Friday, March 27, 2015

What does it cost??


These days are just jam packed with activity. I wonder why or how that happens?  I guess it boils down to having several part time jobs and still trying to do my own thing!!   Well the part time job show cased today is quilting. Here is the latest group of quilts that I have quilted.


Customer quilt - done  (so cute with snowflake design)

Customer quilt - done (spider web design with invisible thread!)  The one time that I like using invisible thread

Customer quilt (OK - table runner) - DONE - well it was loaded on the long arm here

Now it is done!   That is one LONG table runner

Nice leafy design

Customer quilt - done
 This quilt is bigger than you think it is. It is 81 by 87 and guess what the backing was?  Yep - minky!!!  Do you know how wide minky is?  It is 60 inches wide. So yes - I had to join the back. Well, I must be getting really good at it, because I had to put two seams into the back and it loaded on the long arm no problem. It also quilted up like a dream. But it is going to be a heavy quilt - it had batting in it as well!!!!

Joined seam in the backing - yes I used orange thread (that was in the serger at the time) - you CANNOT see the thread from the other side

The quilting


 Many people are curious what it costs to have a quilt quilted on the long arm quilt and since I am sharing some of the quilts I have done recently, I thought I would share with you what it costs.

Not that I am looking for new business - I have 30 + customer items that are waiting to be quilted - never mind my own stuff which is way more than 30!!!!   So if you want a quilt done - I am booking into August (very few) and September (back up to speed) - hey there is a lot of retreats and summer vacation plans in there.


Let's say that you have a lap quilt like my generous lap which measures 60 by 72. For an over all design which works in MOST situations, I charge $2.75 per square foot regardless of the density of the pattern. I use hand guided patterns NOT a computer so the design will not be perfect, but close!

The first thing with my example is to figure out how many square feet in the quilt. (some quilters charge by the square inch)

1, Multiply the length by width (60 by 72) = 4,320 square inches
2. Divide the number from  Step One by 144 (number of square inches in a square foot) = 30 sq feet
3. Multiply the number from Step Two by $2.75 = $82.50 to have the quilt quilted in an over all design.

I trim the quilts so they are ready to be bound (I will be having a BIG discussion on the blog about binding next week, as well as a tutorial for making binding). The trimming is included in the $82.50. You can choose the pattern and the thread colour or leave it up to me. The cost of the thread is also included in the $82.50.

I have batting (Hobbs 80/20) if you want to purchase or you supply your own. The three layers (top, backing and batting MUST be separate).

I will make the backing for $10 and I will make the binding ($10) and sew it on ($10), computer designed labels ($5).

Custom work starts at $4.00 a square foot. I do NOT do dense (heirloom) quilting for customers. It is very time consuming and I don't have time to do it and it is very expensive.


I do believe that all long arm quilters have a minimum. price. In other words - you cannot bring me a 12 inch square and expect to pay $2.75.  Nope - my minimum is $35 which is very low. So anything smaller than 40 by 45 will be the same price - baby quilts, table runners - $35 each.


Anyway - I hope that answers your burning questions regarding the cost of long arm quilting.

Don't forget the Etobicoke Quilt Show opens TODAY!!!!!   It runs for three days - Friday, Saturday and Sunday.    Remember to take your camera - you want detail pictures of quilting designs that you like and dislike. Take pictures for colour combinations - again - those that you like and those you dislike. You are NOT allowed to criticize someone else's quilt. You are allowed to make comments and suggestions for YOUR learning purposes only. Instead of saying - I don't like that - you MUST state WHY - if not - you are not learning anything!!!!   Get the pictures printed. Use them as inspiration to develop your own quilting designs. Put your new designs in your inspiration book.

Visit the vendors - some great vendors - I must leave my credit card at home!!!!

The Etobicoke Quilters' Guild


 
presents a Quilt Show and Merchants Mall
to celebrate their 40th Anniversary.

Friday March 27 10-5
Saturday March 28 10-5
Sunday March 29 10-4

 

Highlights:

Vendors, raffles for handmade quilts, handcrafted items for sale and a tea room.

Vendors:


  • SOFT IMPRESSIONS BY LISA

Location:

Located in our community art space, Neilson Park Creative Centre, Etobicoke, ON. www.neilsonparkcreativecentre.com 
 


  On that note - I had better get moving. It's going to be a nutso day and I have lots of looming deadlines - OK - so I missed the first deadline. Now working on the contingency deadlines!!!!
Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ciao!!!!!!!!




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