Example: machine-appliqued baby quilt
3x rule-of-thumb:
cost of materials for baby quilt . . . .($20 x 3) = $60
what I think my work is worth . . . . . . $100
what I'd pay for it . . . . . . . . . . . . $45
"Happy medium" price . . . . . . . . . . (145/2) $72
Final Price (brought down the 3x rule-of-thumb price) $65
When I beaded a belly dancing costume for a friend, I put 40 hours of beading time into it, and asked her for $200. I can promise you that I didn't GET that much. I think maybe $80!!! So keep in mind that people, especially those who do not do fine hand work, are not going to pay you what a corporation would for your time.
Wow, even more than I remembered. As I said before, I wonder if churches will really pay those sorts of prices, although I know that the mail order sources for church vestments seem awfully high to me, so perhaps that may sound reasonable for a custom vestment.
Here's Stover Quality Quilting's price list.
First he defines his terminology:
Quilt Sizes (as of Dec. 1, 1992):
Bassinet up to 36x48" (1728 sq in) Crib 36x48" (1728 sq in) to 54x60" (3240 sq in) Youth 54x60" (3240 sq in) to 54x72" (3888 sq in) Twin 54x72" (3888 sq in) to 66x84" (5544 sq in) Regular 66x84" (5544 sq in) to 75x95" (7128 sq in) Large Regular 75x95" (7128 sq in) to 87x96" (8424 sq in) Small Queen 87x96" (8424 sq in) to 97x100" (9720 sq in) Queen 97x100" (9720 sq in) to 100x110" (11016 sq in) Small King 100x110" (11016 sq in) to 108x114" (12312 sq in) King 108x114" (12312 sq in) to 115x118" (13608 sq in)
All quilting is by machine and hand-guided.
Type:
A: any one of 6 allover designs: clover leaf, lacy clover, feathered
scroll, exquisite (combined feather and clover leaf), hearts, en-
chantment (double feathered scroll)
B: any one of 6 allover designs: moonglow (double clouds), glorified scroll (scroll plus flattened teacup), forget-me-not (clover leaf plus flattened teacup), hairpin lace (loop plus flattened teacup), rock 'n' roll (offset egg and dart), clover leaf scroll
C: any one of 6 allover designs: scroll, loop, fan, loop &scroll, leaves, double e (double loop)
Flower: for grandmother's flower garden: a flower in some blocks, a plain circle in others.
Custom: anything else specified by the customer. price is approximate; cus-
tomer will be contacted if the price is higher than listed. Any out-
line quilting is a Custom Type.
Ditch: quilting in the ditch. price ranges from "A" to "Custom".
Marked: cost to quilt a design marked by the customer. If the customer asks Stover to mark it before quilting, add $20/hr.
Type Bass. Crib Youth Twin Reg. Lg.Reg. Sm.Q. Queen Sm.Kg. King ----+------+------+------+------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+------- A $12.30 $18.95 $23.95 $29.95 $ 35.95 $ 42.95 $ 49.95 $ 56.95 $ 63.95 $ 70.95 B 11.45 17.95 21.95 27.95 32.95 38.95 44.95 50.95 56.95 62.95 C 8.95 15.95 19.95 24.95 29.95 35.95 41.95 46.95 52.95 57.95 Flwr 19.95 24.95 29.95 41.95 51.95 61.95 71.95 80.95 90.95 99.95 Cust 19.95 31.95 38.95 53.95 67.95 79.95 91.95 103.95 115.95 127.95 Mrkd 26.95 46.95 56.95 81.95 104.95 123.95 142.95 161.95 180.95 199.95 If customer's fabric is double knit, add 15%. Thread White .50 .65 .80 .95 1.10 1.25 1.40 1.55 1.70 1.85 Color .60 .80 1.00 1.20 1.40 1.60 1.80 2.00 2.20 2.40 Binding - will make from customer's fabric or their own: to make and attach Bias 4.00 5.50 7.50 7.50 9.00 9.00 10.75 10.75 12.50 12.50 OnGrn 10.00 12.00 16.00 16.00 20.00 20.00 25.00 25.00 30.00 30.00 Batting - customer may provide: poly is white or black. price may be lower Cotton 1.55 2.85 3.30 4.55 5.50 6.45 7.45 8.45 9.45 10.45 Poly 1.70 2.98 3.60 4.98 6.45 7.60 8.75 9.90 11.10 12.15
Add $4 to $15 if you want them to change thread color while quilting.
Shipping is extra.
They also provide backing fabrics, will scallop edges ($15), and will quilt yardage.
Example #1: My sister's quilt top is 98 x 103", which makes it a Queen. (If I'd put a border on the pillow end, it would have been 103 x 111", a Small King.) I want them to outline a few motifs and let them "use their best judgement" (as a QuiltNetter who has used them says); I provide a yard of fabric for them to make bias binding and attach it; it's a darkish quilt so I want them to use colored thread; I provide the backing but use their batting. They will charge me:
Custom quilt Queen-size: $103.95 Colored thread: 2.00 Bias binding Queen-size: 10.75 Poly batting Queen-size: 9.90< ------ total $126.60, plus shipment back to California
Example #2: My own quilt top is 78x87", what I call Full and they call Reg- ular. I want them to do their "Rock 'N' Roll" allover stitch. It's a dark quilt so I want colored thread; I'll ship them wool batting to use and 1/2 yard of fabric for bias binding. They will charge me:
"B" quilt Regular-size: $32.95 Colored thread: 1.40 Bias binding Reg-size: 9.00 ------ total: $43.35 + shipment to California.
I was surprised they don't charge for their time.
Depending on the type of intricate (or not) quilting one does or what the owner of the top would like, the $10.00 per hour could go up into the thousands of dollars. I did simple outlining of the rings in the white space, which worked very well. The 75 year old owner was simply happy to have it completed - she and her sister started it in 1938!! It also gave me the opportunity to practice my stitching (smile).
They get a fair amount of business.