The Thredhead is officially on summer vacation! For those that don’t know, my sewing persona is only part of my life. When I’m not creating, I daylight as an American Sign Language Interpreter in the K-12 setting. I love my day job but as many people who work in education, we LOVE summers! I value my summer freedom and am looking forward to having even more time to create!
One part of my creative practice people may not realize I offer is commissions. I thoroughly enjoy working with people to bring an idea they have to fibery fruition. I have done many quilty commissions of varying sizes, designs, and concepts. AND now that the thredhead is on summer break, I would love to fill my summer with commissions so I can stay busy AND so you can have a little piece of quilty magic with you forever!
To give you a better understanding of how I go about the commission process to make, I'll use the FAQ method. Ready? Let’s go!
How do I request a commission piece?
Any form of contact is an appropriate way to request a commission, BUT the best way is using filling out this Commission inquiry Form!
It will ask you the basic questions like, Your name, Who is the quilt for, a basic idea of what you want, a rough size, if you have a hopeful timeline of when you would like to receive the finished piece, and your email so I can get in touch with you! After doing a happy excited dance, I will then reach out to you and we can get things going.
I want a special commission but don’t know exactly what I want… Can I still get a commission?
Absolutely! No idea, No problem! Chances are you have enough info to get us going to creative town! If you have a general idea, buzz words, or even a special occasion or person in mind, we can work together to come up with something great.
Are your quilts only decorative or do you make quilts to use for blankets too?
I mostly do art quilts, which is a fine-art where everything is done by hand. However, I do also make quilts that you can use as your traditional blanket quilt. Parts of those quilts that need to be structurally more secure will be done by machine but all of the applique, design pieces, and quilting are done by hand.
What is your preferred way to make a commission?
I love getting a general idea of what you’re looking for, maybe some buzzwords and then being creatively set free!
For example, a client told me— “I want a quilted piece done by you, for above my bed. My husband loves mountains, and lakes, and I would also love to have a silhouette of two people.”
I let the creativity flow through me and here is the result!
How involved can I be with the process?
You can be as involved, or as uninvolved, in the process as you’d like! I have had clients request to be involved in every step of the way, approving each phase, and I’ve had clients who give me buzzwords and relinquish me to the world of complete and utter creative freedom! A combo of both is also an option… the choice is yours!
How long does a commission take you?
Depending on the size and complexity of the piece, a piece can typically take me anywhere between 25-45 hours. I pride myself in doing all of the quilting and design by hand (unless there is a need for more durability in the structure of the piece, like using it for a blanket, then that is the only reason I will use my machine) which is why so many hours are put in. Regardless of quilting being seen as a craft, It is a fine art.
Now to the awkward/uncomfortable/hard to ask/awkward to answer questions…all the questions about money!
Let me start by saying, the whole point of these commissions is me getting the opportunity to create something special just for you that you love and cherish, while I get to do the thing that I love to do while stretching my creative brain! I would already be sewing, so I offer a bit lower of a cost for a custom art piece. With that said, these pieces do take me a good chunk of time and when I am working on a piece for you I cannot sew things for me, so I do ask for a compensation minimum. I am still finalizing how to charge for commissioned work, and it is all subject to change, but as of now this is all how it stands. Ok, let’s get into it!
How much does a commission cost?
The most difficult question to answer as an artist, but let's give it a whirl… Art of all kinds has a wide range of costs and many artists have varying methods of how they justify how much they charge. My method is this…
As I am creating your piece I keep track of how many hours it takes me, this includes my planning and sketching of ideas. I will also keep track of any materials I buy— if any, since I strive to use second hand materials. Once the piece is complete I give you all this info and we talk about what feels comfy to you for price considering your budget.
***For the many reasons I listed at the beginning of this section, I do require a minimum of $200 for any piece***
One way people find it helpful to look at the cost I earn based on hours I put into the project, is the hourly rate. For example, if a piece took me 25 hours I would be paid $8 an hour and at the other end at 45 hours spent I would be paid $4.50 an hour. This is well under the minimum range!
Do you offer payment plans?
I know fine art is an investment but I don’t want finances to be something that stops you from bringing magic to your life so I do offer payment plans. We will sign a little contract and you are free to make monthly payments in any way we agree upon. :)
How do I pay you?
Venmo is my preferred method of payment but a check is also acceptable.
I hope these answer your questions about commission art by yours truly! If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask! You can email me csan1234@gmail.com OR send me a message on IG @thethredhead
SO… you want a commission by yours truly? Fill out this Commission Inquiry Form and let's get started!!! Still not convinced? Read some reviews that a few people who have their very own ThredHead commissions left for y’all to read below!
Thank you for reading and Stay Scrappy, The Thredhead (Chelsea Sanford)
Reviews
“Chelsea is an absolute dream to work with for a commission—she took my vision (just a cozy little bookshelf lap quilt) and turned it into a GORGEOUS piece. I was consulted at every step of the way (“Do you want different or the same heights for the book? Specific colors/patterns? Do you have anything on your bookshelf that I should include?”) and while I left most everything up to her creative vision, she kept me in the loop to make sure I was happy with the progress she was making. I got regular photo/timeline updates and honestly it was so much faster than I was expecting AND it completely matched what I was hoping for. 11/10, would recommend any time.” -Kate Oldham
“Chelsea, The ThredHead, is the best! We collaborated during the design stage of my custom piece, discussing some specifications and overall idea for my custom piece. I chose to give Chelsea a lot of creative freedom, knowing that her experience and artistic eye would guide the project. The results were astounding- the piece was above and beyond my expectations, both in design and physical quality. The quilt is fully hand sewn but has a professional finish. I chose to use mine as a wall hanging, and the sturdy material and sharp edges combined with the custom design make the piece elegant and unique decor. Chelsea made my vision come to life, and the finished product is something I will cherish forever. I encourage everyone to reach out for their very own custom piece!” -Gina Piersanti-Gioe
“Everything about the custom piece Chelsea made for my family is absolutely perfect - including the process of creating it. She took such gentle care of my childhood memory and truly listened to what I wanted - from the overall feeling and look to the small details that have become my favorite parts of the piece. She checked in frequently as she started creating it to make sure it was coming along like I'd envisioned. The result is stunningly beautiful and meaningful and makes me so happy every time I look at it - which is a lot! Chelsea is a skilled artist, but more than that she creates her pieces from a place of love and caring attention. I cannot thank her enough for bringing the spirit of my childhood tree back into my life where it can watch over my family!” -Ashley S
What a wonderful service you are providing. Love it!