what is a fair price to charge for maching piecing?

I would just charge an hourly rate, Judy. You could look around, in adverts and such, to see if you can find what a sensible rate was for skilled work. Here I think it would be about $25? but your cost of living varies so much across the country - Texas might be a lot more? As it is a friend, you might well want to reduce the rate - 'mates rates' we call that here. You could do a trial block, see how long that takes you; multiply that by the number of blocks; that would enable you to give your friend a figure ahead of time. You might want to add a little margin for electricity use. . In message , judy in fort worth writes

Sewing for "friends" is a really tricky thing to do. I have a GOOD friend I'd sew for and she cleaned my house and did my laundry while I sewed on her projects. That worked out well for both of us. Most of my friends paid my going rate without batting an eye. I've also had *friends* that balked at even a more than fair quote, they were then put in the category of "acquaintance" and it was take it or leave it. Federal minimum wage is $5.85/hour and that's for unskilled and/or under appreciated labor. You'll be charging for time, labor, skill and talent. I sewed for either love/friendship OR money, I didn't blur those borders. Frankly, I don't have that much goodness in my heart to sew cheap or free for many *friends*. I am now in a position to sew strictly in the "because I wanna" category so I'm a little jaded after sewing for years to make ends meet. I also no longer fix, alter or mend ANYTHING of any kind for anyone. Well, except for a recent, just before bedtime emergency surgical repair on a fuzzy, yellow elephant owned by the little fella, with big brown eyes, who lives down the hall.....I got a sloppy kiss and big hug for that 30 minute project, more than a fair price in my book ;) Sometimes it's just impossible to uphold your high, chiseled in stone, standards with somebody in jammies who stands (in his darling little bare feet) under 3 feet in height *sigh*

Are you going to have to also cut the pieces as well as sew/piece them? Is it a really futzy pattern? Maybe you could tell her that you'll either charge her by the hour or 1-2 dollars per piece (if it has lots of little pieces and curves and such I'd make it $2 a piece) or keep track of both and charge her whichever comes out the most or least, you choose which way you want to go after you look at the pattern and before you give her the quote.

You might also call some quilt shops and ask what somebody might charge for this service to get an idea what a going rate is in your area.

JMPO, YMMV, Val

Judy Martin is right proud of her tops. Sheesh. Most could be made in a full-charge speed piecing weekend. While all of them are very nice, none of them were any great masterpiece. I *know* you are paying for her name....... but still. VBG I guess I'm too darn cheap to ever buy a quilt or top. And that's why I started making my own quilts......

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

Hi Judy - all depends on the complexicity of the design, size of finished, sashings, borders, template or rotary cutting, etc. etc. I usually have a fixed rate in my head for any project - the number of hours doesn't factor into it for me because I don't want to be tied down to a deadline - with health problems, I just don't know when I will want to sew or even think about it. It did take me 5yrs to complete the church quilt because I just wasn't up to thinking about the details for some very long periods - normally this size of quilt would have only taken me a matter of months once I had the fabrics selected, etc. Talk with your friend first and ask her what she considers a 'fair' price for the work - then discuss the options with her if you really do feel insulted by her estimate .... I would also get estimates from various long-arm quilters for the size and detail of the quilting that she expects to have done so that she can decide whether or not to go ahead with the project. There are so many factors involved that only you know how to fairly price your work and that is only after the design of the quilt has been decided on. jennellh (@gmail.com)

........cut...

I agree with Pat -- an hourly rate is probably best. You can keep track of how many hours it takes you to make the quilt, and total them up for your friend. BTW, if your friend is providing the fabric, is she also providing the thread? If not, you'll need to add a bit for that, too!

Is she going to buy the fabric or will you have to shop for it? How hard is the pattern? Are the colors she wants something you enjoy working with? Is it a project you are going to enjoy doing?

Julia > I have been asked to machine piece a quilt top for a friend. She will

Wow!! They don't look THAT intricate or hard to do ... perhaps I'm seeing'em with a jaundiced eye? I mean, $2500 for an UNQUILTED top??? Wow. But maybe it's packaged with hundred dollar bills as cushioning?? ;)

Don't get me wrong - I do love her quilts, but they're still on the simple (but time-consuming) end of the spectrum. So yep, I guess you're paying for the name. :/

Some of them are quilted. The ones that are not are clearly marked that way. She has a really good machine quilter who does most of her quilts. Not that I wouls still pay $2500 for a quilt....but it IS quilted. BUT there IS an unquilted top that is $2000.....called "Unfolding Star" a lone star variation.

Yes, but I still couldn't see paying even $800 for a NEW unquilted top.

And as for the pattern, I wouldn't pay that much for a Lone Star - maybe a Dahlia but not a Lone Star. But then, I've done LSs and have never been able to do a Dahlia! :)

Me either.....just wanted to clear up that the most expensive pieces were finished quilts. Pricey, yet finished. :-)

First off, I wouldn't do it. However, if you choose to do so, you should charge at least 2 times the minimum wage per hour!