Making quilts for relatives

Remember at Christmas when my Sis asked me to 'make her a quilt' and that
she would be HAPPY to pay me for it........and I thought about it all night
(so I didn't sleep much at that time) and the next day I LISTED what it
would cost in MATERIALS only----and didn't even include how much the batting
or thread or TIME or LABOR would be and that it WOULD have to be sent to MY
QUILTER to be quilted???????

Needless to say------it came back something like: WHOA!!!!!! I don't think
it'd cost that much just for the materials...... just Goggle and the whole
post is there ; )

Nope, I'm not making her a commissioned quilt---maybe someday I might make
her a top and she can get it done where she wants but it is NOT at the top
of my list and yes, I DID tell her that ; )

Butterfly ( Repeat after me: don't do commissions-- no way-- no how-- I'm
flattered that you asked tho : )
"Pat in Virginia" wrote in message
...
Sooner or later I think every quilter gets a request from
family/friends for a commissioned quilt. Now I am faced with one
of those requests. The person wants a queen size quilt in certain
colors in a 'Country' Pattern. "Do you have an extra quilt I
could buy? Or maybe you could make me a quilt?" The email went
on to say ... "If not can you recommend a shop that sells quilts?
Or do you think I'd do better at a Department Store, or perhaps
Walmart, or Target?" (PUHLEEZE!)

I want to say: "I do not have 'extra' quilts." Okay, that is
easy. I then would like to state that while I do not have the
time to do this, I can detail the costs to make one. Then I'd
list the costs of fabric, batting, and a professional long arm
quilter. If anyone has suggestions on those topics, I'm eager to
know. Also, what can I say about WHERE to buy a quilt?

This subject has been discussed here before, but it was quite a
while ago. I do know that some of the remarks were excellent. I'd
like to hear your thoughts again.

Thanks, PAT in VA/USA

you know....i just tell people, that between work, the kids, the house, i wish
i had time to make them one! grin. my goal this year is to make a quilt for
my bed (and its still unstarted, have ot make DS's quilt and a quilt for my
parents...)

i do however, enjoy making and giving quilts. the latest recipient, my
sister's best friend (of 30+ years--since the were in first grade). she loved
it, and appreciates it to the max! my sister has asked for a quilt (she
allready has one....but, hell, one is never enough!). she will also buy the
fabric, ect. IF i ask her too.....

one person asked me to make one on commission-a baby quilt. when i quoted teh
price just for fabric (from LQS, not joann'es or wallyworld). i never heard
from her again...oh well! grin

betsey
betsey
"we do not inherit the earth, we caretake it for our children"

I believe there should be a new chapter in the old assertiveness book.
Many of us have gotten to the point where we're no longer getting
manipulated into doing things we don't want to do. We've got the saying
no part down, and we don't feel guilty. But getting everything we want
out of the interchange remains a difficult. With that in mind, are you
sure you want advice from me? I'm terrible at this. I have the issues
all sorted out, but my emotions don't follow my rational mind on this.


My story is that a cousin asked me to make a quilt for her that she'd
design. I told her in no in the nicest way possible by explaining
gently all the reasons why what she was asking was unreasonable. The
upshot is that I did say no, but she hasn't spoken to me since. She's
made it very clear that she feels she deserves one of my quilts and
wonders that I must hate her or I'd give it to her. I wish she
understood my reasons. I certainly explained them in the gentlest
clearest terms, but she still doesn't get it.


If your relative were a stranger who got your phone number from a third
party, my answer would be to ask you if you want to go into the
commission quilt business. There could be some advantages. You could
get someone else to pay for fabric and supplies while you practiced
technique. You might like doing this sort of work. You might go into
the full-fledged business including advertising around town and on the
web, getting some brochures printed up, building a reputation and making
some money. Nothing wrong with that.


On the other hand, most folks I know have run into significant hurdles
with that business plan. Too many customers have the idea that home
made, home designed quilts should cost as much as the ones in Walmart.
Never having been in a fabric store, they imagine that home made goods
are a great way to save money. I'm sympathetic because I once thought
the same. (Hah!) They've never been to a fabric store so how could
they know? It may be possible to advertise in such a way to find the
customer who's willing to pay the big bucks, but that takes doing. I
certainly don't know anyone who gets paid what her quilts are really worth.


Yet if you're anything like me, that's not really what you're asking.
If that were it, you'd either have said yes and set your price or you'd
have said no with the further advice that Walmart and Target are both
good places to buy quilts, and that would be that. You wouldn't even be
here asking.


I'll go out on a limb here and guess that the real issue is that you'd
like your relatives, the people who are ostensibly closest to you to
understand you and what you're doing.


We'd like people to understand that we love making quilts, but we don't
want that love to be turned into someone else's profit. ("But if you
love making quilts, why don't you make them and give them to me?")


We'd like them to understand that quilts are artistic expressions, not
extra blankets.


We'd like them to know that designing a quilt is where the joy is. (Why
would someone who has never designed a quilt before in her life somehow
be better at choosing fabrics and patterns than someone who has made
many? Look at the number of times the experienced quilters on this list
ask about color or contrast or getting just the right fabric. And
someone who has never done this before is supposed to walk into a fabric
store and choose the fabrics, or, better yet, tell us what fabrics to buy?)


We'd like them to know that our love, dedication, talent and skill are
not for their consumption. We want value, appreciation and respect, not
empty flattery and manipulation.


We'd like them to stop the hell equating OUR quilts with the $%^@*& ones
at Walmart!


Good luck. I said no, but I'm still fuming.


--Lia

Well, if your dad isn't using the quilt, he won't notice if you go and get
it and send it to me. I know I'd use it!

--
LN in NH
a crazy quilter * hand quilter * & hand appliquér
all in all --- a very slow quilter.... So send quilts!
http://photos.yahoo.com/lns_obsessed

"Kathy Applebaum" wrote in message
om...

Now, the "unsuccessful" one. In October, my Dad announced that all he
wanted
for Christmas was "an old bed quilt you aren't using so I can keep warm."
(Two years ago I gave him one of my art quilts, which he clearly didn't
like.) Right, like I have an old bed quilt I'm not using. Or the time to
make a quilt before Christmas. Well, I managed to pull it together and got
a
quilt done. Queen sized, his colors, really nice quilting. Brought it over
on Christmas, he took it and dumped it on the couch without opening it up.
As I said to DH later "well, at least I'll never have to spend time making
another quilt for him."

As to your friend, perhaps they *would* do better at Target.

--
Kathy A. (Woodland, CA)
longarm machine quilting, Queen of Fabric Tramps
http://www.kayneyquilting.com ,
remove the obvious to reply



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It would get used here as well. LOL

--
Mary
http://community.webshots.com/user/mardor1948
"LN (remove NOSPAM)" wrote in message
...
Well, if your dad isn't using the quilt, he won't notice if you go and get
it and send it to me. I know I'd use it!

--
LN in NH
a crazy quilter * hand quilter * & hand appliquér
all in all --- a very slow quilter.... So send quilts!
http://photos.yahoo.com/lns_obsessed

"Kathy Applebaum" wrote in message
om...

Now, the "unsuccessful" one. In October, my Dad announced that all he
wanted
for Christmas was "an old bed quilt you aren't using so I can keep warm."
(Two years ago I gave him one of my art quilts, which he clearly didn't
like.) Right, like I have an old bed quilt I'm not using. Or the time to
make a quilt before Christmas. Well, I managed to pull it together and got
a
quilt done. Queen sized, his colors, really nice quilting. Brought it over
on Christmas, he took it and dumped it on the couch without opening it up.
As I said to DH later "well, at least I'll never have to spend time making
another quilt for him."

As to your friend, perhaps they *would* do better at Target.

--
Kathy A. (Woodland, CA)
longarm machine quilting, Queen of Fabric Tramps
http://www.kayneyquilting.com ,
remove the obvious to reply



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The most IMPORTANT things to do if you are making a quilt for pay, for a
stranger, friend, or relative is to have a written CONTRACT and to collect
money, UP FRONT, for at least the cost of all the materials.

The contract should state that the up front money is NOT REFUNDABLE under
ANY circumstances and that the product will NOT be delivered until it is
wholely paid for and that if it is not paid for, it becomes the property of
the maker.

I have a friend who learned this the hard way. :-(

This sounds harsh, especially when applied to friends and relatives, but it
is important, unless you want to end up paying for a quilt you don't want or
don't like.

--
Teresa in Colorado

http://home.comcast.net/~treesaquilts
The Presser Foot
Sewing Machine Sales, Service, Supplies, and More
www.thepresserfoot.com
--
"Julia Altshuler" wrote in message
news:UofUb.176268$sv6.930852@attbi_s52...
...if you want to go into the
commission quilt business. There could be some advantages. You could
get someone else to pay for fabric and supplies while you practiced
technique. You might like doing this sort of work. You might go into
the full-fledged business including advertising around town and on the
web, getting some brochures printed up, building a reputation and making
some money. Nothing wrong with that.

Funny that this subject should come up today. My dil just said my grandson
could use a quilt like the one I made for a friends grandnephew as a gift.
Told her if she sent the fabric I would see what I could do.

--
Mary
http://community.webshots.com/user/mardor1948
"Teresa in Colorado" wrote in message
...
The most IMPORTANT things to do if you are making a quilt for pay, for a
stranger, friend, or relative is to have a written CONTRACT and to collect
money, UP FRONT, for at least the cost of all the materials.

Mary,
It is OK to beg for fabric.
It is OK to go on a stash raid.
It is OK to have lots of S.E.X.
It is OK to receive squishies.

But, it's going a bit far to ask non-quilters to send you fabric JUST so you
can increase the size of your stash! Shame of you! very very big grin

--
Teresa in Colorado

http://home.comcast.net/~treesaquilts
The Presser Foot
Sewing Machine Sales, Service, Supplies, and More
www.thepresserfoot.com
--
"Mary" wrote in message
...
Funny that this subject should come up today. My dil just said my
grandson
could use a quilt like the one I made for a friends grandnephew as a gift.
Told her if she sent the fabric I would see what I could do.

--
Mary
http://community.webshots.com/user/mardor1948
"Teresa in Colorado" wrote in message
...
The most IMPORTANT things to do if you are making a quilt for pay, for a
stranger, friend, or relative is to have a written CONTRACT and to collect
money, UP FRONT, for at least the cost of all the materials.

Do you charge for tours?

--
LN in NH
a crazy quilter * hand quilter * & hand appliquér
all in all --- a very slow quilter.... So send quilts!
http://photos.yahoo.com/lns_obsessed

" Ellison" wrote in message
. com...
So she looks around my front room and spies
the quilts ......


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Hey, people won't know you want if you don't ask! But you have to be able to
take rejection well.

--
LN in NH (finished quilts squishies. snail avail upon request)


"Taria" wrote in message
...
Timing can be everything when you are dealing with people
who hand craft. I look back and there are babies who I
made a lot of stuff for. It was periods when I had time
or inspiration. Others I just didn't have time. When taking
an heirloom sewing class I did several pretty pieces of
work as gifts. My dad was a carpenter. He was often home
in rainy season which also happened to be near my birthday.
I have several very special pieces he made for me. I think
part of it was time and part of it lack of funds for presents.
Mom always said I was always the one that asked! (heck it
works for LN too) Maybe because of all the sewing I did
around the house he knew I appreciated all the work he put
in too.
Taria

Eli wrote:
It depends on how close of a family member they are.

I know this is going to sound bad, but what I do is make quilts that I
want
to make. Then when my MIL or DS or whomever sees one I'm working on and
they mention that they like it, I give it to them when I'm done.

I find it's too much pressure to make a quilt to someone else's
expectations - whether it be color or pattern or whatever.

Gina in IL





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