Making cheaper quilts

The Indian market is very different from its international counterparts. I have been selling the quilts I make for a very long time and when I decided to participate in a especially well known exhibition (show) at the end of this year I knew I had to make a bunch of quilts that will sell at a lower cost so that I cover my costs.

I normally make quilts that sell for INR 5000 and above for Single Quilts (60" x 90") and INR 8500 and above for Double Quilts (90" x 90"). I usually make them in these two sizes only unless it is a custom order in which case the cost goes up to INR 7500 for a single quilt and INR 10000 for a double one. The cost basically depends on the cost of the material and complexity of the design. 

When I was approached earlier this year by an organization that arranges an annual curated exhibition, I knew it was an offer I could not refuse. But the costs involved really made me think it over again. In the end I knew it was worth it to participate and decided that I am going to take a risk. 

But before I even got started making the quilts themselves, there was some thinking to do. And a lot of calculations.

My quilts are admired a lot by people who see them, but very rarely are sold in India, especially in exhibitions. I asked a lot of people for feedback and they told me that they found my products to be costly. A lot of them said that the price was justified, but out of their price range.

So I knew that if I have to make great sales at the event, my quilts have to be priced lower, a lot lower than they are tight now.

I knew I could not reduce the cost of material. And of course, now that I have a studio assistant, I could not even think about reducing the labor cost. So how do I make a quilt that is cheaper?

By simplifying the process, of course! 

First, I decided that I want to make all my quilts using stripes of different colors. I'm calling my collection "Stripped ease". Because it is striped and is easy to make and the word is kind of memorable!

I also decided that I am going to use all solids for the front of the quilt, thus bringing my material cost down by almost 15%. 

I decided to keep using printed fabric for the back, but found a cheaper alternative. There is a shop here that sells export reject bedsheets (gasp! Yes I'm using sheets to back my quilts!) The quality of these sheets is absolutely awesome. They are also 100% cotton and come in lovely prints. They are usually export rejects because the sheets and pillow covers packaged together do not match! Who cares if it does not match!!! I also get a bonus 1 meter of fabric for free!!! All of this brings down the cost of the material by another 10%. 

Now the design. I tested my design and I managed to make a DOUBLE QUILT from start to finish - fabric selection to hand binding - in 5 hour only!!! FIVE HOURS!!! That was awesome. But I'm sure that is not how I want to make it. So I tried assembly line quilting and made 4 single quilts in just under 15 hours!!! Cutting and piecing took about 4 hours (for ALL the quilts). Quilting another 4 hours. And binding took another 7. That cuts down even the labour cost!!!

So I ended up making a range of signature quilts that I can sell for for just INR 3500 (Single) and INR 5500 (Double)!!!

this is just one of the many designs I will be working on. Each quilt will be unique in its color combination and composition. And it will keep the user warm on the cold winter nights.

The backing of this one is a lovely Ikat style bed sheet in shades if blues. The red binding really makes the quilt pop!

I also know that I'm going to have to make about a hundred of them, so having a simpler process will help in finishing them on time.

What ideas do you have to make quilts that you can sell at a cheaper price so that you can make more profits without feeling that you did not get your fair share of the profit? Do let me know in the comments!!!

What to expect...

I have mustered all the courage I have and sent off emails to a lot of people telling them that I am interested in teaching at their guild/retreat/shop... actually anywhere that people (if any) are ready to come and learn from me!!!

So, I thought it would be good to write a post about what you can expect if you invite me to teach.

I do teach a number of classes locally (in India), but for the international ones, I have chosen two that I feel reflect my best works! 

So first up, ABSTRACT Expressions

This quilt is inspired by the work of the Canadian artist Martina Shapiro. The process of making this quilt was just so much fun that I had to share it with others!

The plus point

This is a GREAT workshop for beginners!!! If you can sew a straight line, you can do it!
You DO NOT need to be an artist!!! No sketching/drawing/painting experience necessary!!!

I conduct this workshops in two formats.

First is the TWO day format. Here is how it goes :

This workshop is divided into four quarters. In the first quarter, we will be talking about basics of Expressionism and Fauvism. We will also discuss the basics of portraiture and the effects of light on the faces. 

We will then spend some time getting acquainted with the process of portraits by Martina Shapiro. Playing with acrylic paints comes next before lunch time!

By the end of the first quarter the students will have made an abstract portrait in paint.

This is the time when people start having a little confidence in themselves (and me). 

In the second quarter, we will begin working with fabric. And by the end of the first day, we will be done creating the outline of the face the students will make into a quilt.

On the second day, students start working on the colors of the face. This is the most interesting process, as they think about colors and the way they blend. It is absolutely fascinating to see how faces and their expressions evolve! And this part of the workshop gives me pure joy!!! 

At the end of the two days, the class  leaves with  completed portrait quilts. Each quilt is unique and I find that more often than not, you can find a glimpse of the maker in their quilt! By this time, the fears of making a 'portrait' are all gone and people are already wondering what their next portrait will look like.

I also have a shorter version of this class that I conduct. I do prefer the TWO day format though. It makes it fun for the beginners as well as the experienced quilters!

In the ONE day class, We skip the painting part. The students just sketch the portraits in their notebooks and get started on the fabric portrait. Also, we discuss the details about Expressionism and Fauvism while the students work on their portraits instead of keeping dedicated time for it.

This class might feel a little rushed for some people, but they can always get in touch with me via email if they have any doubts.

In both the classes, I have also (now) prepared handouts that I give to the students for them to understand the process better.

Click here to download the supply list for this class.

Now we come to my second class ABOUT face

This class is based on the REVERSE Applique technique that I teach in my eBook ABOUT face.

It is my claim that this is the fastest method one can use to make a portrait quilt. You DO NOT have to be an artist. You DO NOT need to know how to draw.

How fast, you want to know - It took me 3 months of working 3-4 hours of work everyday (it amounts to about 270 hours) to make the portrait of Dada Ajoba. But the iQuilt, which has 3 shades, took me just 7 days with 1-2 hours of work everyday (about 10-14 hours) and the Alex Veronelli quilt, with 5 shades, took me 3 weeks with 5-6 hours every WEEK (15-18 hours). Can you make a portrait quilt faster than that?

If you know how to do 'follow the lines' Free Motion Quilting, and you wish to make a portrait quilt. This is definitely the class for you. 

The first quarter will be all about taking/ selecting  photographs, editing and printing them. By the end of the first quarter we will finish copying the image onto the base fabric.

In the second quarter, we will be stitching the design and we will start cutting away unwanted fabric, revealing the design underneath.

This is a class where the students are much more busy than I am!!! As they cut away layer(s) of fabric, they are simply overjoyed to see their portraits taking shape! By the end of the third quarter the design will be all cut away!!! And the quilt top will be ready!

In the last quarter, the students will learn how to quilt the face so that they can enhance their work even further.

At the end of the TWO day workshop, the students will leave with a finished portrait quilt of about 24" x 30" in 2-3 colors.

I guarantee that you will finish the quilt if you make it in 2 colors. But if you want to make a  quilt  in 3 colors, you might have to go home with just the quilt top (finished) and you can continue doing the FMQ at home.

Click here to download the supply list for this workshop.

If you need any more information about my workshops, please feel free to email me.