This site contains affiliate links from which we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!Welcome to Day 2 of How to Earn $ From Sewing and Quilting! Today I am sharing a bit about my story… I have been selling handmade items since I was a...
Kathy Schwartz has owned her own longarm quilting business, Tamarack Shack Longarm Quilting, for more than nine years. She lives in Ontario, Canada and has a loyal following on the internet who enjoy seeing her signature style of quilting. We recently asked her a few questions...
We sat down recently with Linda Gibbons from Lake Wylie, South Carolina to talk to her about her machine quilting business. We wanted to know a little more about how she got started quilting for others and what thoughts she had about her success.
How to buy fabric wholesale as a retailer or manufacturer
Well, when I checked in with a few of you in the break room a few weeks ago, I discovered that many of you are totally The Last Donut type of people. Gurl, I hear ya, sometimes you just gotta do, w…
Cristina Arcenegui Bono discovered that she preferred the machine quilting to piecing quilts that opened a world of art to her.
Marcus Brothers - Enduring Legacies - Judie Rothermel - - - - - - - - - - - Follow us between post on Facebook and Instagram
This is the final quilt I pieced for market–“My Log Cabin” by Joanna Figueroa. The quilt was pieced using a honey bun of Joanna’s newest collection, Butterscotch & Rose which is a delightful blend of traditional Fig Tree patterns and colors. Joanna’s signature cream that comes with the collection was used for the background. Joanna’s […]
Cristina Arcenegui Bono discovered that she preferred the machine quilting to piecing quilts that opened a world of art to her.
Cristina Arcenegui Bono discovered that she preferred the machine quilting to piecing quilts that opened a world of art to her.
Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission from the sale if you click through and purchase. Do you label every quilt you make? I have to be honest... I don't! If this is the first you're hear about labeling your quilts here is article with a full history. We really should label the quilts we make though! Imagine years down the road, someone finds this quilt but has no idea why it's so special, who it was made for or who it was made by. Today I am sharing a quick and easy way to label your handmade quilts! Let's jump in. There are a lot of different options for labels! Here are just a few I have tried in the past: Custom order tags Custom order ribbons Hand written Printed Sewn into the corner Sewn on as a patch When I first started quilting I labeled my quilts by hand! You can use some of these archival pens to write a label and then applique it onto the back of your quilt. Hot tip - tape your fabric onto some lined notebook paper or graph paper to keep all your words in line! (The pens above say they are not recommended for fabric, but I've used them on fabric and it's been fine!) (I'm just realizing in this moment I have been quilting for almost twenty years!) In the early days of my business I used these custom made tags that I would stitch onto the back or into the seams of my quilts. I made custom quilts, baby shoes, pillows and Christmas stockings I sold on Etsy and these labels were super simple to throw on! I found these on Etsy from another maker. But my favorite way to label a quilt is with a printed label! I use my home printer to print on my regular, quilters cotton fabric. I'm not guaranteeing that this will work with every printer so test this out at your own risk! I'm using an older HP Office Jet printer. Here's a step by step: Type up the words you want on your quilt label: This is totally custom, but make sure you include your information as the maker on the label. For this example I'm using a favorite fictional character to show you how I typically label baby quilts. You can include some words from your own heart or your favorite quote to add a nice personal touch! The program I'm using is set for an 8.5 x 11 piece of paper, so I eyeballed the center and where I knew the fabric will be taped down. Then I typed the words. (You'll see why my text is at an angle later on!) The label on the left will be sewn into the corner and the label on the right will be applique. Tape your fabric to your paper: You want most of the edges fixed down and to be sure the fabric is as flat as it can be. I eyeballed the placement of the fabric based on where it is in my document but also left some wiggle room when I cut my square in case I needed to trim it once it was printed. You also need to consider how the paper feeds through your printer! Run a test sheet through to see where the top of your paper comes out. Print your label: You can run a test piece of plain paper through the print first to check where your fabric is located and the size of your text. Then run the paper through with you fabric taped on! I've tried iron-on printed sheets and in my experience they just do not hold up to washes! This method words better in my opinion. Trim and prep your label: For this first label I am going to sew it into the corner on the back of the quilt so I pressed it in half and pinned it to my quilt. Then when I attached the binding I made sure to catch the two raw edges with the binding so it would be sewn down. You can hand stitch the folded edge down to finish it off or leave it open like a pocket. You're done! (Here's a sample of what it looks like when you sew down the folded edge) The second option is to press all four edges of the label. Next, pin it to the back side of your quilt and hand stitch around all four edges. This is more like a patch you are adding to the back. You can also add a border if you have some extra fabric scraps laying around like I did here on these patches for our boys! I've washed these quilts several times and the ink has stayed from my printed label. So what do you think? Ready to try this out for yourself? You might also enjoy reading: How to Repair a Quilt What is Modern Quilting? Crazy Quilts: A Family History
One thing that has surprised me about being in the quilt pattern business is the number of emails I get from people asking for opinions on what to choose for a quilt backing. As someone for whom the backing is almost an after thought, something I usually decide towards the end (and preferably something I […]
Sewing business has become one of the most widespread service business today. If you enjoy sewing, learn how to start a profitable sewing business from home.
Selling quilts can be a difficult, as it's harder to find customers willing to pay the true price of a handmade quilt. These 6 steps will help you succeed.
Creating a quilt without a pattern can be hard - here's a few ideas on how to start with your own improvisational quilt-making process, including how to choose quilt colours. Using hand slow stitching, applique, embroidery & instinct you can create your own Fear-Less quilt. Make your own textile
I am stitching again. And working on another quilt. In fact, in my mind & that dreamy place where ideas happen, I will be making lots of quilts and quilt-like things this year. And I got pondering - maybe you would like to make one along with me. Like an online quilt-along. Where we all shar
I have been on many quilt retreats and I have to say, I particularly love the ones where the organizer had a small group project or make and take that we all did at the retreat!A group project doesn’t need to be a big time consuming thing to be successful, just something for everyone to make a memory together.At several retreats I have been on, the organizer had a quilt block pattern that everyone could make. The idea was to make 1 block during the retreat (although you could certainly make more
Are you starting your gift making? Now that we’re past Halloween I’m ready to dive in! I really want to be better about making more of my gifts – so I’ve been working on my lists and putting together ideas! I wanted to share a few of them here – so if you’re on my ... Read More about 19 Colorful Handmade Gift Ideas
If you’re someone who has ever sold custom quilts you know a lot of time and energy goes into selecting the perfect fabric and making the actual quilt. If you’re someone who has ever purchased a handmade quilt - do you know the material costs involved in making that quilt? Or the number of hours that went into it? I started my business selling handmade quilts and other home goods. I quickly realized a lot of people don’t know how much goes into making a quilt. When I sat down to calculate the costs - I ended up subtracting a couple hundred dollars off the price because I wasn’t confident that there would be people willing to pay for a quilt that expensive. Even that reduced price wasn’t a fast seller… I fully understand how $500 could sound very high for a throw size quilt when you could pick one up from Target for $50. (No shade to Target - I love Target!) However, if you’re purchasing something handmade there’s obviously way more time and energy that goes into it and the person making those quilts deserves every dollar in order to keep their business going. Let’s walk through it together and maybe be a little more willing to pay for what we are getting. A quick note: This is only meant to be a conversation starter. I am by no means the authority of quilt costs. You decide what you feel comfortable charging. My intention is only to explore the costs that go into making a handmade quilt so that people who are not quilters can see more clearly what the costs are. I’ll be using the Playroom Quilt Pattern as an example since it is my best selling pattern. Baby and Throw size quilts are the two most popular sizes so those are the two I’ll walk through for pricing. I am going to assume solid, quilters cotton so here is the cost for the materials to make just the quilt top: BABY: Fabric A 1.25 yards = $12.50 Fabric B 1.75 yards = $17.50 TOTAL - $30 THROW: Fabric A 2.25 yards = $23 Fabric B 3.25 yards = $33 TOTAL - $55 Now there’s the backing for the quilt. I like to use “special” fabric for the backing of my quilts. Something like a canvas, a woven or even a soft double gauze would be nice. That can range in price so let’s go middle of the road on this price estimate: Baby: 1 ½ yards = $25 Throw: 3 ½ yards = $55 To finish of the quilt your quilter will make a quilt sandwich with the quilt top, batting and backing. Of course there are a lot of options for batting as well but I am going to assume a simple cotton batting. After quilting they will bind the quilt either by hand or machine. Those costs are: Baby: Binding ⅜ yard = $6 Batting $5 Throw: Binding ½ yard = $8 Batting $25 Additional Note: There is also the option to have the quilt done by a professional longarmer which could add anywhere from $100-$200 to the cost. Ok so the quilt is done! Now let’s think about alllllll the time that went into making this beautiful, modern quilt shall we? I recently tracked all the hours spent on a few throw quilts and came up with a range of 20-24 hours. A baby quilt takes around 8-10 hours. Depending on the intricacy quilt pattern this can range greatly. Also the quilting design can cause the hours to vary depending on how complicated the design is. The time estimates below assume a 2” cross hatch quilting or a simple 1” horizontal quilt design. Baby : 8-10 hours = $120-$150 Throw : 20-24 hours = $300-$360 I’m also assuming a $15/hour rate for their time. This is a personal preference, but I think $15/hour is more than fair for the time and physical effort that goes into making a quilt. With all of that information it’s time to look at what the total cost should be for a custom quilt: Baby Size Quilt: Material Costs - $66 Labor - $130 TOTAL: $196 Throw Size Quilt: Material Costs - $145 Labor - $330 TOTAL: $475 I hope this is helpful to see the cost that goes into making a custom quilt. The next time you commission one - think about these numbers. If you’re someone who makes custom quilts - do you need to raise your prices? I hope you’re charging what your work is worth! You Might Also Enjoy Reading: What is Modern Quilting? Five Modern Quilting Designs Pattern Matching Your Backing
Most quilting price formulas make quilts overpriced. This formula won't just use generic markup numbers, but numbers that work for your business.
Last spring I wrote an article about Penny Gold’s quilt, “Self-Portrait, Year 2” for GenerationQ magazine. I continue to be so struck by this quilt and the story behind it that I’m republishing the piece here with the magazine’s and Penny’s permission. “Self-Portrait, Year 2: Beneath the Surface” was one of the most memorable quilts... Read More »
Would you like to save money? One over-looked way to budget well is to get free stuff and it is easier than you think with these tips
Hi Friends! If you follow me on Instagram you might have seen the little flurry of activity surrounding this quilt… It’s a copy of a nearly 200 year old quilt that I first saw on a museum tour with th
Sewing hacks and tips for faster sewing projects, less waste & more efficient use of time. Creative tool storage and tricks for cutting, ironing, stitching
Learn about the amazing life, career, style, and influence Nancy Zieman has on the sewing, quilting, and crafting community.
Is Etsy an ideal place to sell textile art when buyers cannot clearly see the colors and especially feel the textures of your work? Find out the answers.
Poppy has a sweet face - but she is SO naughty! Printed from a digital artwork by Shelly Hawley-Yan ATC size 2.5" x 3.5", printed on heavyweight paper using lightfast inks, unframed, but mailed in a durable protective sleeve. Comes with signed certificate of authenticity. Framing options for this piece of art are also available under a separate listing here: https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/548327385/framing-for-atcs-and-aceos-prints-not?ref=shop_home_active_3 All artwork purchased from our shop is packaged securely for mailing. ATCs in their durable protective sleeve are mailed inside a sturdy card in an envelope. Unframed prints inside their sturdy cardboard-backed protective sleeve are mailed in rigid cardboard mailers. All framed artwork is tissue-wrapped and mailed in securely fitted rigid cardboard mailers. All purchases come with gift wrapping, for yourself or for someone else! Please allow 1-3 business days for us to wrap, package, and mail your purchased art. Thank you for your interest and support of my artwork! And don't forget - custom artwork is always available! OnDragonWingsStudio.com ********************* Please note that the purchase of this print does not entitle the purchaser to the copyrights of this image. The copyright always remains with the artist.
Paula Kovarik had her own creative agency specializing in corporate and employee communications and is now a full-time textile artist.
More on my Instagram The tools I use when making Suffolk Puffs or Yo-Yos Cotton or silk fabric A 5″ ruler for cutting the squares – to give the squares a full fat feel Roller cutter A p…
How to take photos of quilts: Ten photos to take of quilts by Emily of Quiltylove.com. Find out the top ten photos to take of each quilt that you make.
Bonnie is given the pattern for “The Aloha Quilt,” inspired by the Bird of Paradise flower, by Hinano, a man she befriends in Lahaina during her stay on Maui.
