This is sad (a little long)

[crochetstepmom]

I know that this has been discussed ad nauseum, but I have another example of how other people have no idea of what's involved in what we do as crocheters. I just laughed it off, but I do think it is a bit sad.

 

I have a neighbor who, although she is a very nice person, believes that she is an expert in everything. I'm sure that you know the type. She doesn't mean anything by it, so I usually just smile and go on.

 

Anyway, she runs a sort of online consignment shop out of her home. Sometimes, when she's at people's homes, she'll pick up items and say, "If you ever want to get rid of this, let me know. Maybe I can sell it for you." She really isn't as rude as that sounds. I think she's very enthusiastic about what she does and maybe just a little misguided.

 

I had some of the neighborhood kids over on Saturday to bake Thanksgiving cookies, and her son was one of them. She came by yesterday to thank me for entertaining the kids all afternoon. I was working on an afghan for my SIL, and we started talking about crochet. She mentioned her store and reminded me that she had a crafts and household section. She said that she'd be happy to try to sell dishcloths, potholders, and household things for me.

 

Then she started looking at the quilt rack that DH made for me that has some of my special afghans on it. There are some that were made by both my grandmother and DH's grandmother. Then, there was one that I made for my MIL, but she died before I got it finished. When I did finally finish it, I gave it to DH. My neighbor was commenting on how pretty it was, and I told her the story behind it.

 

She said, "Well, I know that you wouldn't want to sell this one, but if you want to make another one, I'd love to try to sell it for you. I'm sure I could probably get $30 for it, maybe even $35. I'll bet I could sell two or three a week for that."

 

I just smiled and thanked her for the offer. I told her something about being really busy making gifts right now, but I'd keep her offer in mind for the future. We chatted a little more, and she left not long after.

 

When she left, DH said, "You handled that pretty well. How much did that yarn cost anyway?"

 

I told him that it was about $45, and that was a sale price. I have no idea how long it took to make it, but I usually allow myself at least two months for an afghan of that size. I'm guessing 70-80 hours.

 

This just struck me as funny but sad at the same time.

[Elvee]

Your neighbor is just clueless. lol.

[grandmalolly]

Oh,dear! It IS sad that some people have no idea of the cost of supplies, to say nothing of the time, and talent behind the beautiful items we make. I'm not sure I could have been quite so diplomatic, but I AM proud of the way you handled it, and you should be proud of yourself, too.

[Tampa Doll]

I have run into people like that and you know what I have to chuckle at?

If it was in a store Like Macey's or some other big store and had a designer lable on it, they would pay over $100.00 for it and not bat an eye. But because it is homemade, they don't think it is worth the same amount money.

[ReniC]

You handled this situation with the grace of God and kindness in your heart. You sound like a very special woman!

[jeannej]

You handled that exceptionally well. Your neighbor obviously just doesn't know...too bad that lack of knowledge didn't prevent her from presuming so much.

 

Should she ever approach you about it again, I suppose you could always say something like, "Well, I once sold a similar one for $__ (or was offered...), but because it takes approximately ___ hours to create one, it just wouldn't fit into my schedule these busy days.

 

That's why I appreciate this community so very much...everyone knows!

[Miss Crochet]

I agree with a previous poster - you're very gracious and tactful. I'd probably have had to choke manic laughter or would've stared at her in speechless shock. But I know EXACTLY how you feel

 

And in the past when people have said things like, "Wow, that looks good enough to sell - " (I have to stop here to have a little manic laugh) and have asked me how much I though I'd get for the item in question (e.g. baby blanket), I usually very gently and sweetly tell them that the yarn costs about €25 and there's about 25 hours of work in each blanket. Then I let them do the math.

[auntbubbels]

I think that happens to all crafters that give home made gifts. I don't think people realize that it costs money to buy the materials required.

 

That is why I only give to people that I know will truly appreciate what I make -

[Hookerangel]

Yes I agree you dealt with the situation VERY tactfully and graciously. People really have NO idea of what is involved in the art of crochet neither the element of time nor the cost of the materials. Really when asked what is the cost of the items we produce we should just say they are 'priceless'. After all ladies we are producing unique hand made goods. As Mary Jo so rightly says if it was being sold in a fancy store they wouldn't even think to query the cost.

[CLLinda]

I think that happens to all crafters that give home made gifts. I don't think people realize that it costs money to buy the materials required.

 

That is why I only give to people that I know will truly appreciate what I make -

 

 

I agree. Some people think the yarn costs next to nothing and our time and talent isn't worth very much either. There are lots of people who just don't realize the time, money, and talent that is needed to make a beautiful afghan.

 

And you did handle the situation nicely. I don't know if I could have been so nice.

 

I am making my niece a blanket for college, because she still uses the one I made her when she was about 9. So she is definately one person that appreciates my work.

 

[Heather414]

Wow, I'd say you handled yourself very well.

 

I think it would be very difficult to put a price on a full-size afghan. And your heirloom ones, I'm sure, are priceless!

[tralee]

You handled that very gracefully. God bless you!

[tnkycrochetnut]

I agree with everyone else. You handled that very well. I am not sure if I could have handled it quite as well as you did. Aunt Bubbels, I understand about only giving to people who you know would appreciate your hard work and handiwork. I have a great niece that I made a baby afghan for when she was born. She loved it so much she completely wore it out. That's been years ago as she is now 22 years old but her "Aunt Kathy" is still walking on air about it. :manyheart :hug to crochetstepmom

[jillybean]

You know part of the problem is the mass produced garbage that's so prevalent in our stores. I know what it takes to make a doily, but I've seen them in the dollar store. People don't learn to appreciate that it's made just for them, or that it is an original article, when they can pick up something that may look similar for a few bucks.

[beth eathorne]

this is a common thing. i love to give my items as gifts and sometimes if someone wants me to make them something i will tell to buy the yarn ( i dont make items for very many people because they just wont pay me enough). crocheting is my stress relief and i do not want to make it a chore which is what it would be if i were trying to make money doing it. so you go girl, just keep smiling at her!!!!

[ericalynn]

That is funny. I have to admit though, when I first started to crochet, my MIL was helping me. I went through her patterns and she helped me pick out some simple ones. She had made all sorts of doll outfits, santas, indians, southern belles, etc. We got to talking about them one day, and she told me she used to sell them to friends, my eyes about popped out of my head when she told me the price! I thought it was way too much. But now that I have been doing this for 8+ yrs, I can see the time and money that goes into it, not to mention the pull hairing and frustration from time to time.

Word of advice: about 90% of what I make is for someone as a gift or because they ask me for it. I ran into problems in the past because people didn't want to pay the price, and what they wanted to pay wouldn't even cover the cost of yarn. I found it easier if possible to have them buy the amount of yarn needed, then pay me for the time making it. Even though they are paying the price I asked for in the beginning, it doesn't seem that way to them if they get the supplies thereselves.

Sorry- if that isn't babbling then I don't know what is!!

[JanineW]

As my mom would say, "You handled that like a LADY!" Hope you are feeling proud of yourself.

[RoseRed]

People will ask me to make stuff. When I tell them (only if I actually want to do it) I'll make it if you buy the yarn. Suddenly when it costs them in supplies they find lots of excuses.

 

My dearest friend down here asked me to make a ghan for her son for Christmas. I told her I had enough to start it but not to complete it. She had no problem handing over the money to purchase it. I had made her daughter the Diamonds ghan as a bday present and she wanted one for her son too.

 

Some people appreciate what goes into homeade things and others don't. There's nothing you can do about it.

 

I would not have handled that like you did. Me being me would've explained the time and money that goes into it and finished up I'd throw it in my burn pit before I sold it for $30.

 

I think a lot of it depends on where you sell things too. I remember going to a garage sale and the woman had a table of STUNNING silk flower and candle sconces that she had made. People were snickering over the prices which, to be honest, would've been cheap if it had been at a craft fair, but not in her driveway.

 

If your friend wants to set up a section and you want to do it - have her make a display and sell your things at a real price. You never know - you might find a nitch market there.

[happy stitcher]

I agree that it's sad, but I also agree with Rose Red....some people just don't understand what goes into it. And it may not be their "thing", either. I always do a double-take on some of the tole-painted things I see at craft fairs. I don't really care for them, and the prices seem crazy high to me. But I acknowledge the fact that it's not my "thing" and I just don't get it. I'm sure a lot of work went into them, but I don't care for them. That's just my personal feeling about it.

 

It doesn't help that there are people who sell crocheted items on eBay for dirt cheap, either. People come to expect low prices.

[appy_lover]

I think you handled it just right. Now last weekend I was at a craft show and a lady had lapghans out for $20, hand knit scarves for $5 (really long and intricate), knit slippers for $5, knit hats for $5, and various other underpriced things. That frustrated me, because she was undervalueing everything she had. I hate that...not just because I was a competeing vendor with unaplogetically higher prices, but because it makes our crafts look cheap instead of like the artforms they are.

[mclendon1]

Yes, you handled amazingly well. I went to the local annual Christmas Craft show 2 weeks ago; it reminded me why I don't make crafts for sale. Hours of work, let alone the materials, marked dirt cheep, & still weren't selling.

[oliveoil]

i have run into people like that and you know what i have to chuckle at?

 

if it was in a store like macey's or some other big store and had a designer lable on it, they would pay over $100.00 for it and not bat an eye. But because it is homemade, they don't think it is worth the same amount money.

 

 

ditto ditto ditto!!!!!!!!

[CraftyZone]

You did handle that very well and i agree with others here too people don't realize what goes into making any handmade item. I use to have friends tell you could make a lot of money selling your afghans the thing is now yarn cost more and patterns are getting to be more costly too even when yarn is on sale and time and work making something. After while you feel like a factory worker and not enjoying the what crochet means to all of us. It is relaxing and a way of expressing our creations and pride when we finish it and most all I really did this. Thank you for sharing.

[Michaels Gram]

I think people underprice their items because if you go to any of the big box stores or otherwise you can get hat & scarf sets for $10.00, hats for $4.00 etc. so they feel in order to sell their handmade items they have to price them like the stores do with the cheap machine made stuff but they do undermine the handmade items.

[Michaels Gram]

I think people underprice their items because if you go to any of the big box stores or otherwise you can get hat & scarf sets for $10.00, hats for $4.00 etc. so they feel in order to sell their handmade items they have to price them like the stores do with the cheap machine made stuff but they do undermine the handmade items.