plaited tiebacks

[susie c]

good evening
I have been asked to make one plaited tie back for a 2 widths triple pleat door curtain,(lined only). I have no problems in doing this but I have not got a diddly squat clue on how much to charge. I am doing some other work for this customer using ready made curtains but that is another story, suffice to say think sow's ears, silk purse and you will get the picture. I am supplying everything except the main fabric. Do you think £25 is too much/too little or would you do it as a freebie in these trying times? I don't know why but i always fell guilty at asking for money especially when I know things are tight and she always buys cheapie ready mades for me to then work miracles. Having said that, I work full time 12hr night and day shifts, as well as run a home and family so my time is as precious as her money. Sorry, I got on my soapbox then.
Any comments would be appreciated.
Regards
Susie

[Louise]

Re: plaited tiebacks

Absolutely charge....as the saying goes "something given for nothing is perceived as worthless".

If you are already making no profit on fabric etc. and having to use your skills to improve less than perfect readymades then I would charge an absolute minimum of £15 labour for a single plaited tieback.

[nic]

Re: plaited tiebacks

Absolute, absolute minimum £15, you've got to find wadding or remnants of interlining for the dratted thing, which you may not have lying around, depending on what kind of work you usually do. And they take quite a long time to get right, well they do me, anyway. I'd charge what you charge for a plain pair.

Hard times are for everyone, so don't feel guilty. If she's getting readymades beautifully remade, she can jolly well pay for extras.

[jane]

Re: plaited tiebacks

Hear hear (or is it here here, I'm never sure) We are all guilty of feeling sorry for our customers when they plead poverty and end up doing them favours, but if times were really that hard, she wouldn't be having new curtains at all, readymade or otherwise.......so don't feel bad (or let her make you feel bad) and charge what you're worth and what the job is worth.

[Louise]

Re: plaited tiebacks

Make sure you watch the excellent video on making this type of tieback.....

[rantalot]

Re: plaited tiebacks

Louise is absolutely right, the video on Plaited tiebacks is a must, this lady knows her stuff!

I made the long journey to Oxford last week to see a friend, and this was one of the clips I had dowloaded onto my Ipod. It was amazing to watch this technique, makes it look very easy!

Good luck, and remember the lady you are working for is a customer, not a friend. You need to charge her.

Happy plaiting! Jessie

[susie c]

Re: plaited tiebacks

Ladies
Thank you very much for all your comments. When I go to see her and take the tieback I shall try and remember all what you've said and definitely charge without the guilt. I've just watched the excellent video, do any of you use the continuous stuff that they were using or is that for the American market only?
Regards
Susie

[Louise]

Re: plaited tiebacks

Do you mean the padding she uses? If so, I believe it is a very thick piping cord, like this 25mm cord. I wonder if strips of sarril interlining would work?

[thecurtainmaker]

Re: plaited tiebacks

I use strips of interlining - about 20cm wide - I don't personally like the 'roundness' of the foam cylinders. Tie a short piece of piping cord to the neck of a teaspoon, stitch the other end of the cord to the strip of interlining, folded on one of the short ends. Drop the spoon, handle first, through the tube and pull through.

Regards
Pen

[nic]

Re: plaited tiebacks

Yes, interlining works, and gives you more control over how fat or flat the plait is. Turn the fabric tube right side out, anchor the end of the filling to a knitting needle, with a longish piece of piping cord, or similar, thread the knitting needle through the tube and then tie the cord to a door handle, or a teenager, fiddle the end of the tube over the end of the interlining, and pull it on, like pulling up tights, or long socks, depending on gender. Otherwise proceed as per video, which I thought was excellent.
I particularly liked sewing all three tubes as one, stuffing them as one and cutting the stuffed tube, so simple even if you're using different fabrics, as quite often there's a contrast plain fabric used. Saves time, because the really fiddly bit is beginning the filling, this way you only have to do that once, and I can't believe I'd never come across it before. So simple,once it's explained to you, as so many things are.

Oh, roll the interlining, don't fold it, and put the edge next to the seam.