ffq-lar Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 Why, why, why, do the people who obviously have money, and who have a stash to rival that of Alex Anderson, and who shop only at quilt shops, and who have the quilt they want to enter in a big show professionally photographed, and who take classes from the big names, and who spend big bucks to go to quilt retreats and cruises, and who drive new cars, and...and...and..... I\'m running out of steam here!!! Why do these people get all doe-eyed and sigh-y when you quote them an estimate for quilting? Is this how they stay rich? Or are they not rich, but just on the ragged edge of middle-class? Like someone here so eloquently put it--Poor-mouth isn\'t poor!! If you are truly poor, you never mention it!! There , I feel better. Guess what happened to me twice this week? You would be proud--I stand my ground---always--- but I might not if I didn\'t have a back-log! Love you all! Thanks for listening to me rant. I feel better now. Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 Linda!! I personally know some very wealthy people (in the multi millions) and they are cheap, or shall I say tight!! LOL!! These folks aren\'t self-made, they had the doe handed down through generations. I don\'t know but all I can say is it doesn\'t matter how rich you are or how poor you are, everyone loves a deal; everyone loves a bargain. I\'m glad you stood your ground. Hey think about it: I pay just as much for my coture Armani suit as the millionaire does; he pays as much for his McDonalds hamburger as I do. Same goes with quilting services. PS: Name your price and I\'ll let you quilt my quilt, any time, baby... I promise I won\'t bat an eye at your price. Then, I\'ll have a Linda Rech original. You can\'t get those at a Walmart, or a Saks 5th Avenue for that matter! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stagecl Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 I have also thought about this same question. I think that the piecer is involved with everything up to the quilting process, at the point they take it to a LA they become disconnected with the process (in a sense)...because they are not involved cheaper is often better (not that it is best for the quilt). Does that make any sense? Cheryl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted March 31, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 Thanks, Shana--we have to get together soon--you are so good for my ego!! And I agree with you Cheryl about customers disconnecting from the process. One of these customers called me to tell me she was having a top I had done for her last year photographed to try for entry in the Northwest "Big Quilt Show". Had she told me last year of her plans, we could have collaborated and found some wowser designs for that top. But she did not say anything and she bought a .02 sq/inch quilting job. Now in spite of what Shana might think (hee hee) a .02 Linda creation is just that! No tied and buried threads, no SID, just a casual overall design with a border treatment. I don\'t think she is getting the correlation between the quilting effort and placement in shows. She took this finished quilt to the local expert and was told that it probably wouldn\'t be accepted because it was too plain. There ya go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 Linda, This is an interesting point. I\'m still learning, so bear with me if I don\'t seem to know what I\'m talking about.... I think the quilting culture is currently in the midst of changing, regarding the piecer and the quilter collaborating as a team (meaning both are being recognized for work on the quilt). In the quilt show applications, aren\'t the categories more specific and aren\'t they now requiring the quilter\'s name to be included? So, that said, if times they are a changin\', then perhaps the question should be asked up front with the customer before the quilt is quilted. "What are your plans with this quilt? Are you planning to enter this in a show? If so, what shows are you considering?" And, if so, then you can provide suggestions on how to quilt the quilt, burying threads, etc. Maybe even have sample copies of some of the bigger quilt show applications so the customer is aware of the longarm quilter being part of the "team effort" on this quilt. Maybe they would understand. It\'s a learning process/change in the way things are happening. I guess what I\'m trying to say is, if the culture is changing to "team effort for the piecer and the quilter" then the piecer needs to start understanding that the "disconnect" is no longer a disconnect... in fact, it\'s team effort and taking your quilt to the longarm quilter is "just another step in the process" and is a very important step. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbm Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 Okay, here\'s a question from one who has never been there: if the longarm quilter is getting recognition on entry in shows, will that lead to piecers asking for a deal on those "collaborative" quilts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLM Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 Last year I quilted a top for a local millionaire. She wanted something inexpensive. I did a good job, and she did give me a tip. Be thankful that your customer did not want a full heirloom show quilting job. It does not matter how much you charge, this type of work is so labor intensive that lots of quilters end up making minimum wage OR LESS to do this for a customer. Janet Mohler Colorado Springs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 http://www.quilts.org/workforhire.html http://www.quilts.org/downloads/2008QAWB-FillableEntryForm.pdf http://www.quilts.org/downloads/CelebrateSpringRulesEntry.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katydids Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 Well said, JLM. I would much prefer the less expensive quilting jobs! I make more money that way!!!! I just finished a custom quilt that took 6 days and yes, it was expensive for the customer, but when you consider the time I put into it, I\'m sure I made much less than minimum wage. A knock-out custom job now and then is good for your reputation, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenscratch Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 If I get it finished tonight I wil be posting a picture of a quilt I am finishing up. I posted pictures asking for ideas earlier. The quilt has been on my machine for 2 1/2 weeks. I have worked on it every day, sometimes for an hour or two, a couple of days I worked 5 or 6 hours on it. I probably have 20-25 hours of time in it right now. I wish I had written it down. I am getting paid $150 for this quilt. This is the most this lady has ever paid me, and for this area it is a very good pay for quilting; but I am still only making minimum wage for doing this quilt. Plus, I hate the way it turned out. Her batting was cheap, her backing was stretchy, and I have had to fight with it every minute. She didn\'t want to pay the $150.00, but since it is custom that is what I had to charge. I\'m not making the .02 sq. inch I should be making but it is close; so I can\'t complain too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lsilver Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 I know that before I was longarming for myself and was having others do them, I just didn\'t understand the process and the LA\'ers I dealt with were not good communicators. If the person has the steps explained to them, there is less of a disconnect. It\'s different from this side of the deasl, for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkerekes Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 Sometimes people just don\'t know---and sometimes we are dealing with people that have never, ever really \'worked\' in their lives. I think every child in this country should do one of the following for at least one season: 1. ...be a waitress/waiter 2. ...clean hotel rooms or houses 3. ...be a farm laborer 4. ...take care of children(the right way!) ....all for not a whole lot of money---and be expected to buy groceries, pay rent, etc. with this money. I did all of the above while I was growing up and it was nothing but character building. Because of this, I almost always tip too much, clean my hotel room before I leave, appreciate every fruit and vegetable I put in my mouth, and help other mothers around me whenever I can. I have a healthy respect for excellent skilled labor--it keeps our country going. Sometimes we need to remind our customers(and our spouses) that we are skilled laborers---and we deserve to be paid accordingly:). Jill Kerekes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 When I first started quilting I heard..."you need to educate your customers" meaning they needed to know to square the back, clip threads, make sure the backing was large enough, yada- yada. But I think it goes way beyound that. I think each one of us needs to hold a class at our LQS called "What to Expect From a Longarm Quilter...What Your Longarm Quilter Expects From You!" In addition to the basics that we would like for them to do before they bring us the quilt, we need to let them in on some other things. We need to tell them that there is a pricing structure and when they are pouring lots of money into the fabric, and they are going to make it so large that it won\'t fit comfortably under their thoat on their DSM and if they don\'t want to hand quilt it...then there is going to be some cha-ching involved to have it done by a professional. Tell them that we take classes and are trained by some of the greatest machine quilters in the world and that if we have to pay for those skills, just like their doctor has to pay for his skills and charge for it....so must we (Doctor may be too far up the food chain....but you can see where I am going here...). If the customer wants us to quilt something that will be in a show, then they should let us know that...or we should ask in the first place, so that we can let them know...In that case, I will be burying the theads, doing this, doing that and it is going to be $X. That is the kind of education our customers need now. We are way beyond squaring the back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seakitten Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 Mary Beth is right; I did such a class last month for my guild, & I have noticed improvement already. I did not talk about the money thing, but next time I will, it is a great idea. I will also suggest it to the LQS, which has a slightly different clientele. Great tips, MB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenni Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 I have been lurking in this forum for a month or so. This item captured my attention. As a long time Long Arm Customer I want to say thanks to Mary Beth for the reply that all longarmers should take to heart. I have moved around this country with my husband for the last 16 years. Everywhere we land I have to start the hunt for a new long arm quilter. I am a great customer. I am prolific and not picky - usually I say do what you want. I am blessed that I am able to afford quality fabrics and nice equipment to sew with. I really loved the longarmers I have had over the years. I really appreciated a longarm agreement with everything spelled out - I have seen some real interesting forms over the years. I really appreciated it when my longarmer had samples to show me. I really appreciated that my longarmer spent time on training. I really appreciated it when my longarmer appreciated the work I put into my quilt tops - flat, square quilts. I just don\'t pull them out of the air. Using a longarmer is a team effort. Both members of the team need to appreciate what each member brings to the table. Time is very important to my husband and I. Is is possible the lady with the doe eyes heard the word I used to dread - backlog? Backlog was more often than not the reason I would sigh and move on to another quilter. P.S. I ordered my new Lenni this past week - His name is Brenni after my DH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted March 31, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 Hi-- It wasn\'t a backlog issue with this one. She\'s in line for June (not that far away when I can only manage 8 tops a month!) and doesn\'t need it until September. I have reached a point where I have no problem with not doing every quilt that comes my way. I can only manage a certain number a month so it is what it is. I know of two local LAers who have fully or semi-retired this year--either they only quilt their own stuff or only quilt for a select few. Then again, Bayside sells plenty of HQ16s so there may be more competition here soon. Teresa--move here by me and you will have business!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted April 1, 2008 Report Share Posted April 1, 2008 Linda, I think it is just a lack of consideration by the customer and because you have a home based business people think you should quilt for less! I\'m still waiting to have lots of customers. They keep telling me they are bringing them and they haven\'t started coming. I haven\'t pushed too hard yet since I\'ve been busy practicing and trying to get to an acceptable skill set. I\'m pretty picky and I wouldn\'t want to do a customer quilt any less as well as I\'d do my own. I figure they will come when my life is nuts! May and June at my real job are just nuts! This year it has already started and I\'m crazy busy. I actually worked until 10:30 Friday night and still did work on Sunday. It will be like that until the end of June. You mark my words May and June I\'ll start getting all kinds of stuff! I won\'t sell for less though. My time is valuable and if it means working for less or making something for me then I\'m just going to work for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted April 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2008 OMG Heidi! I just viewed your challenge piece and if you need customers, hang that beauty over your shoulders and walk around town! The local quilters will be drooling along behind you like puppy dogs!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenscratch Posted April 1, 2008 Report Share Posted April 1, 2008 Linda, That\'s a little far west for me right now. Maybe after I retire I can come that way. But I could sure use some customers. LOL. I will be coming to see you in October for Innovations. I have to get a quilt ready to enter before the deadline. I would like to take a couple of classes. I will probably bring Joshua with me, since he will be on fall break from school. He would like to see the SeaTac area. By the way, Linda, have you heard from Johnnie? I haven\'t talked to him in a couple of weeks and can\'t get in touch with him now. I don\'t know if they\'ve been sent over again or what. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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