do you give crochet away/or sell?

[coffeeandcrochet]

I have never sold anything I've made (nor would I even know where to begin lol) but every yr especially at Christmas I give away things I've made. There is always (by word of mouth) someone who needs scarves/hats, blankets etc. I enjoy doing this, but when I mention this to some people I get "Are you crazy,giving that away you could sell it and make money".So I was just wondering do you give crochet stuff away or do you sell? And am I crazy that I enjoy hopefully making someone day just a little brighter with a small gift. Found this pic of some of the stuff I made, and gave away at Christmas time last yr.

 

[shelly_bean]

I give or donate. If I "sell" it's usually just for the cost of the yarn, ie you buy the yarn i make the item. my mom has dumped yarn on me and said make me this.. cool i didn't have to buy yarn and I still get to crochet.. bonus all around.

[sewnsew]

I usually give away too. I've done like Michelle though where they pay me for the yarn or give me the yarn and I make it. It's just nice being able to make the items and then knowing that someone is enjoying the item makes it worth it too.

[dewbaby00]

I usually give my stuff away unless someone wants something I don't have the yarn for then I have them buy the yarn they want it made with or tell them about how much the yarn will cost.

[trin]

I do both, I'm disabled and can't work a "normal" job so my Etsy site is a real life saver. My "hobby" is pretty much self supporting, and I need to make things to keep my sanity... what's left of it.

 

I also give away a lot of things as gifts.

[HappyOldCro]

I give away the things I crochet, and I get the, "are you nuts, you could make money from this?" routine. First I tell them, I wouldn't get paid what the yarn is worth, then I explain, if I do it for money it becomes a job, something that you have to do. I figure God gave me a blessing, the talent to make things, I pass it on to others. If they insist on giving me something, I tell them to say a prayer for me. I have taken money for other crafts that are more expensive, but only to replace the costs. I have thought about etsy, but never checked it out. I am disabled too and worry about copy rights and that kind of stuff. So many crocheted items are so similar to others, how on earth does anyone know who designed what? And on patterns some say you can make it and sell it, while others say for personal use only, how do you keep track of it all? It is easier and nicer to give it away and enjoy the smiles you create.

[cgd]

I just give it away. I don't figure anyone would want to buy what I make because I'm not that good so I tend to stick to simple, basic stuff. Also, like Happy, by the time you factor in the cost of the yarn and the huge number of hours it takes to make something, I probably wouldn't get enough, plus it would become drudgery to me. My mother's the same about her woodwork (except that she's good at it!)

[trin]

I have thought about etsy, but never checked it out. I am disabled too and worry about copy rights and that kind of stuff. So many crocheted items are so similar to others, how on earth does anyone know who designed what? And on patterns some say you can make it and sell it, while others say for personal use only, how do you keep track of it all? It is easier and nicer to give it away and enjoy the smiles you create.

 

I don't use a pattern for anything... so everything I'm making is a OOAK...

and I make so much, most of my friends and family are quickly buried and I don't have room for much... I DO also make some things for charities.

 

The income I get from my ETSY sales, means I can sometimes buy fancy yarn for something for someone special (My sister is getting an alpaca kitty for her birthday!) ... or take my family out to eat once in awhile, BUY MORE YARN! Or pay for some household repair,or the car insurance, out of what I've saved from my profit. Things I couldn't do otherwise. It's not a huge amount of money, a good month, (haven't seen holiday sales yet...) I have $200 that otherwise I wouldn't have.

:manyheartMy "craft income" means I don't have to call my parents and ask for a loan all the time. I never made much when I was able to work, so my disability check is even smaller. Every little bit makes a huge difference for me.

 

I still make every single thing out of the joy of making things. It keeps me from getting too lonely/bored when I'm stuck in bed some days. (I HATE daytime TV.) It also brings joy to the people who buy them, and the feedback I get from customer is a joy too.. I've made FRIENDS on Etsy!

 

I'm mainly making small items, and I think it's my happiness in making them, that sells them! I'm not spending many many hours on something and I'm not thinking about the time (otherwise "wasted" laying in bed, waiting for a ride, waiting at the doctor's office etc, or while watching tv...I can't just sit and watch...) when I'm pricing them, so it's NOT a good replacement for the income of a "real job".

[Katie G]

I have given away almost everything I've ever made. Most people have no idea of the amount of time that goes into crocheting and are not willing to pay you for what it is worth, IMHO.

 

Example, a few years ago, my supervisor at work asked me to make her some small doilies (coaster size) for her grandmother. I made six heart-shaped doilies out of thread, approx 5 inch in diameter, very pretty with an intricate design. She had said to just tell her what I thought they were worth and she would pay that amount, cost was no object. When I asked for $20.00, she kind of screwed up her nose and wrote out the check, but I could tell she thought it was too high. A couple of years later, she asked me to make an afghan for her soon to be born niece, and I said no thanks.

 

If I didn't have to work and could devote more hours to crochet, I'd be interested in getting an Etsy shop, but as it is now, my crocheting time is pretty limited and I'd rather spend it making things for ppl that I love.

[Real Deal]

I have sold crochet in the past, but the far majority of items I've made have been for gifts for family and friends. I keep a running list all year long that I add to every time I hear one of them say "Oh, I love that" or "I've always wanted one of those." Sometimes I add items to the list for Christmas that I think some of them will like, such as: my Aunt who lives next door to me has the last name of Lamie, so I'm going to make her a stuffed lamb; and one of my sisters is very outdoorsy so I'm going to make her a stuffed moose that is really cute.

 

Now I know it's a strange concept, but I decided this year that I would actually start making things for myself! All the years I've been crocheting (30) and I rarely do, so I signed up for the Candy Apple Shrug CAL. Yeah. And I want to make it in stripes.

 

Real Deal

[Lov2Crochet]

I haven't sold anything yet but I have given a lot away, especially baby blankets.

[kmeiding]

I almost always give my things away. The only time that I sell things is when we have a fundraiser for my crocheting group so we can pay for yarn without using our own money.

[Happy_Hooker]

I mostly give away my crocheted items as gifts... I have maybe 3 crocheted items I've actually made myself... Two of which are blankets.

 

I've had people buy yarn... Once in awhile they feel like they owe me something so they throw in a few bucks extra. I'm just happy with them paying for the yarn.

 

Some of the prices I've seen online, I know very few people can truly appreciate how much time and money goes into making these items... when they see sweaters for $160 they think they can go and buy the same thing at a store for $30... They don't realize that sweater used 20 balls of yarn at $8 each to hand make...

 

I think there is some gray area where people crochet faster than others... I may be able to make something in two days that another person can make in four. We each end up with the same final product... Should I make less because it didn't take me as long to make?

 

It is just easier for all intents and purposes to give them away as gifts. As mentioned about copyrights... How many people have the same concept for a beanie out there? A Granny Square? They are the same end result, just worded in a different way.

[crochetluvknot]

To me I give away to sell would be something I had to do ya know I enjoy crochet and i love what i do as a hobby and thats it its my hobby to sell would be more like a job to me i like seeing the reactions you get from people when you give them something you made ya know what i mean.

[Addey]

I give away most of what I make. I make lots of baby blankets for Project Linus. It makes me feel good, keeps me busy and out of trouble on airplanes and hopefully brightens the day of some little one or their family. I've made things for my nieces for Christmas and I've got several things I've made myself or my house (blankets). I need to start thinking about what/if I'm going to make the girls this year...

I sometimes think I should make up things to seel at my Curves' craft fairs they do about twice a year, but I just never get there...

[PBLKNP]

I tend to give a lot of things away. I like doing charity projects. Also, I give people afghans for Christmas every year. I joke that this year it's so-and-so's turn to get an afghan. I do some things for myself, too. I've never sold anything.

[snefferdoodle]

If I'm not keeping it for myself (rare) then I give away my crochet.

 

A friend and I started a prayer shawl ministry at our church and so far we have given away over 30 shawls. This ministry has been such a blessing to our community. We are also working on making crosses for the kids who will be receiving their first communion next year. Hopefully we will be able to do this on a yearly basis. Our church also has an annual mission called "Barrels for Brazil." We send supplies to our sister parish in Brazil. We hope to continue to include baby blankets in these barrels.

[Bizzyboppers]

I give away alot. I will sell items on occasion. It really just depends on the situation. My joy comes from being able to provide Christmas/Birthday presents for family and friends that they wouldn't get from someone else.

 

I design alot of my own patterns. I am more apt to sell a pattern than an actual item. I do give some patterns away, but not all.

 

I am with whoever it was that said, "If I start selling my items then its now a job and its a have to". I tried opening a business with my handmade items. People don't want to pay what the item is worth. Too many think if it is handmade, then it should be cheap. Wrong! I now carry consignment items in my store and I see alot of that.

 

I am all for anyone who has made a business out of their handcrafted goods..Kudos to you! Keep up the good work!

[Knit Happens]

Both, but mostly gifting.

[eli1118]

I am a newbie, so I have given my first couple of amis to my sister!! She's given them a good home.

I am thinking of making blankets for gifts. It is nice to make things for friends. It's like giving a little bit of yourself.

[The_Virginia_Hooker]

I've made stuff as surprise presents. A couple of people at work asked if i could make scarves and hats for them (politely 'if it's not too much trouble, i'd understand if you say no'), and offered to pay for it. But the only thing i ask is for yarn cost. The relaxation from working on the project is enough of a paycheck for me.

[Blondie]

If I had kept everything I have ever crocheted I could fill this house from top to bottom or I feel like I could anyway. I give most things away or donate them to school and church auctions and stuff like that. If my daugters want me to make something they can give as a gift, I ask them to buy the yarn or thread or whatever it takes to make it.

 

I remember one time one daugher wanted me to make her a chenille afghan. I said okay if you will buy the yarn. Off we went to the store, and guess what, she decided she didn't want one that bad afterall People have no idea how much some yarns cost

[minx19662000]

i have never sold anything that i have made. i usually give it away or keep it myself. my mom and i just made a whole bunch of caps for hershey hospital in pa for the maternity ward. that was fun.

[Gekogurli]

I don't think I've actually kept much of what I have made. Off the top of my head, I think I have kept two hats. Everything else has been given away. I recently made a little stuffed pig for my desk at the office, but my boss begged me for it, so I gave it to him. Now I'm making him a monkey, and a hat.

 

People have wanted to pay me, but I figure I'm going to be crocheting anyway, I may as well have something in particular to crochet, right?

 

-=Kris=-

[passionsgirl22]

i have sold alot of my blankets i just sold 4 last weekend for 10 dollars a piece