This post has been bubbling in the back of my mind for a few weeks now, and I think I'm ready to share my thoughts.
We've all seen the meme: Why do Quilts Cost So Much? (This one was made by
Gail Lizette of I Think Sew.) We've seen it, and we've nodded sagely to ourselves. We think YES! This is what the people who don't appreciate my work need to see! We share it and we share it again. Why? Because we want to be appreciated. We want people to see that what we have made wasn't a "cheap handmade gift."
Pattern designers feel the same way. We hear over and over again how patterns cost "too much." Everyone is looking for free patterns. "Designers are making so much money, look how much the patterns cost." "It won't hurt if I copy this pattern and share it with my friends. I paid for it already." "Digital patterns should be cheaper than the paper pattern of the same design."
I would like to share what it costs to design a pattern, and then take a look at what we make off those patterns. I'll share some pretty pictures along the way to keep from all boring text.
First there is the drawing up of the actual design. Sketching out the idea, figuring out sizes of units, adding it to a design program, adding color (taking color away and starting over, ha). This can take a few hours to a few days.
Time: 8 hours - 48 hours (lets pay ourselves $15) = $120 - $720
Next, there is writing out the instructions, making sure each piece fits as you go along. Figuring out number of units to cut, when to piece them, trimming. Then, how much fabric will be needed. (Yes, you will use math when you grow up. *grin*)
Time: 15 hours x $15 = $225
Then testing begins. I print out the instructions so that I can make the needed changes. (Read cost of paper and ink.) Depending on the difficulty of the pattern I need enough fabric to make at least one full quilt, which will not get quilted, but needs to be pieced. Then it's off to the testers.
12 testers x 12 patterns at $10 each = $120
Some designers are able to pay for testers and their time. Think about how much that can cost. How much is your time worth? I give my testers their choice of any of the published patterns I have available, or the finished pattern of the one they just worked on. They use their own fabric and then they go through whichever size they have chosen and make the whole top to check for accuracy. This part of the proccess is invaluable.
For my patterns I make two samples for the cover of each pattern. That's two quilts worth of fabric, materials and time, I'm going to use the amount used in the meme above, but only once, because I don't usually have to buy thread etc every time.
Quilt one and two = $1220.88
I send mine to be quilted, because paying for that service is worth the extra time it "buys" me. Each quilt costs anywhere from $150 - $280, it depends on the size and quilting pattern chosen.
Quilt one = $150
Quilt two = #275
Once I get the binding on, the quilts are off to the photographer. Mine lives in a different state, so each package is sent with insurance up to $1,000. Then mailed back for the same cost. The cost of the photographer varies from one to the other.
Shipping to = $40
Photography = $300/shot (this varies greatly)
Shipping back = $40
Marketing
If the designer only does digital patterns, what's left is "just" the set up fees for their website or etsy/craftsy page. Each listing comes with a fee, and each sale comes with a fee.
Etsy listing = $0.20
If there are paper patterns involved then the pattern is off to the printer (or printed at home). A general amount for me, for a pattern with color pages and a nice glossy cover runs around 2.468 to 2.856 per pattern, usually with orders of just 25. This varies for each designer/printer.
Total cost: $61.70 (repeat if the pattern happens to sell well)
Now it's time to decide, will you pay to have the printer fold them for you, or will you fold them yourself.
Folding yourself; 45 mins x $15/hour = $11.25
Then it's time to stuff the in those nice clear bags. Those run around $50 for 1,000 bags, plus shipping.
Using 25 bags at $0.05 a bag = $1.25
Total cost = $3,465.28
(using an average of 28 hours and 3 images from the photographer)
Selling the pattern
The pattern has been designed, pieced, quilted, photographed, printed and bagged. Now it needs to be sold. Many patterns run from $10 - $12, some even higher. For this I'm going to use the $10 example.
Retail is $10.
If I sell it from Etsy or Craftsy I am charged a fee for listing and for selling. I would need to sell 346 patterns, plus a few more to cover fees, to break even.
If it is picked up by a quilt shop, the shop pays a wholesale price: $5 per pattern. I would need to sell 693 patterns to break even.
If it's picked up by a distributor they pay 35%: $3.50 per pattern. I would need to sell 990 patterns to break even.
There is a lot of give and take to these numbers. Sometimes a designer can get a fabric company to sponsor the design and give fabric. If the quilting is on a smaller quilt, or it's a large motif, it can cost less. Printing costs vary as well. I hope, though, that this helps quilters understand that most of the pattern designers aren't getting rich selling their patterns. They work hard with a high overhead. The bigger names in the quilting industry can give away free stuff, because they have many avenues of revenue. The smaller pattern designer doesn't have all of that. So add that $10 pattern to your list of quilting supplies and help support the designers that are working long hours to give you a quality product they can be proud of.
Happy Stitching!
Jen
