Abby Glassenberg of While She Naps has a great discussion about what designers actually get paid for fabric lines over at her blog. Some of you may remember the panel at QuiltCon ini 2013, which got a little testy when people asked them what they could reasonably expect for payment for a line. As a matter of fact, they didn’t answer the question, and implied that it was rude to ask.
Sam Hunter at Hunter’s Design Studio also has something to add, as part of the “We Are $ew Worth It” campaign.
I wrote a post myself on this subject a while ago, The Problem with Free Milk: Giving Away Your Quilt Work for Free. Check out the other posts under the “Value Your Work” category.
To be told that there’s almost $4B of cash floating around in Quiltdom, and then to read that there are fabric companies that effectively force their designers into penury via footing the entire bill of Quilt Market marketing obligations is… just… appalling. Abusive. Manipulative. Just plain WRONG. This is a quote from Sam Hunter and she is sew!!!!!!!! totally right… I can’t agree more with this subject… The entire subject makes me rethink what I need to really do in this industry..
I remember that panel and comment, too. I was interested to read at Abby’s blog that contracts often stipulate that the designer *not* discuss compensation, so I wonder how much of that question being shut down was due to the designers on the panel not being allowed to answer it. I agree that it’s unfortunate the question was treated as if it were rude–I thought the book publishing panel did a better job of discussing what potential authors/designers can expect to earn.