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I actually did one for my own use awhile back, per what I actually spend on quilts. And what it takes to hand quilt something. I never pay $11/yd unless I have something very specific that I must have or am trying to replace something that is out of stock at my usual sources.
This is what I wrote for our Blue Roo Creations page. I pay about half that for my fabric, generally, with a few exceptions, and this is only charging $5/hour, not the $10 in the one you posted, Cheryl. I know, a pittance, but I was keeping it on the low side to show folks what they're asking of me.
"Before I start this post, ask yourself what you think *you* would/should pay a quilter to create for you a custom, king size quilt. Think about that for a second, then read on.......
On occasion, LadyHawk Smith and I are asked what I would charge to make them a custom quilt in certain colors and most often for some reason, it's a king size quilt. When she gives a ballpark figure, they are often taken aback, saying it's a lot or too much. First of all, I do not make king size quilts. I do not have a machine that is large enough to machine quilt a king size comfortably, therefore if I did acquiesce and agree to make a king size, it would be entirely quilted BY HAND. But, this gave me the idea to make a post about what it costs ME to make a quilt and give folks some perspective on this.
Fabric: Fabric is expensive, which I know some people do not realize. I use only good quality 100% cotton fabric. If you use cheaply made fabric, both you and your customer pay for it in other ways. Though I have sources for good quality and well-priced fabric, sometimes, I cannot find a color or print I need for a project and must resort to slightly more expensive sources. I do not generally buy at quilt shops. Their fabrics can be over $10/yard, but what I must buy and use can vary. A king size quilt uses about 18 yards of fabric for both front and back. There are some factors involved, like how many different colors/prints I must use, how much waste is involved, etc, but 18 yards for both front and back is a good estimate (not including binding). Some ask what if I already have fabric on hand; well, I paid for that and if I use it in your quilt, I don't have it for another project. It wasn't free *to me*.
Fabric for front and back: $125-150
Batting: I do not generally use 100% polyester, though for some pieces, I do if there is a valid reason. It's cheaper, but it's hotter, doesn't breathe much, can be difficult to hand quilt (more hand stress). Mostly, I use an 80/20 cotton/poly or a 100% cotton.
Batting: $30-35
Thread: Hand quilting threads can be less expensive than machine quilting threads. If a quilt is machine quilted, it stresses the thread, causing breakage an I must use a higher quality thread in the machine for machine quilting. Generally, though, I like Egyptian cotton threads and my machine operates better with those, though it will piece fine with cheaper Coats & Clark thread I can find at Walmart. Good threads are $6-10 for a 600-800 yd spool in brands I can get around here. I have found more cost effective serger threads in recent months, however, machine quilting uses a TON of thread, hand quilting not as much.
Thread: $20-30, though this could be a low figure for a king quilt done with the really fine Egyptian cotton threads. Would be less for the strong polyester serger threads I've been using of late on recommendation of an experienced quilter who uses a long-arm.
Binding Fabric: That is made by me separately with the same good quality cotton fabrics in a double thickness to last. Usually a yard of fabric can make enough binding for a king size quilt.
Binding: $5-10
Here the pricing gets trickier because you cannot know exactly how long it will take you to piece the top, sandwich the layers then do the actual hand quilting, especially when you are fighting numb and tingling fingers to get through it as I am now, however, based on my experience over the past 30 years, here are my estimates:
Piecing the top: varies according to complexity 20-30 hrs @ $5/hr= $100-150
Sandwiching the layers: done by hand on the floor 3 hrs @ $5/hr= $15 (could be a low estimate here; this is hard on the back and may take longer than 3 hours).
Quilting by hand: this is the BIG ONE. This is a dying art. Generally, there are not many folks who do this today and not many of those who are highly skilled at it. The Amish have a reputation for spectacular hand quilted masterpieces. My quilting matches theirs in stitches per inch. As the character Walter Brennan played on The Guns of Will Sonnet would say, "No brag, just fact." The Amish, however, have 10-15 or more women working on one quilt. I am a ONE person doing it all. If you have ever perused one of their quilts for sale sites, I promise you, you will have sticker shock!
Hours to hand quilt a King size quilt, no fancy designs: 200-250, depending on complexity, but to keep it simple, just say 200+ hours (I kept a journal during a project of similar size so this isn't just off the top of my head).
200 hrs of hand quilting @ $5 hour = $1000 (and who would work for that today, right?)
When you add this all up, the labor and materials, not including the time and expertise that goes into the design process, you have a piece that rightfully should go for, using the lower figures, roundabout $1300! That's one-thousand, three hundred dollars.
NONE of this includes the design process, the trips to gather fabrics for different sources. You are paying for an expert quilter's knowledge of color and design, asking for a custom piece of fabric art. Yes, ART. Would you do that for a measly $5/hr? Would you expect someone else to do it and not charge you for labor? Not charge you for fabric? Food for thought for your day.
P.S. adding that the estimated price folks are balking at is nowhere near $1300, in case you're wondering."
This is what I wrote for our Blue Roo Creations page. I pay about half that for my fabric, generally, with a few exceptions, and this is only charging $5/hour, not the $10 in the one you posted, Cheryl. I know, a pittance, but I was keeping it on the low side to show folks what they're asking of me.
"Before I start this post, ask yourself what you think *you* would/should pay a quilter to create for you a custom, king size quilt. Think about that for a second, then read on.......
On occasion, LadyHawk Smith and I are asked what I would charge to make them a custom quilt in certain colors and most often for some reason, it's a king size quilt. When she gives a ballpark figure, they are often taken aback, saying it's a lot or too much. First of all, I do not make king size quilts. I do not have a machine that is large enough to machine quilt a king size comfortably, therefore if I did acquiesce and agree to make a king size, it would be entirely quilted BY HAND. But, this gave me the idea to make a post about what it costs ME to make a quilt and give folks some perspective on this.
Fabric: Fabric is expensive, which I know some people do not realize. I use only good quality 100% cotton fabric. If you use cheaply made fabric, both you and your customer pay for it in other ways. Though I have sources for good quality and well-priced fabric, sometimes, I cannot find a color or print I need for a project and must resort to slightly more expensive sources. I do not generally buy at quilt shops. Their fabrics can be over $10/yard, but what I must buy and use can vary. A king size quilt uses about 18 yards of fabric for both front and back. There are some factors involved, like how many different colors/prints I must use, how much waste is involved, etc, but 18 yards for both front and back is a good estimate (not including binding). Some ask what if I already have fabric on hand; well, I paid for that and if I use it in your quilt, I don't have it for another project. It wasn't free *to me*.
Fabric for front and back: $125-150
Batting: I do not generally use 100% polyester, though for some pieces, I do if there is a valid reason. It's cheaper, but it's hotter, doesn't breathe much, can be difficult to hand quilt (more hand stress). Mostly, I use an 80/20 cotton/poly or a 100% cotton.
Batting: $30-35
Thread: Hand quilting threads can be less expensive than machine quilting threads. If a quilt is machine quilted, it stresses the thread, causing breakage an I must use a higher quality thread in the machine for machine quilting. Generally, though, I like Egyptian cotton threads and my machine operates better with those, though it will piece fine with cheaper Coats & Clark thread I can find at Walmart. Good threads are $6-10 for a 600-800 yd spool in brands I can get around here. I have found more cost effective serger threads in recent months, however, machine quilting uses a TON of thread, hand quilting not as much.
Thread: $20-30, though this could be a low figure for a king quilt done with the really fine Egyptian cotton threads. Would be less for the strong polyester serger threads I've been using of late on recommendation of an experienced quilter who uses a long-arm.
Binding Fabric: That is made by me separately with the same good quality cotton fabrics in a double thickness to last. Usually a yard of fabric can make enough binding for a king size quilt.
Binding: $5-10
Here the pricing gets trickier because you cannot know exactly how long it will take you to piece the top, sandwich the layers then do the actual hand quilting, especially when you are fighting numb and tingling fingers to get through it as I am now, however, based on my experience over the past 30 years, here are my estimates:
Piecing the top: varies according to complexity 20-30 hrs @ $5/hr= $100-150
Sandwiching the layers: done by hand on the floor 3 hrs @ $5/hr= $15 (could be a low estimate here; this is hard on the back and may take longer than 3 hours).
Quilting by hand: this is the BIG ONE. This is a dying art. Generally, there are not many folks who do this today and not many of those who are highly skilled at it. The Amish have a reputation for spectacular hand quilted masterpieces. My quilting matches theirs in stitches per inch. As the character Walter Brennan played on The Guns of Will Sonnet would say, "No brag, just fact." The Amish, however, have 10-15 or more women working on one quilt. I am a ONE person doing it all. If you have ever perused one of their quilts for sale sites, I promise you, you will have sticker shock!
Hours to hand quilt a King size quilt, no fancy designs: 200-250, depending on complexity, but to keep it simple, just say 200+ hours (I kept a journal during a project of similar size so this isn't just off the top of my head).
200 hrs of hand quilting @ $5 hour = $1000 (and who would work for that today, right?)
When you add this all up, the labor and materials, not including the time and expertise that goes into the design process, you have a piece that rightfully should go for, using the lower figures, roundabout $1300! That's one-thousand, three hundred dollars.
NONE of this includes the design process, the trips to gather fabrics for different sources. You are paying for an expert quilter's knowledge of color and design, asking for a custom piece of fabric art. Yes, ART. Would you do that for a measly $5/hr? Would you expect someone else to do it and not charge you for labor? Not charge you for fabric? Food for thought for your day.
P.S. adding that the estimated price folks are balking at is nowhere near $1300, in case you're wondering."
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