Commissioning Quilts -- Are you Good Enough?

No, I'm not good enough to be paid to make quilts, but I have made 2 quilts for a friend just this month. I said I would help her, but ended up ding the lot except for the actual quilting - she took it to another woman with a long arm quilt machine. It turned out really good (I think so) and she asked me to make 4 more - I said No, but I will guide and advise her when she makes them.

How sad for the lady who waited for the quilt. Can it be repaired?

For me, it depends on the quilt requirement and the customer. I prefer to have a friend or someone see one of my quilts and ask if it is for sale. I certainly, for one, wouldn't make a business of it, but I am flattered when someone wants to buy one. I have sold two this last year this way. My most stressful job was when my guild asked me to make the 'raffle quilt' for a show, there was a time line, it had to be of original design, and a subject topic. I agonised for

5 weeks on the design. Then, once I got going, I relaxed. End story, everyone loved it and I was pleased with the work-woman-ship. I gather the winner loved it too. My recent puppy dog quilt that was commissioned for a tennis buddy was fun to do, she kept saying she loved my work....so that was no pressure at all. I love giving my quilts away to dear friends. Their pleasure is worth more than the money of a commission with its little dramas. Cheers Bronnie

This is a related sort of situation. I used to work in the remodeling business. I had to do a good enough job that everybody was satisfied, as referrals were the lifeblood of my business. I did not use advertising. So I had to be good and "make it right". There are a lot of people who are in "business" by simply buying of a stack of business cards and placing a few cheap adds in various publications, and that seems to constitute professionalism. The only way you can be sure, if the person is up to your standards, is to ask for referrals of satisfied customers, and take a look at their work. If you like what you see, then it should work out fine. If you make the decision based on the appearance of an add or business card, then you are probably asking for chance to enter into the equation. This applies to any sort of service that one would seek to have done for them. That is one truth that is constant throughout the world of commerce. John

On Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:24:46 -0600, Sherry wrote (in article ):

Well, Sherry. I hope I recognize when my work is not up to par. I often feel it's not good enough. That's one reason why I've decided I will never quilt for money.

I love quilting. I love playing with the fabric. I love the whole process. But I'm the first to admit, I don't always do it well. I'm beginning to wonder if I'm just too impatient and wanting to get the quilt done, so I make little mistakes that add up to less than great workmanship.

Maureen

Sherry, there's been quite a discussion begun by EP on 2/19 'How long and how much'. Lots have chimed in with opinions and, to our credit, have disagreed without being disagreeable. You'll want to read through it when you have time. IF we're just talking about crib quilts, it's easy enough to have 5 or 6 completed. When someone asks to buy one, they can simply come by and see if there's one they like. That's a 'no stress' option. As to your question " are you Good enough?" . . . heck, no. Polly

I agree with Maureen on this. I love to quilt and always give as gifts. I made a couple of purses/quilts for pay and hated everything about the process. It made the projects no fun (which is why I quilt!).

Maureen Wozniak wrote:

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There are few true craftsmen left in the construction business. My dad is 85 and was a carpenter/contractor for a lot of years. My brothers carry on the business. They spent a lot of time working on homes hanging over Laguna Beach and other very high end pricey places. They had a lot of work because they were and hired craftsmen. They finally gave up and have gone over to commercial work. It just is easier all around. I have heard a lot of horror stories. Seen some of them. When the low bid, fly by night fellow messed up they would call in my brothers. I am hesitant to hire anyone here in my area for a couple of reasons. I don't speak spanish and that is all there are here. (I am in the cheap seat of so cal) The second is although the family doesn't have time or interest in helping with work they will criticize it. Finding quality craftsmen like you John is tougher all the time. They just are tough to find. Taria

This is a related sort of situation. I used to work in the remodeling business. I had to do a good enough job that everybody was satisfied, as referrals were the lifeblood of my business. I did not use advertising. So I had to be good and "make it right". There are a lot of people who are in "business" by simply buying of a stack of business cards and placing a few cheap adds in various publications, and that seems to constitute professionalism. The only way you can be sure, if the person is up to your standards, is to ask for referrals of satisfied customers, and take a look at their work. If you like what you see, then it should work out fine. If you make the decision based on the appearance of an add or business card, then you are probably asking for chance to enter into the equation. This applies to any sort of service that one would seek to have done for them. That is one truth that is constant throughout the world of commerce. John

I love to sew. My first pay check was when I was 14 or so and sewed baby blankets/comforters for a company called Nojo. I have sewn thousands of simple backpacks for a bicycle company. I have sold stuff in lots of craft fairs and shops. I even had my own shop for awhile. I realized liking to sew doesn't mean I like to do it for money. Not everything you enjoy in this life has to be done for money. (and often it probably shouldn't) lol

If someone asks me to sew something for money I generally just decline and give them some references. I did some baby quilts for my niece's mil but I did them for free since they for her grand daughters, my grand nieces. It was fun and I think she was happy. I just don't look at my sewing as an income and that works out better all around. DH has the attitude hobbies cost money and should be enjoyed. I like that as a way to go. Works for me. I am good enough but you can't make me. Taria

One of the joys in my life, is that now, after retirement, I can focus on doing the things that require so much time and attention to detail that they are "cost prohibitive" in a commercial sense. I never thought that "good enough" was ever good enough. So now I can rip it apart and do it over if it doesn't meet my ever increasingly higher standards. Pretty soon, I won't even be able to afford myself. I guess that is when I will know I have really made a "perfect" job of it. Or is that the Zen Master in me, rearing it's head? John

LOL. You nailed it, John. That's why I don't sew clothes for me anymore. I can't afford myself. Polly

"John" One of the joys in my life, is that now, after retirement, I can focus on doing the things that require so much time and attention to detail that they are "cost prohibitive" in a commercial sense. I never thought that "good enough" was ever good enough. So now I can rip it apart and do it over if it doesn't meet my ever increasingly higher standards. Pretty soon, I won't even be able to afford myself. I guess that is when I will know I have really made a "perfect" job of it. Or is that the Zen Master in me, rearing it's head? John

LOL. That's *good*. Polly

Yes, I'm good enough. No, I don't do commissions. For me, that takes all the fun out of it. But if there's a finished quilt somebody wants to pay a fair price for, I have been known to sell.

A dear friend >This is the little voice in my head everytime I'm asked to to a quilt

LOL I don't know. Are you a Virgo? As long as Lois can afford you then things will be good. Taria

One of the joys in my life, is that now, after retirement, I can focus on doing the things that require so much time and attention to detail that they are "cost prohibitive" in a commercial sense. I never thought that "good enough" was ever good enough. So now I can rip it apart and do it over if it doesn't meet my ever increasingly higher standards. Pretty soon, I won't even be able to afford myself. I guess that is when I will know I have really made a "perfect" job of it. Or is that the Zen Master in me, rearing it's head? John

No, I'm not good enough to quilt for money. My quilts are so full of mistakes, most of which I never see until years later looking at photos. I give away most of what I make, and even then I worry that it's not good enough. If a friend wants a specific quilt, I typically ask them to pick fabric and buy it because I'm really broke, LOL. But mostly I quilt because I love fabric and color and soft things in my hands and making marks and seeing them there on beautiful fabric.

Sunny

It sounds to me like you have the personal character, as well as the knowledge of the limitations of your skills (we all have limitations) to be a responsible professional with whatever skills you have.

If you ask me, that was what was lacking in the person responsible for that terribly flawed quilt you describe --- she lacked the character of a professional. She apparently had some personality problems as well, whether it was a matter poor social skills or a sort of conceitedness.

Again, we all have limitations on our skills, knowledge, expertise, etc. F'rinstance, I have the reputation among my lawyer colleagues of having a very good legal mind. I have a certain amount of expertise with civil rights law, class actions, mass torts, securities law, consumer protection, etc., etc. I'm a good legal writer on a wide varieity of legal issues. But if a lawyer comes to me and says they need me to do some consulting on a tax issue, no way. I don't do tax law. Period.

So it was the same thing when I gradually decided to take the commission for these six memorial quilts I'm doing. I brought a stack of quilting magazines to our first meeting, with a few simple patchwork patterns I felt competent to do. Fortunately, she fell in love with a particular Wild Goose Chase, and the more I work on it, the more I think she made a superb choice for this particular project.

While she was thumbing through those magazines, she'd say, "I don't like that at all," "I love that!", "Could you do something like that?" And I answered honestly: "That's a very traditional pattern. I'd love to do that for you"; "Yes, that's lovely. It' also waaaay beyond my skill level. [lol]"

I don't know any more about doing applique than I do about tax law. I don't know how to do curved patchwork or diamonds. But I know I'm precise and patient with squares, triangle, borders, sashing, etc., and I recognize the patchwork designs I can do when I see them. I also have a good idea of my limitations with respect to color and my strengths with respect to proportion. I've always had less talent for color, as an oil painter, but I've always had a pretty good eye for proportions. This carries over into my quilting work. I also am a novice at machine quilting, but I'm getting better, and if I'm not confident by the time we get to that point with these quilts, I'll say so and engage a long-arm quilter for the client, as I've already explained to her.

I learned early on as a professional that one must know ones weaknesses as well as ones strengths. Furthermore, one must be able to effectively

*convey* ones weaknesses and ones strengths to colleagues and clients in a professional manner. On the one hand, I don't pretend I know how to do things I don't know how to do. On the other hand, I know how to "sell" my strengths. I also have a pretty good idea of when to say, "I don't know how to do that, but I could learn."

It's a matter of professionalism, self-confidence, and lack of conceit -- the things that make up character. And it's also a matter of whether one actually wants to do ones art for hire. I believe I totally understand the folks here who don't want to spoil the pleasure they take in quiltmaking by doing it for hire. I hope they also can manage to respect my choice to give it a try since this simple commission and delightful client have unexpectedly come my way.

And don't get me started on how society has traditionally undermined the self-confidence of women in professions, and undervalued work that is traditionally identified with women -- like quiltmaking.

ep

Howdy!

Yes.

I'm good enough as a quilter, & as a professional business person.

Without going thru' all the calculations of time or inches of thread, when I'm asked to quilt a quilt, I inspect the quilt top first (lesson learned), and quote a price for a Finished quilt (heirloom quality), including binding. I know what I'm happy with in $$$, I know what I can do, how fast I am, and that my handquilting is good. I don't have to hem-&-haw and dig my toe in the dirt; a professional should know what she can do well, and I do, no false modesty required. Included in the Finished quilt are the batting & backing, binding, and all the hand-quilting. I don't like to piece tops for other people; as Bronnie says, if someone wants one of my Finished quilts, we can discuss it and come to terms. No is no, friendly & firm. I have made quilts by request, just prefer to make what I like. For me: quilting is quilting; it's not lawyering, or babysitting, or nursing, or engineering, or tutoring, or carpentry, or anything else that requires me to sit down & figure out how to bill by the hour or the board foot. After

20+ yrs of selling my work, crafts, skills, quilts, this works for me. I only do as much as pleases me; many projects get declined, & referred to others who are more in the biz than I. Quilting is a joy, a passion, a delight; making money from it is a bonus!

"Quilt what you like; like what you quilt."

Ragmop/Sandy

Nope. Libra. And very well balanced. Although, not according to my wife. John

You are a first-rate example of somebody who is an expert quilter and knows what it costs to make a quilt! You know what quilts you want to do and which ones you don't. More power to you!

If I'm more comfortable billing by time, more power to me, okay? It's not a matter of "lawyering" (I can't help but take that as a dig at me); it's a matter of what business model we choose.

Judging from the response I got to the memorandum of what it takes to make a quilt, it appears that plenty of other people here are looking for a business model. Some like my way of doing business, even if they aren't "lawyering." Many will be more comfortable with your business model. If I used your business model at this stage of my experience and skills, I'd end up working for minimum wage or less.

I have just tried to offer what I'm good at. I was very gratified by the response I had at first. But now I feel like I'm being told I don't know what I'm doing (fortunately, I know better), and "You'll be sorry!!!!" (which is not a nice thing to say in this or any other context). It's nothing personal to you, it's more of a cumulative effect of the pile-up of some of the responses I'm getting, some of which (not yours!) are starting to seem like just sour grapes.

I'm starting to feel like my skin is getting thinner. Give me a break, y'all, okay? I was just trying to help and ask for suggestions.

ep

I know I'm good enough- it's the clients... are *they* good enough? I have done about ten commissions over the years. Each one turned out to be a disappointment for the client. And not because of me! I did a very good job of the piecing/appliqué using the fabrics the client chose in the positions they chose and the patterns they chose. I followed their 'orders'- exactly.

And there's the problem. I have the experience to know how fabrics go together and how colors work together and what patterns work for which prints, etc. The client didn't. They chose colors that didn't work well- too many large prints (or tiny prints)or a solid that looked 'flat' with the other fabrics. By micromanaging me, the client lost out on taking advantage of my experience and knowledge. I tried to guide them, but.....

I do not do commission work for pay- not any amount. I love to give away my finished projects and that's what I do and will do.

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO. .