Quilting New Year's Resolutions for 2015???

[Rita C.]

Wow Lois love the fabric for Gabe's quilt!!
Barb

[Rita C.]

The Bionic bags looks great!

[Pamela N.]

Lovely fabric Lois ! Thank you for showing the needle case and pointing me to the Bionic bag pattern by ripstitcher.
Pam

[Geneva C.]

I've been asked to do a commission art quilt. I'm very happy and honored. It's going to be fun too!

Do any of you have a general idea of how to price an art commission quilt?

Thanks!

Geneva

[Lois B.]

How exciting Geneva! I have no idea, but I am interested in what the responses will be.

[Nancy R.]

Congratulations, Geneva! That is so cool and I hope you can share with us what you do. I wish I could help you on the pricing, but I have no idea.

[Nancy R.]

When I was selling different crafts I had to think about things like: how much I spent on materials, how much time I spent making it and what the market would allow. Many times it was double what I spent on materials. I think the first thing I would be asking is how much the person is willing to pay. If it is a corporation--that is really not a problem but then you have to ask what size they want so you have some idea how much you will have to spend for materials and how much time you are going to put into it. I would let them know that materials are not inexpensive and that it is not something that happens overnight. I would keep track of how much you spend (keep receipts and mileage) and keep track of each minute you spend on working on it including how much time you spend getting your materials. Then when you go to collect your money--you will have the proof you need for the pay you expect. Congratulations and have fun. Get them to sign a contract of what you expect and what they expect. Just some thoughts.

[Lorna B.]

Thank you for everyone's kind thoughts. DGS's kidneys are slowly improving and he didn't need dialysis. They are not sure what caused it. Surprisingly they don't think it is the diabetes. Sounds like he'll be hospital another couple weeks. A measure of kidney function is the creatinine, a blood test. Normal is 1. if it is 2 it means the kidneys are functioning about 1/2. His was 8.2 at the worse. It's down to 4 as of yesterday. woohoo!

Geneva, That is awesome. Can't wait to see what you make.

Rita, veggie names must be different here...at least in East Anglia. Turnips are small and have white bottoms and swedes (rutabagas) are large and have yellow bottoms.

I haven't done much of any sewing the last couple weeks. So much for resolutions.

[Annis C.]

Great news, Geneva and Lorna. I have no idea how to price things. That's why I keep most of my quilts or give them away.

The first batch of chicken soup was a success and very much appreciated. It looks like she's going on the Paleo autoimmune diet for awhile so I need to find a few more good recipes.

Only 3 more bindings to sew to the back, then I get to add 10 more projects to my to do list. That will be easy as I have many more than that to do. Some of them close to finished and some not yet started.

[wendy w.]

Good news Lorna, you won't concentrate worrying about your family. Have you over 10 to finish as well? I think we all have loads in our heads to start but I find when I get round to being ready to start one of those it feels like a chore and not as urgent. How do we empty our heads of old ideas?

Geneva how exciting to be commissioned. Ritzy's advice sounds good and much more sensible than just the time and supplies.

[Geneva C.]

I'm glad to hear the Lorna and Annis's family members are doing well. I hopr it continues!

Thank you all for your thoughts on the commission quilt. I'm with Annis, I prefer to give my quilts away! But my husband is the business man and he helped me to figure out a price, then I cut it down! I do have one rule when making a quilt for a client. I do not take any money up front. I learned this the hard way. I expect to make the majority of the design and color placement choices. Of course I take into consideration what the client wants, style, colors, pattern etc. I had a client many years ago that insisted I use a brown as a background for a quilt I designed for her. I tried to explain about light/dark placement and that this would not be the best. She insisted. So I made the quilt, I hated it and she did too! So, now I tell clients, I'll make the quilt and if you don't like it, it's mine. I've never had a problem since!

Yesterday I took my mom, who is not a sewist and will be 86 Sunday, to the hoarder fabric store in Prosser. This place is amazing! She has a wall-o-batiks that is 7 bolts high and about 40-50 feet long. You have to climb a ladder to get the top 3 rows of batiks. I filled some of the holes in the palette that I had pulled from my stash. The client wants the quilt to remind her of the sunsets at her place in Costa Rica. Here is a picture. The blue and green at the top are the borders.



So, today will be spent painting boards for the propane tank cover and sewing!!! Yay!

Take care,

Geneva

[Janet K.]

Lorna and Geneva GOOD NEWS so glad for you both. Janet

[Lois B.]

Lorna & Annis, good hearing positive news for your loved ones.

Geneva, really… " the hoarder fabric store". Sounds like an extremely dangerous place to go. Give me the directions. :silly: hmy: I think it's a good thing that it is thousands of miles away from me. I like the thought process you went through deciding on a price for your work. I don't know much about that but I do that from time memorable so called "women's work" has been priced way, way below it's value. Remember when you price your work you are also saying something about the value of the work of other women/artists.

[Pamela N.]

Lorna and Annis such good news about your family.
Geneva I love your fabric choices, they have lifted my spirit from this dreary winter weather and made me dream of summer.
I wonder where all our quilt ideas go Wendy, for me they seem to disappear if I leave them too long in my head before starting the project.
Pam

[Pamela N.]

Good to hear that things are on the up for both Lorna & Annis.

Lois, (and every/anyone else interested in lots of reading) I came across a very interesting book last year 'Women's Work. The first 20,000 years. Women, Cloth, and Society in Early Times' by Elizabeth Wayland Barber. It is fascinating reading, including the old saying
'Men may work from sun to sun,
But women's work is never done'