Q-How much to charge for quilting?

[SloCrevs]

I had a friend of the family ask me to make her daughter a quilt. I guess she heard I was into it and wants me to make her daughter a "memory quilt" with all her old baby clothes. She asked me how much I would charge, and I told her I had to know a bit more of the specifics before I could quote her a price. She says she has plenty of clothes and that should take care of all the fabric needed. Obviously not the backing and batting, but for the top.

I want to be able to give her a list of possible quilts and the prices. I was thinking:
TOPS Only(no backing or actual quilting)
small wall hanging 2'X3':$20
Medium Wall Hanging/Lap quilt 4'X4':$40
Twin Sized Quilt:$65
Full Sized quilt:$75

Full Quilt(Backing, batting, quilting)
My only thing is with this is that I have to hand quilt the 3 layers together. This takes quite a while for me. This is work only, these are prices for my work, the material would be added.
Small Wall Hanging 2'X3': $40
Medium Wall hanging/Lap Quilt 4'X4':$60
Twin Sized Quilt:$90
Full Sized Quilt:$115

Am I over pricing anything?
Under Pricing?
I've never done anything like this before, so any advice will be MUCH appreciated. Thanks in Advance!

-Sarah

 

[mangled]

I'm an ameteur quilter, and have never sold, but I am a craft show ADDICT, so I have seen a lot of quilts for sale. I think your prices are fair. Pretty much a middle of the road type thing. I've seen cheaper, and more expensive.

Personally, a hand stitched quilt of baby clothes would be priceless to me. $115 for a full size is more than fair, IMHO, especially since she has enough material. There's a TON of work inhand stitching a quilt, especially a full size.

Good luck-
Em

 

[SloCrevs]

It wouldn't be completely hand stitched though. I use my machine for sewing the scraps/pieces together to form the top, but to actually quilt the 3 layers of fabric together would be done by hand. If that makes a difference. Thank you mangled.

 

[nccountrygirl]

My mama is a quilter. She has won ribbons for quilts she has entered in fairs. One day Mama heard her doorbell ring and when she opened the door Rue McClanahan from "The Golden Girls" was there. She had family in Columbia and they had been to the fair and loved mama's guilts and told Rue about mama and her quilts, anyways Rue bought 4 of mama's queen size Quilts for 400.00 apiece.

 

[leepsy]

I am not an expert by any means, but I think you are seriously underpricing your work. I have just been to two quilt shows, one last Saturday and one 4 months ago, and I am currently working on a king sized quilt for myself.

I would think at least half again as much for each item. But, like I said, I am not a long time quilter.

Beverly

 

[seminolewind]

YOU are underpricing your work! I made my mom a quilt and it cost me 400 bucks just for material. And took me 3.5 months to make. Don't sell yourself short. Your work is worth a whole lot more.

 

[DuckLady]

Quote:
That's awesome!

Yes, I think you are underpricing yourself.
T-shirt quilts http://www.wildzipper.com/order.html
Custom quilts http://www.mysticmequilts.com/custom%20quilting.htm
http://www.maryscustomquilts.com/images/price_list/t-shirt.htm
http://www.maryscustomquilts.com/images/price_list/traditional.htm
http://www.quiltcreations.net/pricing.htm

just to give you an idea.

 

[patandchickens]

I'd say there are three general theories about how to price things, and you have to pick what seems most right to you.

Pricing scheme #1: the going rate. By this standard you are MASSIVELY MASSIVELY underpricing yourself, way way way.

Pricing scheme #2: reimbursement at what you consider fair hourly wages. Figure it out yourself -- but to me, even just a 2x3 quilt, hand-quilted with acrylic batting so the lines of quilting can be likr 4" apart ( which is only a small step up from a tied quilt really) would still take I'm thinking 3-5 hours PLUS putting the binding on (the step I hate

), so if you're charging only $20 extra for doing the quilting step on that quilt, you'd be making minimum wage or less.

Pricing scheme #3: the 'I'm going to do this anyway' pricing scheme: Charge whatever the person will pay. I wouldn't bother, myself, I don't think -- if I wasn't going to charge what the job was worth but was willing to do it anyways I think I'd just do it free -- but lots of people *do* this, so it is something to consider.

Also, when considering how long this will take, be aware that piecing things together from a whole buncha very different fabrics, most of them knits I expect, is HUGELY more aggravating and time-consuming than doing a regular quilt. Been there done that swore at the t-shirt

So if you are going with an effort-based pricing plan, expect it to take much longer (possibly 2x as long or more, if the fabrics are really unhelpful).

Good luck,

Pat

 

[SloCrevs]

Thank you guys. I knew I could find help here lol. I guess I'll quote her a bit more than I originally stated. I think I'll multiply the tops only by 1.5, and double the actual quilt price. Thank you again! We'll see how it turns out.

 

[kbarrett]

I am certainly not a professional but I do know how much time & effort I've put into the quilts I've made for my family...I think you need to charge more. I live in Amish country where quilts can go to auction and easily bring several thousand dollars.