New project for the week

My dear daughter-in- law asked me to make some throw pillows and I said yes. Another case of jumping in without looking, for me. When she gave me the dimension of the pillows she wanted, I figured out yardage and told her she needed 8 yards. That's when the penny dropped. The fabric costs $85.00 a yard. I was a bit, no, a lot speechless. I committed my self to this project so I have to carry through.She has agreed to smaller pillows. Thank heavens. She originally wanted 26 squares. She had already ordered 4 yards of fabric. Now she's agreed to 20's. So she'll have enough for me to work with. I have to get some matching thread today, cut out enough fabric for one pillow and see if I can iron on some interfacing to the backs. Actually I'll try to put some interfacing on a small piece first. I'm not sure if will hold. The fabric has an embroidered design that is rather thick on the back as well as the front. I also want to make some cording for the edges. So that means some self bias as well. This will be a slow,very carefully done, project. I wouldn't want to have to replace the fabric if I made a mistake. I'm sitting here laughing at myself because I decided that from now on I will make simpler thing for myself so that I don't have to worry about matching fabric on things and end up running out of fabric. That's what happened with my summer top project. Ran out of fabric and couldn't buy more for the sleeves because there's none available. Yes, there is matching for the pillows but at least the repeat is only 5 inches. Juno

Reply to
Juno
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LOL I find great amusement with this situation. So many times I have had someone request work and find my prices too high back when I foolishly priced item for little more than the cost of good. Last market I sold thought my goods too cheap. I worked hard to find discount priced cloth and added $20/ hour of work. After tripling the price the customer thought my goods might be worth looking. I laughed all the way to the bank. Unfortunately I can no longer travel to sell. Now I need to learn to use the Internet to sell. I am having a hard time overcoming not being able to talk to the customers. Oh, well, that is another story. Part of why I find your story so funny is that not long ago I saw a dress that was suppose to be deep discount. The price was around $100. Then I sat down and figured minimum yardage needed and the least I would expect to pay for such yardage. It turned out that if I really wanted that dress I needed to order it ready made. LOL The cost of materials alone, for me, was more than the cost of the dress. I might be able to create a very similar gown using less expensive materials, but I would not easily find that variety of silk at less than $20/ yd. My calculations had a minimum of 6 yards needed if the bolt was at least 45 in. wide. What little silk I see tends to be 32 to 35 inches wide.

Reply to
Belinda Alene

LOL I find great amusement with this situation. So many times I have had someone request work and find my prices too high back when I foolishly priced item for little more than the cost of good. Last market I sold thought my goods too cheap. I worked hard to find discount priced cloth and added $20/ hour of work. After tripling the price the customer thought my goods might be worth looking. I laughed all the way to the bank. Unfortunately I can no longer travel to sell. Now I need to learn to use the Internet to sell. I am having a hard time overcoming not being able to talk to the customers. Oh, well, that is another story. Part of why I find your story so funny is that not long ago I saw a dress that was suppose to be deep discount. The price was around $100. Then I sat down and figured minimum yardage needed and the least I would expect to pay for such yardage. It turned out that if I really wanted that dress I needed to order it ready made. LOL The cost of materials alone, for me, was more than the cost of the dress. I might be able to create a very similar gown using less expensive materials, but I would not easily find that variety of silk at less than $20/ yd. My calculations had a minimum of 6 yards needed if the bolt was at least 45 in. wide. What little silk I see tends to be 32 to 35 inches wide.

Like you, I have found that usually the cost of making something is more than the cost of buying it already made. Maybe it is because I live where there are a lot of discount stores. So I end up doing a lot of mending and hemming for others, or I make a few of my dressy clothes. Barbara in FL

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Reply to
Bobbie Sews more

What little silk I see tends to be 32

Try Thaisilks.com.

For instance, 45" Habotai:

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And 44"-54" prints:
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44"to 54" Doupioni:
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NAYY,
Reply to
BEI Design

Only in certain types of clothing is this true. Blue jeans have been cheaper to buy ready made than to make for decades. The more popular a given type garment, the less likely it can be home made for less. I create and sell 'costume' type garments to special interest groups.

I make a lot of my every day clothing because I don't care for the styles in the stores. I also do a lot of mending and hemming.

Reply to
Belinda Alene

Thank you for the links.

Reply to
Belinda Alene

:>Belinda Alene wrote: :>>snip> :> What little silk I see tends to be 32 :>> to 35 inches wide. :> :>Try Thaisilks.com. :> :>For instance, 45" Habotai: :>

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:> :>And 44"-54" prints: :>
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:> :>44"to 54" Doupioni: :>
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:> :>NAYY,

:Thank you for the links.

Also look at Dharma trading:

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Reply to
David Scheidt

You're welcome, good luck!

Reply to
BEI Design

I also like Dharma, but they carry almost exclusively white fabrics for dyeing. Which is great if one want to custom dye yards and yards of fabric. :-D

Reply to
BEI Design

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