Very Annoyed Right Now

[yarnjeannie]

I'm making a child's hat for a friend at her request, and she is paying for the hat. She saw one that I made earlier and asked for one for her granddaughter. I asked her several times to measure her granddaughter's head, but she just tried on the one I had made as a sample. She came back to say that she just needed it a little smaller. So I made it a little smaller. Now it's too small, and again I asked her to measure the child's head. Instead, she told me to just make it a "little bigger around and maybe another row or two longer". She's a friend, so I don't want to mess this up, and she's already paid for the hat. I almost feel like giving her the money back, but she, her daughter and her granddaughter all loved the hat even when it was too small. So I'm going to err on the side of too large and since it has a crocheted cord woven through, she will be able to adjust it smaller if she needs to.

 

Why won't people just take a tape measure or even a string to take measurements?

[CrochetinMama]

Awww..sorry..That reminds me I need to measure some heads here..lol..

[Peggy85225]

Frustrating for you.

[mattenylou]

I'd ask them for measurements with a little drawing of exactly what they are measuring before I started another hat for them.

 

I've made a lot of things for folks over my 40 years of knitting and crocheting, most of it at no charge, except for them offering to pay for the yarn once in a blue moon.

 

I tell them up front that I'm not going to spend 2 days (or 2 weeks) making them something if they can't take 2 minutes to give me some accurate measurements. I now ask them to draw a little pic and write in the measurements, too.

 

Had this happen - I was making a sweater for a preschooler, and the measurements seemed way too long, but they kept insisting this is what they measured... turns out Mom measured the "sleeve" from the edge of the kid's bathing suit shoulder strap, and I was expecting a measurement from the armpit... yikes!

 

I never promise anything too soon either, seems like some people think I'm going to whip up a pair of mittens in the same time it would take them to run to the store and buy some. (even tho I can get them done in a flash, I'm not going to let them know that!)

[sunnywolfgar]

some people are just plain lazy. I also never give them a dead line, but will give them an idea. I goofed up on a custom order in my early 20's and I was 2 weeks overdue getting it done.

I felt so awful. I never do that again, it gets done when it gets done. I will say example 3-4 weeks and if I get done before then , I'll say oh I had some extra time, so they got done early.

[RoseRed]

I did the same thing once for a friend. It was frustrating but it blew over quickly and she really did appreciate it (and pay for them).

[FrLopLady]

"sorry I can't finish the hat until I get a measurement"... repeat often.... Explain it is a waste of your time and her money/yarn to keep making hats that are not quite the right size. Then again gives lots of other hats to give away I guess

 

I just did some hats for friends. One paid me, the other gave me yarn. The colors were not ones I would pick for the one hat..I made it and haven't heard if she likes it, thank you or squat. I personally didn't care for the hat, but thought it was what she had asked me to do. The other colors go well together and I was able to find patterns I liked and hopefully she will at least say thank you on these

 

The other gal who paid me using my own yarn, thanked me profusely (paid me more than I asked!) and wore it to church this past Sunday telling everyone that I had made it for her. Was a nice warm fuzzy feeling

[sunnywolfgar]

Frololady that makes you feel appreicated ! She wore the Hat you crocheted. :yes

[oliveoil]

Awww..sorry..That reminds me I need to measure some heads here..lol..

Yes you do need to measure some heads........getting ready to mail you a measuring tape!! :lol

[Granny Square]

Frloplady beat me to what I was going to say. Gently explain to your friend that it is very frustrating to rip out your work and re-do it over and over and over again, and you will wait for her to get you a measurement before undoing all of your hard work yet again.

 

I think non-crafters believe it just takes a minute or two to whip up something and don't understand how much effort goes into it. We are so conditioned to pushing a button and *poof" something happens, there are a lot of things in life you can't fix with an undo button .

[yarnjeannie]

I delivered the replacement hat today - she said that she can tell by looking at it that it will fit. I hope so. I decided to make the drawstring tie around the hat long enough to be adjustable. I will find out tomorrow if it is okay.

[RoseRed]

Here's hoping that it fits.

[LI Roe]

I think it took more energy for her to go back and forth with the two hats to try on than it would have taken her to measure the head.

 

My friend asked me to make hats and scarves for her two great-nieces but I had no measurements. I took a chance and both times (I did it twice, she provided the yarn) they fit perfectly. I was lucky, though she may have told me the approximate size of their heads. I really don't remember but they did fit. She has been such a support to me through the past years, I did it as a thank you. She crochets herself but she only does one or two stitches in crochet and only afghans and scarves, nothing where you have to read a pattern.

 

Many, many years ago, a co-worker wanted me to crochet a little dress for her toddler, she bought the yarn she wanted, gave me the pattern and paid me for the work done. I went over to her house, we measured the little one and I made the dress, according to the measurements. I then held my breath, since little ones can grow when you don't want them to (LOL). But it fit perfectly. And it was my first attempt at any type of garment (other than hats or scarves).

 

It takes just a few minutes to measure, especially for a hat. It is funny, I do tons of hats and scarves for charity and I usually base my adult womens hats by the size of my head, but some are a bit looser, some are a bit snuggier.

 

I agree with the others, insist on measurements before starting. It will save both you and the recipient a lot of time.

 

LI Roe

[yarnjeannie]

I'm happy to say that the second time was a charm. The hat fit perfectly and she loved it!

[sunnywolfgar]

Cute Hat Jeanne........

[Lov2Crochet]

I know EXACTLY what you mean! People do this all the time to me on necklaces. I make jewelry on the side and when I ask them how long they want the necklace, instead of measuring one they already have that they like or measuring their neck, they just tell me "I don't know, just whatever you think" It drives me mad. How hard is it to measure a necklace you already have?