ffq-lar Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 This article is for the new quilters wondering how to decide their pricing and for longarmers like our friend Teresa (chickenscratch) who's had more than her share of potential customers fishing for a bargain and telling her that her prices are too high. Warning---it's very long so get a cup of tea or a glass of wine and dive in. http://www.mooreapproved.com/2015/02/quiltonomics-the-real-cost-of-quilts/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBCorson Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 Thanks for posting this. I am just starting out, still only doing charity quilts and a few for my family. Not charging, but working on developing a customer base. There is a lady in the area that will quilt "any quilt for $50" What in the world do you do about that? It's E2E, with cheap batting she sells as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenslug Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 Don't quilt for others, but know in this area there are several quilters who quilt for the same price as above - any quilt for $50. Was not impressed with the two quilts I saw that this person quilted and it has definitely made it difficult for the quilters who want to get paid for their efforts. A quilt shop owner said, just this week, that a longarm quilter can't make any money in this area. Live in NW Ohio. Marilyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMALKB Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 Sort of that way around here too. Most people just turn pale when you give them a price.........That's why I just don't do it any more.........only for a few special people who know what goes into making and quilting a quilt. Just had a friend (non quilter) write to me that a friend of hers was quoted $500 to quilt a King Size quilt and she about fell off her chair ! She wanted to know if that was normal. I went on to try to explain about how charges were made.........amount of detailed quilting, thread changes, time involved, etc. My friend is a knitter and makes beautiful sweaters..........You can bet your bottom dollar if she sat down and added up the hours it takes her to make a sweater, she would be surprised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mscott2611 Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 Thanks Linda for posting this article. The information was spot on and each of us that try to make any money at all with our long arm quilting must take the article to heart and stick to our prices. We need to get paid a reasonable wage for a job well done. Just like the article states plumbers and electricians don't have any problem charging for their skill set so we need to charge for ours. I know that it is hard and I have had more times than I can count the "I will get back to you" speech when I have told someone how much it would cost for a custom made quilt but I have decided to quit giving my work away unless it is my choice to someone that I care about. I will get off my soapbox now. Mary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Grammy Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 The problem that I have is that there are several different LA around here and several of them actually charge under $100. for just about all sizes of quilts. I can't give my time away so I don't get a lot of customer quilts and for the time being I like it that way, I quilt for myself and for my Mom as well as charity quilts. I hope to get good enough to actually be able to get some quilts that will win a few awards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T Row Studio Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 Thank-you Linda enjoyed my coffee and an interesting read for sure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharond Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 Great article! I have had many people ask how much for my quilts, just like the article said, they comment they can get it at a big box store for $50.00. I smile and say "Yes, but mine you will have for a lifetime". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 Very interesting read. Thanks Ms Linda. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enchanted Quilting Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 Great perspective. I especially enjoyed the Marianne/Mary video. Now how to get others to understand?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted February 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 For non-quilters who are stunned when I tell them what a quilt "is worth" and then remark about the things the big box stores sell as "quilts"---I tell them with a smile "Those Asian-made quilts are decor items only that last through two washings and then their life is done. A real quilt is a well-made treasure that your grandchildren will fight over when you're gone." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggienoella Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 Thanks for the good read, Linda. I've found that there are too many people selling handmade anything on the popular sites just to recover their costs. It really makes it hard. I guess that's another reason I have my day job. I read here a few years ago about other costs related to your expensive machines. There is a price at which it's not worth turning your machine on. When I start feeling guilty about what I charge, which is standard for this area, hubs tells me my time is worth more than what I'm getting paid anyway and if they don't like it then they can plunk down thousands of dollars and learn how to do it themselves. I am still a beginner. I have a 'friend' who knew I had a machine but took her panto project to someone charging less than anyone else in the area. She got it back, had to unsew all of it and then pay someone else to quilt it. Nuf said. Joan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancingraisin Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 Thanks for sharing, Linda. I just sent the article off to a friend who sometimes sells if she is approached and offered enough--she quilts beautifully but has very limited resources. Anyway, I find that I would rather give a quilt away to someone I know will enjoy it. But mercifully, I can still afford to do that. Things may change when I retire and my income drops to social security and a very small pension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kueser Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 Linda, May I quote you? Your description of the big box store "quilts" vs. those that we make was well written and every quilter and or piecer should proudly post it for all to see! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 My favorite saying when people say the price is to high for my quilting is, "If I want to quilt for free I'll do it for myself or a charity of my choice." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mscott2611 Posted February 11, 2015 Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 Heidi may I use your quote? Mary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quilterbme Posted February 11, 2015 Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 I couldn't access the article, but I can imagine what it says. In our area we can charge a reasonable fee for our quilting. I'm a little higher than some, but I have enough quilts to keep me busy. I don't advertise and I know I could get more if I did. We all have to be proud of what we do and charge what we feel is fair. If you can't make any money at it, why do it? People get what they pay for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenscratch Posted February 11, 2015 Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 I clicked on the link, but it says it is unavailable. I was looking forward to reading it. Oh well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemon Tree Tami Posted February 11, 2015 Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 It looks like the article and website are temporarily overloaded. But if you copy the link and go to google then you can access the cached version of the article. It's a fantastic read and oh so true. I can't tell you how many times I've had strangers email me asking me to make them a quilt for free because they saw on my blog that I "love to quilt and sew". While that may be true I only make things "free" when they are for my immediate family or as gifts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted February 11, 2015 Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 Heidi may I use your quote? Mary Mary absolutely! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kueser Posted February 11, 2015 Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 I agree with you Heidi about free for the charity of MY choice. So many times I am asked to quilt something for someone and they casually mention it's for a charity event. They don't ask in advance if I will quilt it for free so I've taken the stance that my charity quilting is for MY charities. I have enough of my own causes to keep my so-called spare time full. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted February 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 I've learned to also graciously turn down requests for charity quilting. I quilt a few a year for my guild and try for Quilts of Valor when I am a bit ahead. I tell people I allot a certain number of hours a year (or a month) and my charity quota has been filled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenscratch Posted February 14, 2015 Report Share Posted February 14, 2015 Since we are on this topic. I just found this site for a quilter in Kansas. I don't know who this quilter is, but it looks like they will do anything up to a big queen for $25-$75, depending on the quilting pattern used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrna Ficken Posted February 14, 2015 Report Share Posted February 14, 2015 I understand that this can be a difficult issue. If you are doing quality work you should be paid for it. If your immediate area can't OR won't handle your FAIR price for your great work then try to go outside of your area a bit. Do your own quilts and enter them in shows, local AND national. Your work will speak for itself. I get quilts from all over the country and you can too. It's a matter of getting yourself out there however, whenever, and everywhere you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kueser Posted February 15, 2015 Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 Teresa, You'll always find someone advertising to quilt for a ridiculous price. There are a lot of areas in Kansas with little or no other opportunity to make a dollar and their customer base is unable to pay either. They get what they pay for: big stitches, simple E2E, very little to enhance the quilt. I stopped worrying about my fee because I'm as busy as I want to be. I've done more "display" quilting on guild quilts that shows what I can do - what I like to do. I call my quilting more interpretative than typical. Maybe that is how I occasionally have enough time to piece but that is all right with me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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