Comments on: What’s it worth? Part 2 – A Bigger Picture

By: Katie Smith

Katie Smith — Mon, 19 Sep 2016 23:49:38 +0000

I know many women (including myself) who love to quilt, and do it for the fun of it. I do not know any man who will do plumbing for the fun of it.
Saying you should be able to make a living by doing something people love to do just doesn’t make sense to me. I love to quilt, lie in the sum and swim, garden, read, hike, and cook. I would never expect to be paid for any of these. Many women have an excess of quilts, and would love to sell them for not a lot of money. To say that they should be shamed for this because it ruins an expected standard of living for people who want to quilt full time makes no sense to me.

By: Daniela Ito

Daniela Ito — Sun, 18 Sep 2016 20:37:30 +0000

I am a knitter, but the same issue applies to my craft as for quilters. I buy my yarn retail and I buy expensive yarn. sometimes the materials for a shawl come to $80 to $120. And then I have to spend hours to actually knit it. Time goes into choosing the right pattern for the right yarn, experimenting with needle size etc. And I enjoy working with different yarns and patterns. I don’t want to make the same thing over again – that is 1. boring, 2. I usually can not find the same material in that same color again or in the color the customer wants to match something they want to wear this with.
So I agree, no one can “afford” my knitted items if I include my time into the equation and I do give them away. Knitting is my hobby and I do not take orders.

I am not sure there is a solution to this pricing problem. I do’t think any amount of education will make people pay for what the item is actually worth. Maybe we need to go back to the barter system. I’ll knit you an afghan if you make me a quilt or a hand made cutting board etc.

I think consumerism is to blame for this. We are told to buy, buy, buy and stuff only last for a short time.

By: The Cost of A Quilt – QuiltShopGal

The Cost of A Quilt – QuiltShopGal — Thu, 08 Sep 2016 14:00:34 +0000

[…] What is it worth Part 2 – A Bigger Picture […]

By: Dottie Macomber

Dottie Macomber — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 13:53:57 +0000

This discussion is very timely and relevant. I have posted a link to the We Are Sew Worth It area of your website on my quilt guild’s website. We need to stop undervaluing our work and ourselves!

By: Jackie Moravcik

Jackie Moravcik — Tue, 08 Mar 2016 15:16:07 +0000

In reply to Andrea Harles. this is dead on right...presentation guides perception. I am so guilty of this in my recycled jewelry as well. If we don't treat our work as important, why should anyone else?

By: Katie Smith

Katie Smith — Sun, 13 Sep 2015 22:57:00 +0000

I saw your comment to Splitting Stitches, on a Quilting in Vermont FB post. The original poster had included the Splitting Stitches business name, but only my personal name, so I included a link to my website. Splitting Stitches followed with a link to her blog, “Why are you paying too much for your quilting?” I thought this was a snarky response to me, and I was quite offended by this, and thought it was inappropriate in that setting. Thanks for your comment.

By: Alison

Alison — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 14:03:06 +0000

In reply to Lynda Ball. Thank you so much for your insight. This makes so much sense!

By: Carol Rodgers Boomershine

Carol Rodgers Boomershine — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 15:23:01 +0000

Sam, thanks so much for this information! I saw you on an episode of “Sewing With Nancy” several weeks ago, and was impressed with your ideas regarding the value of hand-crafted work. I’ve been gifting most of my family members with hand-crafted items for the past several Christmases, and will not be doing so in the future, since I’ve seen how well several of them care for the items. I really love the idea of including written appraisals with the gifts, as I find most people truly have no idea of their value, thinking that a $50.00 gift card would be much better, and worth so much more!!!

By: Charlotte

Charlotte — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 16:42:12 +0000

I couldn’t agree more. I’m sure I’ve spent at least as much time learning and practicing my Quilting Art as I did receiving my degree and maintaining my certification as a math teacher. I can’t at this time expect to receive what my time is worth for the quilts I’ve made. And long ago I told my husband I would never go into the business of quilting. I’ve made several quilts whose value I place at over $3000 primarily based on the amount of time I’ve invested in them. Please continue to educate both the makers of quilts and the consumers who think they know what is fair in pricing a quilt.

By: t shirt designs

t shirt designs — Fri, 22 May 2015 04:31:09 +0000

I do trust all the concepts you have introduced
for your post. They are very convincing and will definitely work.
Still, the posts are very brief for newbies. May just you please prolong them a bit from next time?
Thank you for the post.