilt they wanted to know what something like that was worth. When I told them (and I was conservative) she said "for this!" ... needless to say, she has never gotten a quilt from me! People just have no idea what is involved in making a quilt...financially or physically.

[ffq-lar]

Originally posted by mamu

I remember when I made a really nice quilt for my sister n law, she was over joyed with it. When her son and daughter n law saw the quilt they wanted to know what something like that was worth. When I told them (and I was conservative) she said "for this!" ... needless to say, she has never gotten a quilt from me! People just have no idea what is involved in making a quilt...financially or physically.

So true! A relative wasn't particularly thrilled with a queen-size quilt I lovingly made for her--until she overheard her son ask me what it was worth. I went through the numbers and let him know if I tried to sell a similar one I would ask $800, conservatively. Suddenly, it was then a favorite gift!

[HeidiP]

Linda,

A local Mennonite church has an annual auction of hand-made quilts from various Mennonite communities. They had 75+ quilts ranging in size from king size to wall hanging.

I pre-determined that I would spend up to $500 for a quilt. The one I really wanted went for $850, so I didn't get it, but I got a nice one for $500. Many of the larger ones were purchased by a handful of buyers who were collecting them.

I believe being able to call the amount in excess of the value of the quilt a charitable deduction was a factor. My granddaughter who is in 4-H, sold a "pen of 3 chickens" for $900, certainly in excess of the actual value of the chickens.

I wish you the best and am anxious to know how it goes.

[CindyT]

Will be anxious to hear how this goes. Not sure that it would go over well in this area. Our guild has a tough enough time selling small quilty items at our bi-annual quilt show. Although I had one lady search me out that wanted to buy one of my quilts hanging in the show.