Is yarn free?

[ZoeZoesmom]

I walked into our local watering hole last night and I was asked for an afghan, 2 scarfs and a pair of slippers....I replied to each request, I will put you on my list(he he he. there is no list).......same people who make fun of me for bringing my wip's in.............and my DD said what are you going to charge them? Heck, they want it for free! Of course my time is worth nothing, I just whip stuff up:crocheting, thanks for listening. I have a bad habit of giving my stuff away, guess the locals are catching on.

[pink5js]

join the club i do the same thing give things away my husband gets a little mad when i do that but i am finally getting it you do something nice for somebody once and they think they can ask from then on for somthing for free....maybe i will wise up someday... thank god for my husband cuz he always lets them know that they have to pay something and buy the yarn....

[ZoeZoesmom]

well, you have a great hb, Mine is too.....but I still give stuff away. thankfully the 2 shawls I gave away came back to me, tough when you give stuff to drunks, ugh! I really think my projects have a homing device

[CLLinda]

People do think that yarn is free and you can just whip up a afghan in minutes. They have no idea how much time, energy, talent and money that crochet actually needs to be sucessful.

 

Just learn to ignore the comments. They don't know what they are saying.

 

[papersmiles]

I honestly believe that most "non-crafters" have absolutely NO IDEA how much yarn costs these days. AND, I have had "friends" ask me if I could take an evening and crochet a QUICK BABY BLANKET for them to give as a gift. LIKE.....sure!!!! I'll whip out my crochet machine, plug 'er in and have the blanket done in a FLASH. DUH!!!!!

(...laughing and crocheting like crazy....)

[gumby28]

I also give my things away. Lately if someone I usually don't make things for asks for something I ask the to buy the yarn.

[pink5js]

I honestly believe that most "non-crafters" have absolutely NO IDEA how much yarn costs these days. AND, I have had "friends" ask me if I could take an evening and crochet a QUICK BABY BLANKET for them to give as a gift. LIKE.....sure!!!! I'll whip out my crochet machine, plug 'er in and have the blanket done in a FLASH. DUH!!!!!

(...laughing and crocheting like crazy....)

that sounds so much like my niece who always thinks i'm a machine she always signs me up for projects that are due like yesterday and that i can just go outside and pull the yarn from my yarn tree:lol

[PBLKNP]

People never have any clue about how expensive yarn is. Even inexpensive yarn adds up if you're making an afghan. One of my co-workers asked for a baby blanket for her grandchild and offered to pay. In all, the yarn cost me $50 (I used Patons Astra), but I didn't have the heart to charge her that. Instead, I had her pay me $25.

[Sylviaf]

A few years ago a woman I knew very casually wanted me to sew her daughter a canopy for her bed and couldn't believe that I wasn't interested in undertaking the project. People have no idea of what these projects require.

[celiawinters]

I know exactly what you are talking about but people that don't appreciate my work don't get it! Another thing, the prayer shawls at church, people think they just magically appear and don't think how long it took to make one. These people want one for a friend, of course free. I am going to do a crochet class at church very soon and during my announcement during the service I am going to remind people if they take a prayer shawl, just the yarn cost a minimum of $5 and see if that gets through which I doubt. The memory has a way of forgetting these things.

[Elvee]

Oh, yeah, yarn is free and I have all the time in the world to make projects I have no interest in doing for people I don't care about! lol. I give people a rough estimate of how much the yarn costs and tell them I charge 3 times that for custom orders.

 

That usually leaves them sputtering! People want, but don't want to pay for anything handcrafted. I have enough to do making things I want to do. If they want to pay what I feel the project is worth, then OK. But, I get yarn/money for it upfront or I don't undertake it.

 

You and your work are valuable. That is why we call it "work!"

[simplyme5252]

I loved that you use my line. Since I frequently crochet in public, everyone is always like oh make me a blanket or I'll take a hat and scarf. I tell people all the time "I'll put you on the list. But just so you know my hubby hasn't even made it to the top yet." Given the high cost of supplies, only the truly deserving and appreciative will get my hardworked projects.

[ReniC]

Mostly people are just ignorant to all that people do with needlework, crafts, painting, etc. Especially about the cost and personal time to create.

Have a little card to hand out with your name and phone number on it and a line or two that goes like this:

 

I wish I were a magical faerie

But I can't crochet for free,

Please give me a call

And we'll discuss my little fee!

[Red67]

I honestly believe that most "non-crafters" have absolutely NO IDEA how much yarn costs these days. AND, I have had "friends" ask me if I could take an evening and crochet a QUICK BABY BLANKET for them to give as a gift. LIKE.....sure!!!! I'll whip out my crochet machine, plug 'er in and have the blanket done in a FLASH. DUH!!!!!

(...laughing and crocheting like crazy....)

 

LOL thank is soooo true:lol

[The_Virginia_Hooker]

Oh, if yarn were free, could you imagine how much bigger the stashes would be?

 

(Hey that rhymed lol)

[ZoeZoesmom]

Oh, if yarn were free, could you imagine how much bigger the stashes would be?

 

(Hey that rhymed lol)

 

:lol:lol:lol

 

I am so glad to hear I am not the only one getting fed up with people wanting something for nothing. It's really beginning to irk me, oh did I mention I had one of my half moon shawls left behind by someone and I found it on the floor! The floor! I could have died!

[Red67]

:lol:lol:lol

 

I am so glad to hear I am not the only one getting fed up with people wanting something for nothing. It's really beginning to irk me, oh did I mention I had one of my half moon shawls left behind by someone and I found it on the floor! The floor! I could have died!

 

half moon shawls take time and work..I feel so bad reading that happen to you....I hope you did not give it back .....yarn has gone sky high here in new york...so freebies are done (and boy did I do alot over the years) but no regrets..now I just Gift them away to those who appreciate the time and work...and to my fav charities...you have a big HEART...as I have found all crocheters do ...God Bless...

[auntbubbels]

Dawn - since you are crocheting for free I would like a cardigan, with a matching hat, scarf and gloves !!!! :lol

[texasredhead]

When someone asks me for an item, and I think they are serious, I give them a list of the yarn they need to buy and how much I charge to make it. They usually don't come back, but some do if they really want it. My time is valuable, and so I figure if they really want it, they will be willing to pay for it. Years ago I was admiring a scarf that a co-worker was wearing that was knitted. I don't knit, so the lady said if I bring her 2 skeins of yarn she will make it for me. She did, and I just love that scarf. She did the work for free, but since I paid for the yarn it wasn't a financial burden on her.

[ZoeZoesmom]

Dawn - since you are crocheting for free I would like a cardigan, with a matching hat, scarf and gloves !!!! :lol

 

:lol I'll add you to my list!

 

Thanks, I am having a crappy day and you made me laugh.

[shannie_nae]

I to have been asked to do things for free. I don't like it as I have enough wip's that I don't need to add to it. I usually tell people to buy me the supplies, that usually gets them to stop asking. People really do think that you can make a sweater out of one skein, or that you have a stash big enough to make an afghan. I really don't mind making things for people who I know will appreciate it. I made a couple of hats for a person who watched my boy and didn't charge us, and I love making shower, birthday, christmas gifts. Even my sister was asking for things all the time. She is activly involved in a civil war reenactment group so she was asking for victorian era gloves, collar, purse, shawl etc. At first I didn't mind doing it, but eventually I just taught her how to crochet so she could make her own accessories. Now she has her whole group asking her to make things for them (he he he)

[tiniree]

My Aunt is an avid crocheter & knitter and told me recently about this phenomenon

 

She told me that if the person is just an acquaintance, she tells them that she just has too much going on right now . But if its a close friend or family member she is honest about the time it may take and then has that person BUY THE YARN themselves and give it to her.

 

As she said, "I really enjoy making these special people handcrafted things, but I'm not rich!"

 

Marie

[crochetstepmom]

While yarn isn't free, you can still buy lots of it if you come to my house! Apparently, according to my boys, we have this HUGE money tree in our back yard, so it doesn't really matter how much anything costs.

 

Seriously, though, I agree that people don't really have any idea how much things cost.

[paperdoll]

I made a bedspread for a twin sized bed for a coworker about 5 years ago and she has yet to pay me even for the yarn. I used pompdour yarn and made it in the color she requested. It was beautiful. The yarn cost $85.00 total and I received nothing, But....... her house burned down about a year or so later so she doeesn't have it either.

 

Most of my friends buy the yarn, they think now that I am not working I can sit all day and crochet. I will give them the first item then they have to buy yarn if they want more. I have a huge stash tho so I don't push it.

[simplyme5252]

Lately I have taken to telling people that I would gladly teach them how to crochet so that they can make the requested item themselves. I have given away like 5 hooks and balls of yarn just from showing guests at my home the basics. Unfortunately I don't think anyone has really followed through. But at least they understand a little bit better the amount of work that it takes.