What would you do?

Great idea. I'm printing these suggestions off. LOL.

That's right Katie. I don't mind the expense or time for family if they take
care of it and act like it's worth more than a faded old rag!

I am so glad I came in here to ask.

Thanks again,
Debbie



I'd just tell her straight: You need to take more care of things that cost
$X00 in materials and take 40-50 hours to make. Then just leave it. Once
you give someone something, it's theirs to do with as they will. But you
don't ever need to make her anything again.

As for the boss quilts: sit down with her, pick out 3-4 patterns and cost
them up in materials. Tell her: This will cost you $X00 in materials, and
will take me 45 hours to make at $Z0 an hour, for a total cost of $Y000.
Each! If she squawks about the costs, just agree and ask her just how
much she loves those bosses! If she tells you you are being mercenary,
just say: For *you*, as a present from me for you to keep, I make for
love. For anyone else, and for you to give to others I don't know and
love, I charge the going rate. And then let her think about it.

--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

$200 minimum.

--
Mary
http://community.webshots.com/user/mardor1948
"Debbie" wrote in message
news:S9KGg.21317$u1.15027@trnddc05...
: Gosh, I feel better. I felt like a whiney butt for even grumbling about
it,
: but when she said she was going to put that one in the yard sale and it
: isn't even a year old yet, my blood pressure hit the roof!!! It was
obvious
: she had no appreciation for my time and effort.
:
: So far I've been making wall hangings to use as throws, they are about
: 68x68. I don't have a clue what to charge. I would estimate about 30???
: hours to put together and stitch in the ditch and stippling and all that
: good stuff. And maybe $30-50 for all materials.
:
: Sorry I can't convert euros. How much is 800 euros?
:
: I was hoping this was a common occurence, so I thank you all for answering
: and so quickly, too!
:
: As it is, I haven't even made my sister or other daughter or sister in
laws
: one yet, and MIL wants one for complete strangers. I can't get all that
done
: before Christmas and family comes first!!! I have no backbone is the
: problem.
:
: What wuld you all charge for a log cabin quilt that size -- roughly? I
was
: thinking $200, but that sounds like a lot. ex. 30 hours x 5.00 an hour +
$50
: in materials.
:
: Debbie
:
:

then tell her you will do it when you have time but you have several quilts
to make for family first. don't give a time line.

--
Mary
http://community.webshots.com/user/mardor1948
"Debbie" wrote in message
news:SbKGg.21319$u1.10906@trnddc05...
:
: "maryd" mardor@*net wrote in message
: ...
: I would be upfront about the costs and include your time. I would also
: tell
: her that you don't have time nor inclination to make a spread, shams,
etc
: having so recently made her the quilt.
:
:
: Ohhhh, Mary, if only I had the nerve. LOL
:
: Debbie
:
:

Debbie wrote:

Gosh, I feel better. I felt like a whiney butt for even grumbling about it,
but when she said she was going to put that one in the yard sale and it
isn't even a year old yet, my blood pressure hit the roof!!! It was obvious
she had no appreciation for my time and effort.

Exactly!

So far I've been making wall hangings to use as throws, they are about
68x68. I don't have a clue what to charge. I would estimate about 30???
hours to put together and stitch in the ditch and stippling and all that
good stuff. And maybe $30-50 for all materials.

If you cost them up properly (DO NOT guess! Look up prices for an
actual pattern!), I'm sure it will come to more.

Sorry I can't convert euros. How much is 800 euros?

$1,030.54

I was hoping this was a common occurence, so I thank you all for answering
and so quickly, too!

As it is, I haven't even made my sister or other daughter or sister in laws
one yet, and MIL wants one for complete strangers. I can't get all that done
before Christmas and family comes first!!! I have no backbone is the
problem.

So tell her they all come first even if she CAN afford it!

What wuld you all charge for a log cabin quilt that size -- roughly? I was
thinking $200, but that sounds like a lot. ex. 30 hours x 5.00 an hour + $50
in materials.

$5 an hour is waaaaay too low for such skilled work. $20 would be
closer to reality.

--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

I'd insist she gave it back *now* not even offer to pay for it! but that's
me. my family knows better than to ask! I made sure of that years ago and my
nephews know it too so *asked* me to teach them to quilt so they could make
their *own* quilts! and for that I will gladly make the time and materials
available!

800 euros is heading towards 1000 dollars give or take a tenner ;-)
materials are expensive here with a king sized batt costing around 100
dollars and fabric costing around 15 depending on the maker.

of course it's not as dear as what I quote but I don't want the neighbours
(since they are the ones who asked LOL) thinking it will cost as much as a
Chinese import one

200 dollars would be too cheap IMO - not enough to really put your MIL off


--
Jessamy
In The Netherlands
Take out: _I love the colour_ to reply.
www.geocities.com/jessamy_thompson
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jes...pson/my_photos
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gosh, I feel better. I felt like a whiney butt for even grumbling about it,
but when she said she was going to put that one in the yard sale and it
isn't even a year old yet, my blood pressure hit the roof!!! It was obvious
she had no appreciation for my time and effort.

So far I've been making wall hangings to use as throws, they are about
68x68. I don't have a clue what to charge. I would estimate about 30???
hours to put together and stitch in the ditch and stippling and all that
good stuff. And maybe $30-50 for all materials.

Sorry I can't convert euros. How much is 800 euros?

I was hoping this was a common occurence, so I thank you all for answering
and so quickly, too!

As it is, I haven't even made my sister or other daughter or sister in laws
one yet, and MIL wants one for complete strangers. I can't get all that done
before Christmas and family comes first!!! I have no backbone is the
problem.

What wuld you all charge for a log cabin quilt that size -- roughly? I was
thinking $200, but that sounds like a lot. ex. 30 hours x 5.00 an hour + $50
in materials.

Debbie

Debbie:
FIVE bucks an hour?! NO WAY!
Figure on TEN dollars minimum.
So, 30 x $10 = $300. Plus, $75 materials.
(I'm including thread, batting, wear and
tear on SM, new rotary blade, along w/
fabric.)
TOTAL: $375.
Personally, I would not do it in this
situation. When my relative asked a
similar 'favor', I sent her some URLs
for "quilts for sale" ... mostly the
high end prices. End of discussion. LOL.
PAT
PS: Remember Nancy Reagan? Just say NO!

Debbie wrote:
Gosh, I feel better. I felt like a whiney butt for even grumbling about it,
but when she said she was going to put that one in the yard sale and it
isn't even a year old yet, my blood pressure hit the roof!!! It was obvious
she had no appreciation for my time and effort.

So far I've been making wall hangings to use as throws, they are about
68x68. I don't have a clue what to charge. I would estimate about 30???
hours to put together and stitch in the ditch and stippling and all that
good stuff. And maybe $30-50 for all materials.


As it is, I haven't even made my sister or other daughter or sister in laws
one yet, and MIL wants one for complete strangers. I can't get all that done
before Christmas and family comes first!!! I have no backbone is the
problem.

What wuld you all charge for a log cabin quilt that size -- roughly? I was
thinking $200, but that sounds like a lot. ex. 30 hours x 5.00 an hour + $50
in materials.

Debbie

I take a slightly different view of this from some of the others who
have responded.
I think that talking about actual costs, in this kind of situation, is
more liable to create bad feeling than it is to solve the problem. For
one thing, people rarely listen to such details - when they don't want
to hear the answers.

I would simply say that you don't want to start making quilts for
people outside the family, even for money. You could direct her to a
local quilt shop who might know of someone who *does* make quilts for
gain; but you could warn her that she might by surprised at how much it
will cost to cover materials + time.

There is a paradox in that she is asking you to make these quilts for
her bosses (and her - again) and yet she has told you she thinks it is a
'cheap idea'. She must think highly of your work at some level.

I wish you well in this awkward situation.
..
In message SrJGg.27251$uV.15838@trnddc08, Debbie
writes
Hi all,

Just thought I'd get some opinions on a problem that has come up.

When people find out you make quilts they all want one. Problem is, I don't
mind making relatives one for free, but my MIL has asked me to make her
bosses one each (she has two bosses) for Christmas. She says she will pay me
for it. If I charged by the time and effort I put into it, she couldn't pay
me for it. I know she's thinking $20-50.

Another thing that has irked me is that I made my MIL one in January and she
informed me (the same day she asked me to make her bosses one and to make
her a bedspread and matching shams for her bed) that she is going to put the
one I made for her in January in a yard sale. I said, "Don't sell it in a
yard sale, I'll buy it back." And she said, "Well, it's faded."
!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How do I get across to her that this stuff takes a lot of time??? She told
me that making quilts for people at Christmas was a *cheap* way to give
presents, too. I don't think she is trying to be mean, but she has no idea
the time and effort that goes into this stuff. Hubby has somewhat of an
idea of how much time and effort I put into it, but he is real protective of
his mother, so I have to approach this delicately. LOL

Thanks for any help and advice you can give me.

Debbie



--
Best Regards
pat on the hill

Here in CA they are talking about $8.00 an hour for *minimum* wage.
Quilt making is much more in the skilled labor range and I would figure
anywhere from $20 - $50 per hour for that. Seriously, don't sell
yourself short!

And if you are tempted to say that your work is only worth peanuts,
remember that you would then also be saying that my work and every other
quilter's work is only worth peanuts too -- does that help you stand up
to MIL? :-)

Anne in CA -- thinking Debbie's MIL should probably go to JC Penney or
WalMart and pick up a couple of $20 "kwiltz" for her Xmas gifts. Oooh.
Bad Anne. Slap.

annerudolph AT comcast DOT net
Disclaimer: Any errors in spelling, fact, or tact are transmission errors.
http://community.webshots.com/user/annerudolph3
http://www.frappr.com/rctq
http://annerudolph.home.comcast.net/anne.htm


Debbie wrote:
some stuff snipped


What wuld you all charge for a log cabin quilt that size -- roughly? I was
thinking $200, but that sounds like a lot. ex. 30 hours x 5.00 an hour + $50
in materials.

Debbie

Whooo-hooo! LOL. That's a lot. I wish I could get that much out of a quilt.
I'd like to do this for a living (and make 30k a year), but we live in a
small town and I just don't know if it would bring that kind of money.

But that is another great suggestion -- I can send the examples and prices
thru e-mail and not have a confrontation!!!

Bawwwccckkk, bawwwccckkk --chicken

Debbie



"Pat in Virginia" wrote in message
news:RvKGg.20359$yO4.14321@dukeread02...
Debbie:
FIVE bucks an hour?! NO WAY!
Figure on TEN dollars minimum.
So, 30 x $10 = $300. Plus, $75 materials.
(I'm including thread, batting, wear and tear on SM, new rotary blade,
along w/ fabric.)
TOTAL: $375.
Personally, I would not do it in this situation. When my relative asked a
similar 'favor', I sent her some URLs for "quilts for sale" ... mostly the
high end prices. End of discussion. LOL.
PAT
PS: Remember Nancy Reagan? Just say NO!

Debbie wrote:
Gosh, I feel better. I felt like a whiney butt for even grumbling about
it, but when she said she was going to put that one in the yard sale and
it isn't even a year old yet, my blood pressure hit the roof!!! It was
obvious she had no appreciation for my time and effort.

So far I've been making wall hangings to use as throws, they are about
68x68. I don't have a clue what to charge. I would estimate about 30???
hours to put together and stitch in the ditch and stippling and all that
good stuff. And maybe $30-50 for all materials.

As it is, I haven't even made my sister or other daughter or sister in
laws one yet, and MIL wants one for complete strangers. I can't get all
that done before Christmas and family comes first!!! I have no backbone
is the problem.

What wuld you all charge for a log cabin quilt that size -- roughly? I
was thinking $200, but that sounds like a lot. ex. 30 hours x 5.00 an
hour + $50 in materials.

Debbie

No Anne, that's true. She could get one at Wal-Mart for 39.99!

I would love to make that much at quilting, but I really don't know if my
area would support the cost. Small town, low income.

Did I say yet that I love this newsgroup? I've been reading off and on for
quite some time, but only recently got an e-mail address that I could send
posts out and not get lots of spam in my regular address.

Debbie

Here in CA they are talking about $8.00 an hour for *minimum* wage. Quilt
making is much more in the skilled labor range and I would figure anywhere
from $20 - $50 per hour for that. Seriously, don't sell yourself short!

And if you are tempted to say that your work is only worth peanuts,
remember that you would then also be saying that my work and every other
quilter's work is only worth peanuts too -- does that help you stand up
to MIL? :-)

Anne in CA -- thinking Debbie's MIL should probably go to JC Penney or
WalMart and pick up a couple of $20 "kwiltz" for her Xmas gifts. Oooh. Bad
Anne. Slap.

annerudolph AT comcast DOT net
Disclaimer: Any errors in spelling, fact, or tact are transmission errors.
http://community.webshots.com/user/annerudolph3
http://www.frappr.com/rctq
http://annerudolph.home.comcast.net/anne.htm