So confused - Please help

[Leah]

A couple of weeks ago I gave a friend at work a hat & scarf that I made for her birthday. Now another friend has asked me what I would charge for 5 sets of hats & scarves for kids. She wants to give them for Christmas.

 

I have never charged for anything before & am not sure what to do. I kind of feel bad charging a friend for anything more than materials which I haven't even done before.

 

I love to crochet, so I never even thought about charging for anything before.

 

Any suggestions would be geatly appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Leah

[Ambersafghans]

Hi Leah.

Hm, it depends on a lot of things.

How long is the scarf? What kind of yarn did it take?

I have some scarves on the bottom page of my site here. Amber's Afghans

(I'll have more out after Saturday) I took the price of the yarn, and I tripled it. Now, on my site I have to add shipping and a fee for the site. It's not my site, but my page. I've never worked with hats before.

But I know someone here has done tons of hats!

Hope that helps!

Amber

[Guest SamplerLady]

I kind of feel bad charging a friend for anything more than materials which I haven't even done before.

If you were friends with your surgeon would you expect him/her not to charge you for the emergency appendectomy? In order for you to make all your friend's holiday presents you have to give up the time and energy to make your own family's presents. Does that not authorize you for monetary compensation?

 

Amber's idea of triple the retail cost of materials is a good one. Your time, skill, effort, etc., are worth a good deal. Don't short change yourself.

[threeolivemartini]

i do this kind of thing for a living.. many factors are involved.. how much time ..what kind of yarn.. etc.. in general its like Samplerlady said.. you are using your time .. so dont short change yourself... when i did stuff just for friends a set like that was a straight 20 dollars and they had to buy and bring me the yarn they wanted used... if you are doing 5 i would think that would be reasonable ....20 each .. because look at it this way .. she is getting something had made not mass produced like at the store.. and you are taking your time and skill to do it ..

[RebeccaVelasquez]

because she is a friend, sit with her at the computer or with a book and have her help you pick out specific patterns for the people and then go to the yarn store with her to pick out the yarn.... that way, she can also see the cost of the yarn she is choosing... and you can help her by saying "not a good yarn for that pattern.. or whatever"

IMO this will make her feel even more involved and even more accepting of a price you give

let us know how it goes