Joyce, yes, she loved the quilt She isn't a super excited person, but she hugged me and thanked me more than once.

I have seen the chart, and also a costing chart that....some blog....had a guest blogger write up. I forget what blog it was, but the guest speaker was a male quilter called MollySparkles (or his blog is called that). Too hilarious! But the chart/suggestions he used were great, and yes, more than just $10/hr, and he explained why.

I actually did keep track of most of my hours on MIL's quilt, although not all of the quilting because I realized I was going slower than usual, since I FMQed it, first time doing so, etc. But I wrote down at the end how long for x type of quilting (per so much length/width) so I can sort of figure that out when asked. For SIL, I wasn't sure DH would want me to charge her besides just the fabric, and that will depend on if she ends up pursuing it or not, and what she wants. It's somewhat delicate since I can't quite say "look, I'm not doing this as a gift to you, because....(insert reasons)....so instead I'm going to charge you (insert amount)." But I could probably get away with having her buy the material (for sure, already explained that to her, and that alone might scare her off and get me off the hook), and then if she goes back to queen size instead of throw size, charging her for the difference in time between the two, under the circumstances and since she's family, etc, etc., etc.

But, for a friend who saw a baby quilt I did (the lone star with the checkered background), and messaged me "I'd like one in these colors..." -- if it turns out she's serious, she'll get the cost sheet

And Joyce, Iove the FW cover! Looks so good, and I love your signature and your feathered circle thing on the side Very very pretty, all of it.

Joyce, your FW cover is very pretty. Marilyn, I am a firm believer in: there can never be too many sewing machines. I would look into the cost of repainting just to see how expensive it is. Maybe it isn't as bad as we are thinking.
Everyone is so busy sewing. I have not been down to my sewing room since the new year began. I do need to get with the program.
If any of you participated in the 2015 All People Quilt UFO challenge last year, they are doing it again for 2016. I think I finished six of the 12 projects I listed. I will try again this year. Every little bit of inspiration helps. Maybe I could finished all 12. There is always hope.

Joyce,
I've decided that the next time I'm asked to make a quilt, or quilt one up and they are expecting it for FREE. I'm going to say, "Oh, I've so wanted to ask you for a favor too. Would you be willing to trade me hour for hour. Of course we each would need to purchase the supplies needed for the other person to do our favor, cuz I'd never expect you to buy cleaning supplies for my house." Do you think I could get a taker? I don't like cleaning, and I could keep them busy the entire time I'd be cutting, stitching, quilting, etc. and when they would take a break because it's such 'hard' work, I could take one too! Actually, I wish a cleaning lady would want to trade me time for time. I'd have a clean house and yet would have spent my time doing something I find enjoyable. I really should copy this post and print it out, hmmmm

I can't believe it is already Tuesday and I'm just getting back here. My DH (dear husband) has said he will take me to see my mom for her birthday. We have plans to leave Friday and come home Sunday. So I need to get things done!! When I was on the computer yesterday it was mostly helping DH. Love him and wanna help him... just not "fun"! (Really, I'm quite proud as he is a speaker (not the only one) at a cover crop seminar next week. I'm the techie to get it typed and power point and find all the pix for him....)

I finished applying the binding to my FW sewing machine cover on Sunday. I was slow at it! But by golly, we need to make these MORE!! The binding around the bottom has NO corners! HA!

Sewing the end to the front/back.... and I happened to fall in love (again) with the inside!




Just quick photos for you late Sunday night. I didn't clean the area.






And in the midst of quilting, once I did the wreath in pink thread I really thought I should sign my name on the back in pink. So the way I had it loaded... the signature was done sideways!!!



Heather ~~ so good to see your MIL's quilt top. Was she thrilled? Is she one to get really excited or just calm (my in-laws) and say "that is nice"? I <3 U!

Marilyn - your wool applique table runner is pretty!!

AnnieLu -- I've seen that chart on the cost. I hesitate on the only $10/hour. The workers at Aldi that scan groceries and move pallets get $15 & up! We are artists!

I make baby quilts for my great nieces & nephews. But a niece (in-law) wanted her own quilt. She said she wanted to order a quilt from me and she'd pay me! No wonder she is my favorite!! I do give family perks.... free labels. Even thought I felt behind on my schedule, it arrived to her on the day she got home from surgery and a week in the hospital. Not my timing I guess.

Why not do it yourself with a can of spray paint. I think your studio loks pretty big Marilyn you could squeeze a few more in

Floors good don't let your rocking chair mark it. Bet you sit there and admire it thinking please don't let him start another project. Old man has stopped here now and I'm holding my breath hoping he doesn't get that glint in his eye.

Keep sewing. Love the table mat and snowmen

Yep...think I could do the tune up....DH is handy in that dept. too !..The repaint is an investment....for me, for fun ...as the antique
value is already gone because of someone's choice in the past. I have a great 1950 FW that sews like the champ she is !!
A gift from a friend now deceased, it has a good case and some attachments. Don't want to count my machines !! Wish my
"studio" was bigger !

Marilyn, love your little Featherweight! Yes, I think some purple paint and new decals would do wonders. I am not sure who does that, but I know of several people who teach repair classes. One is Nova Montgomery and the other is Carole Wilder. I don't think they do the painting, just repair. You can google singer featherweight refinishing and several places show up. I have no idea what that would cost, but I am guessing quite a bit. Good luck. I am sure a good cleaning, oiling and lub. would get it running better. You can get lots of info on the internet to help you with that. Just don't be afraid. They are great to work on.

Great floor. And I adore your snowmen, Marylin!

Love that bed-runner, Heather. I'm certain she'll love it too.

Oh, and another thought for your SIL, I made it very clear to my family that though people may 'wish' for a quilt, and can (even) request general color idea, if a and what gets made is 100% up to me. If I'm not enjoying the process, the quilt will contain all the negative energy of my grumblings, as a quilt should pass on warmth, energy and happiness, it is necessary that I'm enjoying the process of making it. My life is too short for me to spend my "free" time doing something I dislike (could also be a reason why my apartment has that 'bomb recently exploded here' look)

First things first...Thank you each and everyone for all the encouragement these last 3 1/2 months ! Now...here are some pics..
Christmas UFO...wool applique....15"x31" part machine blanket stitch, part hand blanket and other embroidery



Next...BOM in progress from Woolie Ladies group at LQS in McCall Have one more row of snowmen and borders with
snow flakes to go...next Christmas !!


Here's the new floor that was such a pain to get done ! That's a story too long to tell here !! But it's wonderful and we love it !!
I still have to sort and put away books, dishes and do-dads ! That'll be a while!


And lastly....DH found this for me in a local consign/2nd hand shop....1934 ...she sews...but slow and needs cleaning. Seems to me that
she is very worn....has not a trace of decal and has been spray-painted blk to cover up the mess...even the motor is sprayed over !
There is a blackside bobbin and bobbin case...???? Think it is a candidate for a repaint....cost was low so maybe.....say, lime green !!??
Time will tell...would have to be sent out.....Anybody know anyone ??

Yup, and the calculations are correct, total of material plus total of construction = 768.26
Add the finishing and you get a grand total of $888.26

Ok, we can dispute on the time we take, but some are quicker, others slower, yes sometimes we can get great deals on fabrics, thread and batting, but other times we need exactly "that" and have to pay for it.
Also, I still think the fabric cost is extremely conservative, we all know how much use cheap fabric is, and all of us from overseas can double and sometimes even triple that fabric & thread cost... And this is for an easy straightforward pattern/assembly.

Also, no one has even thought about the cost of the sewing machine, iron, cutters, cutting mats and whatever other items we need for our setup - yes, this too needs to be calculated as use causes wear requiring servicing, repair, replacement...

Most of our non-quilty / non-sewing friends and family have no idea about the time and cost involved, it's totally in order to open their eyes and letting them realize that making a quilt for someone is truly a labor of love - and not a cheap one either...

Heather,
I admit that I copied this off somebody's Pinterest or Facebook board, I don't remember where it came from but I think this picture is worth a thousand words,,



I think we should all have this info printed out for when asked what it costs to make a quilt. Then if we choose to make one as commissioned to do, they will have an idea of the 'time alone' that's involved.

PS I love the pics of your quilt

Love the bed runner Heather!!!

Dorothy

Happy to see my very dear friend, Joyce (she-quilts) here! Yay!! Thanks for coming to play Those of you who don't know, she is who introduced me to this hobby originally and encouraged me, long distance via email, to try and quilt. Ha! She had no idea it would grow so much as it has!

Terrie, I hope your ankle feels better!

Norma, that little pouch is darling!!

(and now I've forgotten who posted what.....)

The baby bunting for Thomas is adorable! I hope you do come back and show pictures of the other gifts you sent him....(who is that grandma...? Wendy, i think??) (arrgh! sorry to have forgotten!)

Loving also, Dawn, your tote bag and the fabric your son sent; how yummy!

I got my MIL's quilt finished for Christmas, and she loved it. I also opened a little can of worms/got myself into a predicament with my sister-in-law, who had sometime a year or more ago asked me could I make a quilt for her guest bedroom. Queen sized, patchwork, blues with pops of red, nautical, etc, etc, etc. She had very specific ideas, so this was more a commission than a gift, if that makes sense. Well, before she and I could work out details as who would pay for what and all, her husband said I could do it for her as her Christmas gift. ?!?!?! Ha, no, I don't think so, sorry. I talked to my husband (her brother) and he said not to even worry about it unless she brought it up again; she never did, so I dropped it.

Well....as I suspected, when she saw her mom open the lap quilt I made (as a gift), that of course reminded her and she's asked again. This time I was able to explain that I would need her to buy all the fabric and materials, that it would need to be quilt shop fabric, around $10/yard, and need x number of yards for front and back for a queen sized quilt, etc. She quickly calculated what that would cost and decided perhaps maybe just a throw to lay on the end of the bed.....I sent her links to Fat Quarter Shop's website so she can look around, we'll see if she gets back to me. DH again says "wait for her to bring it up" which is fine. So, we'll see if I've committed myself to that or not.....

Meanwhile, I did MIL's quilt, and then a small bed runner for my aunt. Her mother passed away last year, and they saved fabric from the clothes she wore and divided it among the sisters, to make into whatever. So she had me do a bed runner, 7 trees, with the middle tree representing their mom and the other 6 trees each representing one of the siblings (children). Each sibling tree has its own leaf color (from one fabric), and the middle "mom" tree has leaves from all 6 fabrics. Then the mom trunk is red (her favorite color) and each sibling tree has one red leaf. That is mostly done -- my aunt cut the leaves for me (I explained how to put fusible on the fabric before cutting), I fused the applique, then sandwiched and quilted in the tree trunks and leaves, stippled in the background, and now need to quilt the border but was thinking it through. I got green variegated thread and will quilt a vine of leaves going around.











Next up is to plan and do my January row (and maybe February) and then start cutting for my son's graduation quilt. Busy times, but fun times!