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Selling Quilts ????


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I would love to sell some of my quilts that I don't/won't use and wonder where is the best place to try.    I have looked at the Etsy site and wondered if any of you have had good luck there.    I won't do Ebay, as they want something for nothing there..... B)     I live in small town rural Iowa, so don't have access to any large venues for selling.   A waste of time to try to sell at local shows, craft fairs, etc.   Again, people in this part of the country won't pay the price a nice quilt deserves..........All they see is they can get a whole bag full of stuff for $29.99 at Pennys or Target.   haha    

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated.  

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Linda  blogspot has  free blogs and they also have choice of website

for what I've been told, is a small fee.

 

I've not tried that web site , but into in the not far future.

 

Other than that, I don't have any suggestions.

 

Hope this is of some good to you.

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Many have had success with Etsy.  Pricing fairly and attracting customers is the key. Monika in Canada sold lots of quilts there.

 

As a side note, I suggested for our next guild quilt show in October that all entrants post on the information sheet the value of their entry. It's subjective, I know, but it will educate the non-quilting public as to the true value of quilts. The owner also adds whether or not the quilt is for sale.

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I have sold many, many quilts at the Sister's Quilt show in Oregon.  They charge a 25% commission and limit For Sale Quilts to 5.  You have to fill out the forms at the first of the year, as they fill up rather quickly.  So this is something to keep I mind for next year.  You can go to their web site and get the information you need.  I have delivered personally and by mail to them.  They make all the arrangements for payments (credit cards, checks) and then about 2 weeks after the show they will send you all of the receipts with your check.  Since this show gets so many different people attending, I can usually get a decent price for my quilts.  However, you really need to keep in mind that you will NOT get much for your time and that there are other quilts there that you compete with in the For Sale category.

 

I also have sold quilts locally at our own quilt show.  I figure if someone wants to pay me the price I ask then great...if not then the quilt comes home with me.  I don't show at the local fair...way too many sticky hands and thieves.

 

There are some quilt shops that have a section for quilts to be sold that they will post on line and in store.  I have sold several of my quilts in the local quilt shop here.  I go in and tell her what I want out of the quilt and if she posts a higher price then she can have the excess. 

 

Also, try the Eureka, Montana quilt show coming up in August.  They will sell your quilts there too.  They have a web site with all the info if you want to google it.

 

To sell quilts you have to be creative about it and really search what and where would be the best venue for you.  I have no trouble sending my quilts out of state to be sold, have done so and have never had issues with that.  Of course you want to make sure you have insurance to cover your quilts just in case...

 

Just some ideas for you.

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Thanks for all the tips............One year at our local quilt show we put notes on some quilts "For Sale by Owner - ask at the front desk".............it was almost comiical watching the color drain from their faces when we quoted them a price........One guy wanted a quilt for his bed, but he only wanted to pay $50.............he was eyeing the one that was $500 !.   haha   Oh well...........Maybe my kids and grandkids can figure it out when I'm gone.    :D Not sure I want to get into having to send quilts away, pay that postage AND insurance and maybe they sell and maybe they don't.    We were giving a quilt show at our local Assisted Living center one time and one of the aids asked about how much money was involved in a quilt like the one we were showing.    When our member started listing the price per yard, cost of batting, etc. and came up with a total for the quilt she was holding, there was a GASP across the room.   People have NO IDEA what fabric and supplies cost now.   My own Mother included    ;)

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This is my new favorite quote, which I use when people tell me they can get a "quilt" for $100 at Macy's.

"A quilt made in China is a decor item. It's made to wear out quickly and be replaced just like other bedding. A handmade quilt is an heirloom, destined to last many decades and be fought over by your grandchildren when you're gone."

Who said that? Me. :D

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I sold a few to neighbors and friends that see them when I show them the house and garden.  Sometimes I take a few to work, or somewhere and show them, and someone wants a quilt so I sell it.  That seems to be the best way so they see the actual quilt and can feel the fabric.

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Craigs list might work, but you need a link to the photos as

they don't post picts Any more.

 

I tried to let them know I make TShirt quilts and posted them

as needing your size or # of Tshirts.. $15.00 per shirt.

 

They would look and I'd never hear from them again.   :P

 

Rita

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Rita, I just went through the same conversation with the mother of a girl who graduated college last month. She wanted all her daughters sorority shirts made into a quilt. I told her $10 a t shirt and she quickly decided she didn't want to do it.  Some people just don't understand the time that goes into it.

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Rita, I just went through the same conversation with the mother of a girl who graduated college last month. She wanted all her daughters sorority shirts made into a quilt. I told her $10 a t shirt and she quickly decided she didn't want to do it.  Some people just don't understand the time that goes into it.

 

 

Teresa--$10 per shirt is a bargain and if she shops around you may hear from her again! :P

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I just did a T shirt quilt and charged $15.00 per shirt, plus the cost of fabric (probably 10 to 12 yards) and cost to quilt it.  I used over 5 yards of stabilizer and paid $2.41 per yard for it.  I spent a whole day to make it up, and another to quilt it, bind it and put an embriodered label.  I ended up giving it to her for $350.00.  I think that was a deal. You can't give away your service and time.  I look at this way, When I hire a cleaning lady to come  clean my house, she charges me $25.00 an hour.  I pay her $100.00 for 4 hours.   I am certainly worth as much as my cleaning lady.  What we do is an ART.  I think we are under paid for what we do.  

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This is my new favorite quote, which I use when people tell me they can get a "quilt" for $100 at Macy's.

"A quilt made in China is a decor item. It's made to wear out quickly and be replaced just like other bedding. A handmade quilt is an heirloom, destined to last many decades and be fought over by your grandchildren when you're gone."

Who said that? Me. :D

 

Linda,

I had a customer (who wanted a quilt made from beginning to binding) who said that she could get quilts at Walmart's for $49.99. I simply told her she'd better run out and get two.

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I just did a T shirt quilt and charged $15.00 per shirt, plus the cost of fabric (probably 10 to 12 yards) and cost to quilt it.  I used over 5 yards of stabilizer and paid $2.41 per yard for it.  I spent a whole day to make it up, and another to quilt it, bind it and put an embriodered label.  I ended up giving it to her for $350.00.  I think that was a deal. You can't give away your service and time.  I look at this way, When I hire a cleaning lady to come  clean my house, she charges me $25.00 an hour.  I pay her $100.00 for 4 hours.   I am certainly worth as much as my cleaning lady.  What we do is an ART.  I think we are under paid for what we do.  

 

Hitomi,

 

I charge $15 per hour plus all materials. I've made (and received) over $600 for large bed quilts made of T-shirts. I think I'll up my hourly rate and you should consider it. We ARE underpaid.

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i sell quilts on etsy. i generally do okay. note, i do not sell my custom quilting or high priced fabric quilts this way though. i generally sell reclaimed fabric quilts, scrap quilts that sort of thing. i price them at a price i feel is fair for me, and wait. right now, i have an offer than 15% of the sale goes to Relay for Life. I just sold a lap quilt for $165. Not bad for reclaimed shirts!  I should add that the seller fees plus paypal fees totalled nearly $12, but still...worth it to me. 

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My BF who is also a LA'mer has a client who sells lots of quilts on etsy now and most of her sells are to local customers. Awhile back she had nice Vista Print posts cards made to advertise that she made gift quilts and bags and that she sells them on etsy. Then she hung her post cards locally at stores, churches, schools and everywhere else she could think of. Her etsy sells went up so much that her DD and a neighbor now help her make items for etsy. 

Terry

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I have an etsy site and I sold only one quilt on the site.  It was a twin for $250. That's cheap.  It was a scrapy quilt that took forever to make.  If you look at what other people are selling, most people are selling it cheap so I don't get much sales, unless I lower my prices too.  We all know what the fabric, batting and backing cost to do a quilt.  I do craft shows and sell a few there but my prices are cheap there too.  It seems paying $350 for a quilt at a craft show is hard to get.  I feel I am giving them away at the prices I am getting.  But I rather sell them and move them,  I could always make another.

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The problem is that you have hobbyists selling them who simply want to reclaim the cost of fabric so they can make another quilt, and therefore the prices are low.  If you have someone who has gone pro, and charges what they're worth... well, you see the problem.  

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I did hear back from the lady who wants the t shirt quilt done. She called to ask if I could do the whole queen size quilt, piecing, quilting, and all for $100 if she bought the fabric for the backing and strips.  Needless to say I told her I could not do it for that price. Now I probably will NEVER hear from her again, but that's okay.

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I think I will work up a sheet of the prices, like  5 yards of fabric for back at $10.00 up to $16 per yard =

 6 yards for the top at $12,00 = $72.00.

 

time to piece 11 hours at $20.00 per hour = $220.00 

 

cost of batting 3 yards at $14.00 per yard  =  $42.00 

 

time to load quilt  $20.00 per hour = $ 20.00

 

Thread use,  include bobbin, $10.00 per quilt, $20.00

 

Time for quilting, rolling, frogging if needed etc,

at $20.00 per hour  2 hours  = $40.00 

 

Binding if they want done would be $20.00 per hour

with it not attached on the back side  1 hour= $20.00

 

Cost to ship back  $10.00

 

Insurance for finished quilt  to cover  $370= ??.

 

These are just figures I've just thrown in. Not knowing

if it is priced right for the piecing, fabrics, etc. is right

or wrong.. JUST  an EXAMPLE ! ! !

 

Finished Price = $444.00

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Selling your Quilts online or anywhere else is like any other business. You need to research your target market, know what your costs are and what you want to be paid. Don't forget to add your selling costs, ie venue fees.

There are always people that want good quality handmade and are happy to pay for it, there are always people that want the best for nothing. I sell Quilts ranging from $225 to $1200, for me this is a business, not a hobby. I work at my business 24/7. Selling does not end with listing and then sitting back and waiting or the sale....it is hard work to get people to see my work. There is lots of advertising to be done, customer service is paramount, and lots of luck is required as well. One has to have the right product for the right price at the right time for the right buyer. And then there are some awesome buyers that will only buy your product....you have to know how to market, market and market some more and of course, you have to be able to convince people that they have to have your product, especially if it is a non essential commodity. It took me 6 years to get to where I am today, I sell on 2 venues and do lots of business privately as well. Lots has been learned and learning is an ongoing process. All that being said.....I LOVE my job.

Good luck selling your Quilts.

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