So many of you who have visited our website are probably questioning yourselves – What exactly is involved in quilting? What justifies our prices per item? Basically it comes down to quality and workmanship. All of our work at Magelle & Dreamer is 100% handmade by artisans in Canada, mostly from the east coast of Canada who have been sewing for decades. We have a highly skilled work force and we're proud of that.
Secondly, we strongly believe quilting is truly an art form. If you purchase or order a quilt from us you are not only adding to your design décor but you will have a heirloom you can cherish forever and past down for generations. We all know the common forms of art – paintings, sculptures, pottery, wood-carvings but what about sewing ? Can this be considered "art"?
Let’s take the example of a painting: if you purchase a painting you have to pay for the materials (paint, brushes, canvas) and the painter's time and skill or talent. Talent is the gray area that most people seem to be OK with for paintings or design work but don’t really understand for quilting. Just as an example, a typical throw quilt costs between $150-$300 for just materials (fabrics, backing, batting, threads etc) and this DOES NOT include the quilter's time. At M&D we only use the highest quality materials for all elements of our work. We don’t ask a painter to only cover the costs of his materials, so why do we think the quilting industry is OK with that?
Sewing is a skill where you have to choose fabrics, sort through colours and designs, follow a pattern, make blocks, sew them together, then there’s the backing, batting (stuffing) and finally the all-important quilting (the curvy lines on top of the fabrics). It’s a complicated process that requires an eye for colour, design and composition. In fact, much of the work is completed before the quilter even starts to sew the quilt.
In our “Vintage Charm” quilt (see picture below) the focus is not so much on colour and contrast, but the level of expertise needed to complete the quilt. Originally my mom started this quilt but became overwhelmed with the amount of work to finish it. She decided to ask for the help of her local church sewing group. This group of 30 lovely, accomplished ladies (with combined 100 years + of sewing experience!) meet 2 days a week for 3 months to complete this beauty. Now that’s commitment! We are very proud of this unique quilt – it is truly art in our opinion.
Amy Smart a dedicated veteran in the quilting industry says, “After accounting for the cost of supplies, plus the lengthy time invested in making a quilt – there’s a public misunderstanding of their real value. People are used to buying cheap goods made overseas. However, often these goods are made with lower quality materials, effort, and attention to detail – hence the lower price. Even higher end retailers like Pottery Barn sell quilts far below the cost and value that a craftsman here in America could sell it for and still make a reasonable wage/profit.”
At Magelle & Dreamer we would like to share with everyone (especially those not in the quilting industry) what is required in quilting. We design and construct our quilts in the hope that they can enhance your home with quality, one of a kind, handmade art.
Cheers!
Example of exquisite hand quilting on "Vintage Charm".