What should I charge a friend?

[Sheilago]

A friend asked me to make 6 patchwork stockings and I know she’ll ask me what to pay for them. I make a patchwork front and a Christmas fabric back and quilt them both free motion, with cotton wadding, then I add a fleece cuff with free motion embroidered name and sew in a liner and a tartan ribbon loop to hang it.

I’ve estimated I use about a fat quarter of fabric and wadding plus another fat quarter of lining, so maybe they will cost £8-£9 for materials. My problem is that I’ve made 6 for her, so even asking for £10 each comes to £60, which seems quite a lot. My DH says £10 each is too little.

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[So Chic]

@Sheilago   Could you ask your friend to supply the fabric, etc. and then just charge for making up? 

[Flobear]

£10 each is not really enough in my opinion. That's only £1 per item for all your time and effort.

Here's one example https://www.notonthehighstreet.com/dibor/product/country-christmas-luxury-stockings?cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=17951751115&cq_term=&cq_plac=&cq_net=x&cq_plt=gp&DGMKT=FID__TID__PID_622298_CRI_&gclid=CjwKCAjw1t2pBhAFEiwA_-A-NFXrEYURMXSLxlHLe_iw7DMJYYCNNLsDohpEEAuMOpXDvQnXfSNeRRoCkdkQAvD_BwE

And, while I'm not suggesting you charge £19 plus p&p, but perhaps letting her know how much such a thing realistically costs would be a start.

[fajita]

Hand made and individualised, at least £15, if not £20. Maybe £20, but with friends and family discount of £5.

The final total is a lot, but irrelevant - the price you are working at is per item.

[Greybird]

How long does each one take? What does your hourly rate work out to?

[Ohsewsimple]

Oh dear @Sheilago you’ve already made them?  I think I would have asked her to get the fabric first or said you had it and it cost ££ whatever.  You can’t be out of pocket over this even if you don’t charge for making them.  People who don’t sew have no comprehension of how much stuff costs.  They equate it with cheap rubbish in the shops. 
It’s very awkward when it’s a friend I know.  But make sure you at least get the cost of the materials back.

[Sheilago]

@Greybird, probably about 2 hours for each one.
@So Chic , I have already made them, as I have quite a stash of fabric.

I just feel so bad saying £15 each, as that would be £90.  I know I shouldn’t think about the total. I think @Flobear, that’s a good idea to let her know how much it cost to make them. Sometimes, I think non sewing people think patchwork should be cheap as it is ‘just made of scraps’  and 3 of hers were made of random scraps because I liked the effect. I worry that she’ll think I’ve landed her with an unexpectedly large bill 

[fajita]

If you really don’t want to charge her, as such, maybe itemise the make for her I.e. £5 worth of fabrics, plus x amount of time, and leave it to her to pay what she feels.

[Bill]

The minimum wage in the UK now is what, £12 an hour?
 Ask her to sit with you whilst you make one and then ask what she thinks is a fair price.

[Lowena]

Minimum wage is £10.42 an hour.
I'd ask for a round £50 as it helped you use some stash, but, I'd make it clear that that was a one off. If she or anyone asks again I'd discuss costs before you agree to make anything.

[Sheilago]

Thanks all, you’ve helped me think this through. I think I will say how much the materials etc cost , maybe pointing out that they’ve really gone up in price in the last few years and then suggest that £50 would cover the costs. Anything else is up to her. She is a lovely friend and will not want me to be out of pocket.

[Iminei]

My DH says £10 each is too little.

I absolutely agree ... double it!

[Tamnymore]

It's difficult as it's a friend but your strategy of saying the materials were £50 and what ever else she wants to give you on top of that  would be good - maybe mentioning that they were about 2 hours each.

[Sheilago]

I chickened out. Just asked for £50 to cover fabric etc. One of the seven stockings is a gift from me for the new baby , but £50 for the other 6 is a bargain, I know, so why do I feel bad for taking the £50?
DH was annoyed that I asked for so little, but she is a good friend. I think she knows I love sewing ,so thinks it’s ok just to cover the costs. It’s so awkward, because she and others know it’s a hobby, not a business, so I don’t think they think about paying me anything for my time.

[Bill]

I chickened out. Just asked for £50 to cover fabric etc. One of the seven stockings is a gift from me for the new baby , but £50 for the other 6 is a bargain, I know, so why do I feel bad for taking the £50?

Aaaaahhhhhhh didn't know she was a 'good' friend when I added my two pennies worth. That changes things a teensy bit for me.
I'd do pretty much anything within reason to help out family or good friends and I'd be perfectly happy to do it for free. Not so close and I think of it as a service to some extent.
If it really is bugging you though, offer to take her out for a coffee or something?