The Quilters Thread

snoozer

I'm really pleased with the way my quilt is turning out so far - I want tor try and finish the piecing this week and then I have a couple of weeks to quilt and bind it.

[Deleted User]

Hi everyone, Thank you for the good wishes, my eye is doing very well, I can see better than I have been able to do for a long time, great rejoicing when I could see the thread a needle the other day. Just need to try threading my machine now!!

I have everything ready for the stall a week on Tuesday, I just need to sort out how I am going to display stuff.

I need to go into the attic and find a box with some christmas decco stuff in. I will be decorating the dresser top in the sitting room with the little models we got from the US if I can find the box. I think it also has some very small baubles in too that I want to use on the stall.

Yesterday I got a small artificial tree I am going to hang the free standing lace angels on if I can find the invisible thread.

I may have a go at doing some bunting later, I have a cutter that cuts pinked edges which makes life a bit easier,

Now a question, do you think bags of say 100 2-1/2" squares would sell and if so what would be a fair price for them. I also had a thought I could sell kits for the shabby chic cushions that are on my blog. I have some fabric that would do and I can print off the instructions They take a half yard plus a fat quarter of a plainish fabric. They also need about half a yard of wadding 18 inches wide. It would be cheaper not to put the wadding in but for the buyer to supply it. Again how much would you be prepared to pay, bearing in mind that I have three made up cushions complete with pads on the stall at £9.50.......I have a feeling that £9.50 was what I paid for the original kit without the pad.

OK quilters over to you.............

miffy257

Glad you are pleased with your quilt snoozer I sometimes find I get dis- satisfied part way through as I can see all my mistakes. I still need to bind my nieces quilt but I have a sore throat at the moment which is making me feel yeuk:(
Deleted_User glad your eye is better and well done on all the stuff for your stall. I think I would price the bags of squares at about £6 and maybe £8.50 for the cushion kits. It is so hard to price craft items because you can never really get the money for the hours of work you've put in but if you price too high no one buys. Good luck and I hope you make lots of money.:)
Happy Quilting all

[Deleted User]

As we are going to do a stall 'tryout' on the tables in the sewing room I need to clear the Christmas stuff away, have spent all morning ironing bits and strips which has got shoved into a bag. Some bits have been cut into 2 -1/2 inch squares, sole lefyt as strips, I still have 3 stockings to make up if needed. I still have a full bag to go.

The squares I am putting in a bag and selling 100 for £5, I will make sure there is at least 5 or 10 of each pattern.

I really must get into the habit of cutting odd bits up as I cut fabric. Think I need a box to put them in so all I need to do in future is sort them into piles and bag them. hmmmmm might see if I can blag a couple of shoe boxes when I go to town this week.

I have also put on one side some strips of wadding which can be joined to make squares for pot holders etc. I butt the strips up and use a zig zag to join them making sure the centre of the join runs up the centre of the foot on the machine.

System

Have finished Mum's table runner, I'm pleased with it tho I made a pig's ear of the binding - never mind, it's all learning isn't it :rotfl:

She'll notice of course, being a quilter herself, but hopefully she won't say anything too bad!

I'll post it after Christmas as there's a chance she'll see it if I put it on Flickr :eek:

Have moved onto Christmas bunting to decorate the hall and front room - cutting out many many triangles with pinking shears - I'm sure there won't be enough especially if I stitch them together to make it double-sided! Hmm. Need a cheaper source of Christmas fabric, John Lewis is a bit expensive
Happy quilting all, enjoy your stall Deleted_User x

LilacLillie

I'm in need of some help & advice on a quilt please. I've now made about 20 quilts and have gifted them to family members and friends.
My cousin has shown the last 2 I've made and someone is asking if they are for sale.
I'd love to sell them but part of the reason I've only made for friends & family and gifted them is because as you all know they are expensive!
One I made cost well over £100 for materials (it was lovely though).
So I have no idea how to cost them out. I know exactly what I paid for materials but how do I factor in my labour, or don't I?
The 2 in question are both good size singles.
Can anyone advise me or point me in a direction that can help please?
I'm off to Google now.........................
TIA
LL

miffy257

rosyq do you ever buy online, e bay is good for fabric, I tend to buy a lot online and could send you a list of the ones I use. I bet your runner looks good and as you say, you are always improving. I'm never really happy with my stuff as I can see all the mistakes.
Have been sewing all afternoon and finished the little cushion for my great niece's birthday. Here is the link to my Flickr account
https://www.flickr.com/photos/miffy257/15737038260/
Now off to my patchwork club for the evening so will hopefully bind my niece's quilt.
Happy Quilting all

[Deleted User]

LilacLillie wrote: »

I'm in need of some help & advice on a quilt please. I've now made about 20 quilts and have gifted them to family members and friends.
My cousin has shown the last 2 I've made and someone is asking if they are for sale.
I'd love to sell them but part of the reason I've only made for friends & family and gifted them is because as you all know they are expensive!
One I made cost well over £100 for materials (it was lovely though).
So I have no idea how to cost them out. I know exactly what I paid for materials but how do I factor in my labour, or don't I?
The 2 in question are both good size singles.
Can anyone advise me or point me in a direction that can help please?
I'm off to Google now.........................
TIA
LL

You should factor in your time, but you will never get what you should for quilts, I have a quilt I made some years ago, someone asked the price, when I worked it out it was over £1000. People will not pay for hand made stuff when they can go to Matalan and Dunelm and buy quilts made in India and China, even Aldi have been known to sell quilts.



This is the quilt I was asked if I would sell.

snoozer

I made the decision not to sell any quilts because I knew that I'd never be able to price them at a realistic figure. In addition if I give them away it would be a very churlish person to complain about any small errors I might have made (and I always make at least one).


I have considered selling smaller items like Csarina but I wouldn't like to make lots of the same thing - I'm not a fast enough sewer.

LilacLillie

I've had a google and come up with from £10 (ebay) to £hundreds on quilt sites.
I've gone for £75 each because I've decided if they want them enough they are worth at least that, its a fair price.
This, as I said, is the reason I've not sold before.
I used to have a stall at Covent Garden, and a shop in Hackney, in the 80's selling hand crafted knitwear.
Mostly to Americans who knew the value of the products.
I could easily back then sell a jumper for £70, but as I say not to English buyers.
We'll see, lost nothing if they don't like the price.
Thanks for replies
LL