afghan questions

[sopo]

I have had two people recently ask me to make a bed size afghan. I've only did this once and it was for me and is still a work in progress. I have a king size bed and while I was keeping track of how much yarn I used, it's been drug out so long now, I've lost track. 

 

One asked me how much to make one for a queen size bed

 

The second just asked me how much to make a soccer ball afghan in black, purple and silver ? for a full size bed. The only ones I've seen are black/white hexagons with a color border.

 

Anyway, my question is how much would a person charge for a full or queen size afghan? I know it depends on the yarn but without making one, I have no idea how much yarn would be used and they want a quote of course before I begin. 

 

Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks

[FlossiePotts]

I have had people ask that too, and when you tell them how much the yarn will cost, never mind the labour, they change their minds!

[Granny Square]

I would look patterns that I liked, and look at the yarn requirements (in yards) and the size blanket that yarn will make.  Then, do some math and figure out how many yards of yarn required per square foot of the pattern blanket, then multiply that by the square footage  of the size of the blanket desired.  A King or Queen size blanket is  going to be the equivalent square footage of several typical afghan sized projects.

 

Example, here's a throw made from 5 skeins of RHSS. http://www.redheart.com/free-patterns/snowbound-throw.  I picked a pattern in 1 color that was fairly solid.  It's 44" x 56", or 2464 square inches.  Queen blankets are 90" x 90", or 8100 square inches.  That's 3.29 times bigger than the throw, so you need about 17 skeins, or about $50.

 

Of course, that's just for the material, not the cost of your time.  I agree with Flossie Potts, the material cost will alone probably scare most people away.  I really think people look at the cost of 1 one skein of yarn and not realize how many skeins are required for a project.  

[Avon Lady]

I've made three (3) of the large afghans (double bed size).  I charged $90 for each.  But I will quote more the next time I get an order!!  At least $100 to $125!   It's a lot of work, and takes a lot of time!  Hope this helps!

[FlossiePotts]

I do quite a few large cot sized baby blankets and depending on the pattern and the kind of yarn, I charge between $60 and $100. The most expensive is a basket weave pattern which takes 14 balls of good quality yarn.

[Katieallen311815]

b0y, i hate to guess, I did two larger purple and green grannys once, for a pair of adult twins, and they paid me like 500,00, i was prepared to charge them at least half that for the two, but sheesh, it was nice pay for the work put into them, and when the gal that ordered them for the twin girls, paid me, I tried to give some back, but she wouldn't hear of it. so I at least bought her lunch that day, lol least I could do....But mostly, you never get what you have in labor, you might cover the yarn cost, but labor is never paid for it seems, so in other words, if you really want to do it, and a queen is a job, but at least cover the yarn, and a hundred or two more, see what she says.......

[sopo]

I always heard to charge 3xs the cost of yarn but just wasn't sure how much yarn.

 

Granny Square, that is an in depth way to figure it for us mathematical not so whizzes. lol But that did help so thanks.   

 

The other side of it is, I would rather do small lapghans for free and surprise someone needing a smile than to try do a big one and not get paid it's worth for someone wanting something for nothing. 

 

Katie, that's cool when someone appreciates you. My last african flower animal a friend ordered, I had no idea shipping so she just sent $20 over the price I quoted. I refunded the difference with her protesting but it's nice that she offered.