What am I missing?

[Joan@DebtofGratitude]

I read the post (and its linked article) about pricing of quilts and feel like I'm missing something.

The article's author notes she estimates slightly more than $100 in supplies for an average quilt (including rotary blades, needles, etc.) I just spent $200 on soft goods alone for an 80" X 80" gift quilt . (Batting, thread, 5 yards of Moda fabric for the backing, 8 Moda charm packs for the front, 1/2 yard Moda fabric for the binding).

I realize pre-cuts are more expensive than yardage and I'm paying full retail -- and in many instances, shipping for online purchases. But how in the world do you make a quilt cost effectively without using all scraps or all clearance fabric (which never seems to be the patterns/colors I'm looking for)?

Honestly, I can't imagine selling a quilt. There are so many sunk costs and so many hours. If I charged $600-$800 it wouldn't feel "worth it" to me, and yet I see quilts all over Etsy for around $300. (I see why it drives the author crazy!) And I don't think I'm terribly slow . . . the quilt I just referenced took me about 30-32 hours. At $10 an hour plus supplies that adds up to more than $500 with no overhead.

What am I missing?

(PS: What I'm NOT missing is the priceless opportunity to thrill friends and family with gift quilts. I'm a newbie, but I've already given away six quilts and the reaction of the recipient is truly invaluable to me.)

[Lisapc]

I do use precuts but only buy them when they are a DD here of my LQS has a sale. I always try thousandsofbolts.com for solids and any other coordinating fabric first. You just can't beat there prices for quality fabrics. There is also marshalls dry good and a couple of other sources.

I think $200 is really a lot for supplies. I also think that a quilt is worth what someone will pay. I think selling a quilt starts out as a way to fund the addiction and not an income.

Quilting is making my Christmas shopping much easier this year. Everyone is getting a lap quilt and a gift card. They will all be different and they will all go crazy. I am very happy to make them happy and cozy in the winter.

I was always taught you take your materials and multiply it by 2.5 or 3. Frankly I think it depends on the work involved. JRR would probably be a 2.5 equation and a big star a 3.

I think I just confused you more.

[Joan@DebtofGratitude]

I think $200 is a lot, too! I just haven't figured out how to shop better, I suppose.

What is JRR and big star?

[Roxanne]

I read an article on the internet a while back on how to price your quilts (assuming you haven't kept track of what you spent). I can't find the article again but I wrote down what she said - She said to take the square inches of your quilt x 3 divided by 1440 x $12 (or whatever you think is a fair price per yard for fabric), add the batting cost and the thread cost for quilting. For example a 40 x 60 quilt would be 2400 square inches x 3 and divided by 1440 would be 5 x $12 would be $60. This gives you the cost of your fabric, then you add in the batting and thread and whatever you want to charge for your time. I know I am not good about keeping track of fabric cost so this helps me to get some idea of what it is worth.

[Lisapc]

Jelly Roll Race and Big star are the lazy way of saying jelly roll race quilt pattern.

I am a huge bargain hunter and I honestly only buy on sale. Those websites I mentioned, the DD here, the LQS sales and even Joann's for Kona solids with a coupon. It is doable but you have to be willing to shop around. I just got a whole bolt of Kona white with a 50% coupon at Joann's. Such a steal.

I just can't imagine paying retail. Now that I said that when I buy a Jelly roll or layer cake here I try to always buy 2 yrd of coordinating fabric at that time. Only full price I ever want to pay.

[Davidsgirl08]

This is why I don't sell quilts, you haven't even taken in the cost of quilting. I know someone here that paid $500 to get a queen size quilt quilted. I like making quilts I try not to concentrate on the money aspect of it. Works for me!

[alliek]

Wow I never thought to sell anyone a quilt. I make them for gifts or just to give to others or if I don't like the way something came out I keep it for myself! LOL. I do know that when I wander around Lancaster county and look at all the quilts for sale, whether in the "main tourist" areas or owner sold, they are up there. However, I surely can appreciate the work that went into those beautiful quilts and they are worth the price most of the time. What I found "overpriced" in that market were the table runners and smaller items, which most times are not quilted and sold in souvenir type shops. Well I'm starting to ramble here, so everyone, Happy Quilting Day.

[Hulamoon]

There are a couple of Etsy sellers that just use a charm pack (for baby quilts) with simple quilting and charge about $140. They do sell.

[Alana]

I have sold a few quilts. Depending on whether it's a custom quilt or just one I already have will determine the price in most cases. I did a baby crib size and it was $200 because the fabric she wanted was more expensive. Also have sold a lap top for$95 because the fabric was cheaper and the pattern less work. I have sold others too but I think it all depends on what you think the value is with the costs and your time. If someone wants a quilt and I think it's worth $300 that's the price I tell them. If they buy it fine, if not then I still have a soft and gorgeous quilt that someone else may buy or I may give as a gift.

[nyscpa2be]

I don't like the equation above using area of quilt divided by 1440 times $12 a yard. Because - the quilt instructions often start with (say) 14 fat quarters. But the actual amount of FQ used may not equal a full FQ. To me, the extra is a bonus for the scrap pile, but then costing that to a different project is too tough. Seriously, I have taken cost accounting classes - re-costing scrap is one of the toughest principles, so to bring that down to hobby quilting, where the production is slower than manufacturing, does not make sense to me at all. So, if I buy a few FQs or a few Charm Packs for a quilt that is for sale, the entire cost of that FQ or CP or JR or LC is going to that quilt, unless the actual amount used is 25% or less.