mountainmanda Posted August 22, 2007 Report Share Posted August 22, 2007 Ok, so I've been doing this for a while now, but this is the first time I have encountered this issue. The backing is 102x102, not squared and wrinkled beyond a five minute quick press. What, if anything, would you charge for this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted August 22, 2007 Report Share Posted August 22, 2007 Manda, I charge $10.00 per seam if I have to piece a back. Which would include the ironing.., and squaring up, but where you don't have to sew anything I would think $20.00 for ironing and squaring up something this large would be a fair price. My 2 cents worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainmanda Posted August 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2007 Thanks so much for your input. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted August 22, 2007 Report Share Posted August 22, 2007 $25 an hour for "bench work". That's a jewelry-making term and what are these quilts but "precious jewels"? Figure out how long it takes and let the customer knows what you will be charging and I bet this will not happen again! (I hate squaring up a backer--I've had wide backs cut so crooked that tearing across the grain to square up made them too small. The LQS balks at tearing but will cut an extra 4 inches to accommodate us whiners!) Happy quilting, Manda! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainmanda Posted August 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 Thanks again! This particular customer knew she had done the backing wonky and is expecting a charge for the correction, but on the other hand she is the second member of the local guild/club to actually use me to quilt her project. The first quilt I did for her she agrued with me about the price-she said that I did not charge her enough! How often does that happen! Anywho, thanks for your input. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njquiltergirl Posted August 23, 2007 Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 Linda. Would you also charge a customer $25 an hour for making a quilt start-to-finish? Or is that only for your "bench work"? Love that name ... it really describes the boring work that pressing and squaring is! Thanks. Lisa NW New Jersey Liberty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltaholi_518 Posted August 23, 2007 Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 I charge $20 per hour. If it's simple seaming-$10 for the first seam and $5 each addl. I usually only have to charge once, after that they bring them pressed and seamed. I just let them know while they are there, anything that takes me away from the machine is time I can't quilt. So I do let them know, and if they want to take it back home and bring it back they can. But they usually don't, especially if they live a distance......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kathymartinez Posted August 23, 2007 Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 Almost every quilt I get has a backing that needs something done. Typical issues are: Selvage not cut off the seam in the backiing not square. Often two 45 inch pieces just whipped together. One end has one side longer than the other. The backing was never squared; quilter makes assumption that the store cut the fabric square I get so frustrated.... It doesn't do any good to explain how to prepare a backing. Even if I give people a set of written instructions! People just don't want to spend time on the backing. Often a good piecer will fail to press the backing seam. I tend to charge according to how irritated I am... $10 to $20. I don't seem to be able to get a grip on timing myself. It really doesn't take a whole hour, but this still seems reasonable. We have such a tendency to give away our time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewingupastorm Posted August 23, 2007 Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 Manda I do not have people busting my door down yet. I do not charge for squareing up a back as that usually is part of my prep anyway. I always press each quilt before I load it on the machine and 99% of the time also square the back (no charge.......................I price the quilting so that I am compensated for prep work). I can press and square a back in about 30 and another 30 min to load it on the machine. Some take less time and some more.......................figure it all averages out in the end. I guess if you have a line outside your door it might be a different matter of charging. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted August 23, 2007 Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 I guess I'm a lazy one--I have seldom pressed anyones top before starting. If it is ready when they bring it, it should come out if the bag reasonably neat. As for backers--I load and spritz if needed. Removing selvedge edges is easier --as long as there is enough seam allowance to trim without skimping--by loading, rolling the back until the seam is sitting on top of the front roller. Carefully using sharp scissors remove the selvedge from one side and then the other. You can get good and fast at this since the seam is flat and tensioned. Then, if you like, you can press the seam open with a Clover applique mini-iron right on the roller. Also fast!! I have no line out the door either--just don't like to iron other peoples stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annlittle1 Posted August 24, 2007 Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 You can press it, straighten and load it in an hour? Oh, now I know I really am slow. I have a king size backing to make tomorrow and I know it will take me three hours to get the backing seamed, pressed, straightened and load the quilt! I will be lucky to have it loaded before lunch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.