Grrr, Wanting Something for Nothing & No Appreciation for Fine Hand Quilting....A Rare Speckledhen

[speckledhen]

Since I'm not currently hand quilting, I started this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...no-appreciation-for-fine-hand-quilting-thread

 

[ECarter1217]

I was commissioned to make a bed runner for my neighbor, really a runner to protect her mother's cedar chest that graces the foot of her king size bed and to complement her current comforter, which is an abstract wash of seafoam to sagey greens mixed with rosy to almost coral pinks. I told her I'd probably have to order about $25 worth of fabric, though I'd most likely not use every little bit of it in her project, and that I would charge her $90, including the fabric, for a machine pieced and entirely hand quilted runner, truthfully, less than I would charge someone who was not a friend/neighbor. I didn't even charge her for the batting, which I had on hand here.

The final result was 30" x 80", as wide as a regular bed quilt. It is made with first quality 100% cotton quilt fabrics from Thousands of Bolts, who sells excellent fabrics at wonderful prices, often less than even Walmart's lesser quality stuff. I bought fabrics for her runner at one of their great sales, most of it less than $5 per yard, and if you know good quilt fabric, a real steal.

My neighbor works at a senior center. Apparently, she told them what I was doing for her, and without even seeing it, without knowing the size or the quality, without knowing of my skill at hand quilting (I pride myself at being very good at what I do, with 30 years experience), they started spouting off:

1)You're paying way too much for that.
2) She could get much cheaper fabric somewhere else.

I was insulted and angry. If one more person denigrates my pricing for custom hand quilted work one more time, I swear, I'm going to tell them Wally World is their friend and to go waste their money there. Would they work for less than 50 cents an hour? Of course not, but they expect me to do so and throw in the fabric for free. And if I have the fabric in my stash already, it's still not free--if I use it in their project, I cannot use it in something else and will have to replace it.

I could have found cheaper fabrics?? Where?? Not likely! The worst quality cottons at Walmart are $4 per yard, you know, the ones you can see through? Their usual prices are $5-7 per yard now and they are starting to get somewhat better quality cottons at some locations, thankfully. The cheap cottons are never a good choice in a quilt and you pay the price in other ways, even if you can save on the fabric. It doesn't quilt well nor wear/wash well.

Here is the runner in question. That outer border fabric is such wonderful heavy cotton, it feels like flannel. I got 2 yards of it for just $4.95 each, half the cost at any quilt shop in the U.S. She wanted paisleys, not much floral, a challenge with these colors, but I searched and found quite a few paisleys, including that large border fabric, in addition to flourishes, florentines, botanicals, etc. If it was going to be a bed quilt, I would have done some extra quilting in the outer border, but it will live on her cedar chest.

By the way, I told my neighbor that if she didn't like it, she didn't have to buy it and I meant it. She said she likes it and I hope she's being sincere.

to me this is worth 100.00 if not more it is beautiful you did a wonderful job !!!!!!!!!

 

[speckledhen]

to me this is worth 100.00 if not more it is beautiful you did a wonderful job !!!!!!!!!

Thank you. If I did the quilting by machine as I do now, I'd charge what I charged her for the hand quilted piece. If I did another hand quilted one of similar type, I'd be charging $125-150. But, it's all water under the bridge. She is represents a common type of attitude, I'd say.

 

[speckledhen]

Back to hand-quilting! Trying it after a long hiatus to see if I still have the knack. I don't want to lose my skill, but it's rather like riding a bike, though my callouses are gone from my fingertips, ouchie!

 

[speckledhen]

I can still do it, yippee!

 

[BW56]

High five. Looks good to me and I'm picky.

 

[speckledhen]

High five. Looks good to me and I'm picky.

Thank you! I appreciate that.

 

[Chickielady]

I was commissioned to make a bed runner for my neighbor, really a runner to protect her mother's cedar chest that graces the foot of her king size bed and to complement her current comforter, which is an abstract wash of seafoam to sagey greens mixed with rosy to almost coral pinks. I told her I'd probably have to order about $25 worth of fabric, though I'd most likely not use every little bit of it in her project, and that I would charge her $90, including the fabric, for a machine pieced and entirely hand quilted runner, truthfully, less than I would charge someone who was not a friend/neighbor. I didn't even charge her for the batting, which I had on hand here.

The final result was 30" x 80", as wide as a regular bed quilt. It is made with first quality 100% cotton quilt fabrics from Thousands of Bolts, who sells excellent fabrics at wonderful prices, often less than even Walmart's lesser quality stuff. I bought fabrics for her runner at one of their great sales, most of it less than $5 per yard, and if you know good quilt fabric, a real steal.

My neighbor works at a senior center. Apparently, she told them what I was doing for her, and without even seeing it, without knowing the size or the quality, without knowing of my skill at hand quilting (I pride myself at being very good at what I do, with 30 years experience), they started spouting off:

1)You're paying way too much for that.
2) She could get much cheaper fabric somewhere else.

I was insulted and angry. If one more person denigrates my pricing for custom hand quilted work one more time, I swear, I'm going to tell them Wally World is their friend and to go waste their money there. Would they work for less than 50 cents an hour? Of course not, but they expect me to do so and throw in the fabric for free. And if I have the fabric in my stash already, it's still not free--if I use it in their project, I cannot use it in something else and will have to replace it.

I could have found cheaper fabrics?? Where?? Not likely! The worst quality cottons at Walmart are $4 per yard, you know, the ones you can see through? Their usual prices are $5-7 per yard now and they are starting to get somewhat better quality cottons at some locations, thankfully. The cheap cottons are never a good choice in a quilt and you pay the price in other ways, even if you can save on the fabric. It doesn't quilt well nor wear/wash well.

Here is the runner in question. That outer border fabric is such wonderful heavy cotton, it feels like flannel. I got 2 yards of it for just $4.95 each, half the cost at any quilt shop in the U.S. She wanted paisleys, not much floral, a challenge with these colors, but I searched and found quite a few paisleys, including that large border fabric, in addition to flourishes, florentines, botanicals, etc. If it was going to be a bed quilt, I would have done some extra quilting in the outer border, but it will live on her cedar chest.

By the way, I told my neighbor that if she didn't like it, she didn't have to buy it and I meant it. She said she likes it and I hope she's being sincere.

Oh wow I had no idea you did this !
I mainly watercolor, but I do go nuts quilting every so often...and I love it.
My Mother has done fine patchwork and hand quilted her patchwork...and appliques.
This one pictured below, she hand applique'd, and hand quilted around the appliques, then machine quilted the block backgrounds. I love this quilt !
By the way, @speckledhen your work is outstanding !
I can tell you put your heart and soul into your work, and you are so correct about buying the best fabrics !
Not much is worse than spending hours on a quilt and having all of one color fall apart on the first washing, just because it was cheap junk from Walmart.
There is not much you can do to save a quilt like that, so sad !

 

[speckledhen]

Oh wow I had no idea you did this !
I mainly watercolor, but I do go nuts quilting every so often...and I love it.
My Mother has done fine patchwork and hand quilted her patchwork...and appliques.
This one pictured below, she hand applique'd, and hand quilted around the appliques, then machine quilted the block backgrounds. I love this quilt !
By the way, @speckledhen your work is outstanding !
I can tell you put your heart and soul into your work, and you are so correct about buying the best fabrics !
Not much is worse than spending hours on a quilt and having all of one color fall apart on the first washing, just because it was cheap junk from Walmart.
There is not much you can do to save a quilt like that, so sad !

First, that quilt is stunning! How pretty! I love the colors she used, some of my favorites. Thank you for the compliments!

You know, Walmart is now getting some decent fabrics, though you have to check who the manufacturer is on the end of the bolt to be sure what you're buying. I've used quite a few of their Waverlys and David Textiles. And the Emma & Mila is nice, too. But, that was really insane that someone would make those comments about that runner without knowing what I paid for my fabrics or my talent at hand quilting. And it was custom work, too! But, all water under the bridge, at least for that situation. I have not seen that neighbor in years now-she really became a flake later, so I guess she was one all along, LOL.

 

[farmgirl7]

Thanks for the support, all. I recently did break my "no quilts for family" rule (which of course, makes me sound like an ogre for having such a rule, but there's a reason behind it, trust me) and made a quilt for my grown niece in South Carolina. It was two years in the making, having to put it off, then get back to it a few times. When I presented it to her, she was in tears. She now says it's one of her most prized possessions. I'd rather give a quilt to someone I know will appreciate it than hire out to make one, though I do need the money, and get complaints about what I'm charging. Life's too short and my fingers won't hold out that much longer anyway. I quilt through carpal tunnel/tingling and numb fingers. In fact, just typing this post has my fingers tingling already this morning, first thing I've done today.

I also quilt and have carpel tunnel and numb fingers. I'm going to try to get my hands fixed. Although I don't hand quilt (yours is gorgeous!), I do enjoy applique and working with wool. Most of my quilts have been for grandkids. I have done a few for pay, but not lately. This past year I have been quilting for myself. If you need the money, make the quilts and put them up for sale for a decent price. Good luck.