Pricing Opinion

[Lov2Crochet]

Dh just called to tell me one of his co-workers wants me to make a baby blanket for her to give her friend as a gift. She wants it to be square and 5 different colors. I told him the yarn itself would be no less than $2 each (I was thinking Caron SS) so that is at least $10 there and then I told him $10 for my time so $20-$25 tops.

 

Do you think thats fair?

[livedinalaska]

I think that's NOT ENOUGH! But I truly have no idea, as I've never sold anything. I would think double that!

[caseysmom57]

Usual price is X3 price of materials. So I say $30.

[Yaviiniia Loenla Enath]

I would charge 30-40.

[Lov2Crochet]

Ok, I told him to tell her $25, I think thats a fair price. I don't like pricing things more than what I would buy them for and I think $25 is good.

[RoseRed]

Just some food for thought - would you charge differently for friends and co-workers vs. strangers/aquaintences?

[Lov2Crochet]

Just some food for thought - would you charge differently for friends and co-workers vs. strangers/aquaintences?

 

No, I would charge the same. I crochet b/c I enjoy it and I have to have something to do in my free time. Its just a bonus when I actually make a little $ from it.

[CLLinda]

Usual price is X3 price of materials. So I say $30.

 

I agree. Your time is worth that at least. Or you could have her pick up the yarn and just a flat fee for working it up. I have done that.

 

So I would then charge $20-$25 for labor. This way you feel you made all the money, if you don't have to dish out the money to start the project.

 

I did this last time. I did go shopping with my friend, and then she bought the yarn. This way, she got what she wanted in colors.

 

Just a suggestion.

 

[CLLinda]

No, I would charge the same. I crochet b/c I enjoy it and I have to have something to do in my free time. Its just a bonus when I actually make a little $ from it.

 

Good for you. I do the same. Crochet is the fun of it and you get a little money for doing it. That is reward enough for me.

 

[ErinLindsey]

I personally would charge more. Especially for your time to make the afghan...and if the pattern is more difficult than making a half double crochet afghan, I'd add more to the cost.

 

I'd start selling my crochet work if people would actually pay me for what my time is worth and for what the item is worth.

[Lov2Crochet]

I personally would charge more. Especially for your time to make the afghan...and if the pattern is more difficult than making a half double crochet afghan, I'd add more to the cost.

 

I'd start selling my crochet work if people would actually pay me for what my time is worth and for what the item is worth.

 

Well its just a baby sized blanket. I can whip it out in 3 days. Handmade things just don't sell well if they aren't priced right.

 

I went to several fall festivals over the past few weeks and found a lot of neat handmade stuff but what held me back from buying was the price. I want people to think my stuff is reasonably priced even though I know it may have taken some time to make but I would be crocheting something anyway so why not make it to sell.

[ErinLindsey]

Well its just a baby sized blanket. I can whip it out in 3 days. Handmade things just don't sell well if they aren't priced right.

 

I went to several fall festivals over the past few weeks and found a lot of neat handmade stuff but what held me back from buying was the price. I want people to think my stuff is reasonably priced even though I know it may have taken some time to make but I would be crocheting something anyway so why not make it to sell.

 

Yeah, but you should at least get paid for your time. If you go by minimum wage, if you crochet on your afghan 3 hours a day and you charge $5.85 an hour (Nebraska min wage is $5.85) then you should get $52.65 just for your time (3 hours x $5.85 x 3 days = $52.65)...and then charge for materials. (say six skeins at $3 a skein = $18) you should be making at least $70 for your work plus materials. Then at least, you'd have some sort of profit, and $70 is really not all that much for a baby afghan. (I know, not all baby afghans can be made in 3 days...all of my math were just examples, not true representations of actual costs)

 

The reason why a lot of people dont want to pay what something handmade is worth is because of the WalMart Effect. Why pay $70 for something handmade when they can go to WM and buy something made for pennies in Thailand that WM charges $19.96 for.

[happy stitcher]

$70 is really not all that much for a baby afghan.

 

Sorry, but maybe it is the WalMart effect, I don't know... but I'd never pay $70 for a baby afghan - even if I couldn't crochet. I'd just get him some jammies or something else!

 

The last time I made a baby ghan for somebody, I let her buy the materials and pay me $25. She was happy with that, and I was too. I know I would have made more working at McD, but I wouldn't have enjoyed it 1/4 as much!!

[01buckler15]

I had someone offer to pay me 30 after I told her 20. It was a good friend of my MIL's. Then she said, she thought I should charge other people 40 to 50. I've never sold anything that I made other than that. She's been the only person that has ever asked me. Now that I am more experienced, I think 30 or 40 is a good price for a crocheted baby blanket. I wouldn't have ever paid that much for one, but I know many people that would!

[ErinLindsey]

I had someone offer to pay me 30 after I told her 20. It was a good friend of my MIL's. Then she said, she thought I should charge other people 40 to 50. I've never sold anything that I made other than that. She's been the only person that has ever asked me. Now that I am more experienced, I think 30 or 40 is a good price for a crocheted baby blanket. I wouldn't have ever paid that much for one, but I know many people that would!

 

That's my point. I wouldnt pay that much for an afghan (probably because I can make my own) but there are people out there who will pay a LOT more for handmade items.

 

I just dont like to see people get paid next to nothing for something they've worked hard on. I would love to just sit and crochet and get paid for it, but I cant make any money doing it because no one wants to pay what I want to get paid for my stuff.

 

Right now, I crochet (and occasionally knit) to keep myself from going completely nuts with my medical problems. (this week has been rather annoying, since I seem to be having vision problems again) I cant get a job at the moment, so I'm stuck sitting here, with piles of afghans laying around me that I cant sell because no one will give me any decent money for them. If I took what people would pay, I might be able to break even with what I paid for my yarn....maybe.

[bettycrackpot]

i've never charged more than 30.00 for a baby blanket. it only takes a couple of hours, and i use caron pounders. (4.99 each) if i was trying to make more money from it, i would find a boutique and see if they would take something on commission. but i live in central pa. i am surrounded by amish and mennonites. they sell cheaper than walmart, and cheaper than me.

[Ellie 13]

I take the price of the yarn and round up to the whole $, then charge $4-$5 per hour depending on the pattern dificulty level. This usually comes out anywhere between $25-$35, because I try to use poundres, SS or sale yarns. If the person wants certain yarns/colors, I have them buy it and just charge $25-$30 for 36 inch afghan, $35-$40 for 48-50 inch afghans.

Ellie 13

[darski]

One of the reasons I don't charge is because I will not devalue my work by getting slave wages. If I give it away then it is a gift and a gift is priceless. (granted I have been blessed and can donate.)