Cozy Stitchery
Know what you have before you buy, and what a finished piece really costs
A stash is only useful if you know what is in it. Record fabric by yardage and yarn by weight and yardage, and shop from this sheet first. When a project is finished, cost it honestly, including your hours, because that is the number that matters when someone asks you to make them one.
| Fabric or line | Color and print | Yardage or precut | Width | Fiber | Prewashed? | Earmarked for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yarn | Weight | Fiber | Color and dye lot | Skeins | Yards per skein | Total yards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Line | Example: 80 x 94 in quilt | Your project |
|---|---|---|
| Fabric for top and binding | 11 yd x $13 = $143 | |
| Backing | 2 1/2 yd of 108 in wide x $22 = $55 | |
| Batting | $40 | |
| Thread | $18 | |
| Materials subtotal | $256 | |
| Outsourced quilting | 7,520 sq in x $0.025 = $188 | |
| Your hours | 40 | |
| Your hourly rate | $20 | |
| Labor (hours x rate) | $800 | |
| Subtotal | $1,244 | |
| Overhead: machine wear, blades, electricity, fees (10%) | $124.40 | |
| Total cost to make | $1,368.40 |
The prices and rates in the example are placeholders to show the arithmetic. Use your own receipts, your quilter's actual rate and a labor rate you would accept for the hours.
Price = materials + (labor hours x hourly rate) + overhead. That is the break-even price for your time. Selling through a shop or a consignment gallery that takes a share needs that share added on top, and a wholesale price has to leave room for the retailer.
Most handmade pieces are underpriced because the hours are left out. Log hours on every project, even gifts, so the next price you quote is based on a real number.
| Piece | Materials | Hours | Rate | Overhead | Price | Sold or gifted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Storage that keeps the stash visible
Fabric folded on boards and yarn in clear bins is fabric and yarn that gets used instead of bought again.
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