Okies in the BYC The Original

[Stimpy]

Quote:
Yeah, but then it becomes a job, and that takes all the fun out of it.

I'm just sayin'

-Stimp-

 

[faerielady]

Quote:
I give myself anxiety attacks when I try to make stuff for other people. Seriously. I tend to do what I want and if someone wants it when I'm finished making it, I just give it to them. However the thought of doing it for other people really freaks me out. All of us have a hangup of some kind, that happens to be one of mine. I tried... didn't work out. Spent more time freaked out than sewing.

 

[faerielady]

Quote:
Yeah, but then it becomes a job, and that takes all the fun out of it.

I'm just sayin'

-Stimp-

This is why I only knit for family. Knitting is very time consuming for me... takes concentration that sewing doesn't (at least for me). When I knit for me, it doesn't bother me. But I don't want to knit presents... that's a lot of time gone into something, then I freak out that they may not like it... and then I don't want to do it anymore.

Oh! and another thing. Most people don't understand the value of a knitted or custom sewn item. It's not just the cost of the fabric or yarn, which WILL cost more since 1. it's not bought in huge bulk like a chain place can buy it and 2. it's much higher quality, but it also incorporates the time of the person working on it. How many people are willing to spend $200-400 for a knitted shawl? $500 or more for one that's heirloom quality? Not many... and the standard reason is "I can buy it/make it myself for cheaper". You're right. You can buy a shawl at Target for $25. Just like thousands of other people. It's very depressing to listen to people de-value the time spent on a custom made object.

 

[Stimpy]

Ok, Urban Meyer, the coach at the University of Florida has announced that he is quitting after the sugar bowl. I think it's time that we start a movement to send Bob Stoops down there to take his place. Then they can see what it's like to have a great program hit the skids. The best part is that we are rid of Bob (watch me choke) Stoops.

-Stimp-

 

[poultryand bees]

Quote:
Yeah, but then it becomes a job, and that takes all the fun out of it.

I'm just sayin'

-Stimp-

This is why I only knit for family. Knitting is very time consuming for me... takes concentration that sewing doesn't (at least for me). When I knit for me, it doesn't bother me. But I don't want to knit presents... that's a lot of time gone into something, then I freak out that they may not like it... and then I don't want to do it anymore.

Oh! and another thing. Most people don't understand the value of a knitted or custom sewn item. It's not just the cost of the fabric or yarn, which WILL cost more since 1. it's not bought in huge bulk like a chain place can buy it and 2. it's much higher quality, but it also incorporates the time of the person working on it. How many people are willing to spend $200-400 for a knitted shawl? $500 or more for one that's heirloom quality? Not many... and the standard reason is "I can buy it/make it myself for cheaper". You're right. You can buy a shawl at Target for $25. Just like thousands of other people. It's very depressing to listen to people de-value the time spent on a custom made object.

I agree. Unless you have done a particular kind of craft/art yourself, it is easy to think that $25 -$50 plus materials should be sufficient compensation. My mother spends hundred of dollars framing her artwork, only to have people want to pay less than she spent on the framing. I also tend to think that people value things that cost "more" and it makes me sad when an artisan of knitting, crochet, etc. sells their work at a craft fair for barely what they paid for the materials.

I have long since given up the mind set that "I can do that and it won't cost me as much" because 1) The materials are always more than expected, 2) my work is not nearly as neat or clever as the original and 3) I don't usually finish the project or if I do, I am not pleased with my lack of skill. It is less expensive in the long run for me to pay for someone's time and talent, than to try and re-create it myself.

I do agree with Stimp that when you are doing something for other people, it becomes a job and is no longer fun.

Maybe you could just give lessons or recommend someone who does.

 

[osukrazykate]

Quote:
Yeah, but then it becomes a job, and that takes all the fun out of it.

I'm just sayin'

-Stimp-

This is why I only knit for family. Knitting is very time consuming for me... takes concentration that sewing doesn't (at least for me). When I knit for me, it doesn't bother me. But I don't want to knit presents... that's a lot of time gone into something, then I freak out that they may not like it... and then I don't want to do it anymore.

Oh! and another thing. Most people don't understand the value of a knitted or custom sewn item. It's not just the cost of the fabric or yarn, which WILL cost more since 1. it's not bought in huge bulk like a chain place can buy it and 2. it's much higher quality, but it also incorporates the time of the person working on it. How many people are willing to spend $200-400 for a knitted shawl? $500 or more for one that's heirloom quality? Not many... and the standard reason is "I can buy it/make it myself for cheaper". You're right. You can buy a shawl at Target for $25. Just like thousands of other people. It's very depressing to listen to people de-value the time spent on a custom made object.

Maybe what you could do is just make things you feel like making. Once you are done, if you don't have a specific plan for it, you could sell it on Etsy. Have you checked them out? I have seen things on there that people have hand made and are a little pricey, but people buy it up. Everything on Etsy is suppose to be made by the seller or else it has to be an antique or something like that. Then you wouldn't have to stress whether somebody likes it or not. If they don't like then they don't buy it, but you might be able to sell lots of things on to people who would appreciate all the hand work that you have done.

 

[Plain Old Dee]

Quote:
I give myself anxiety attacks when I try to make stuff for other people. Seriously. I tend to do what I want and if someone wants it when I'm finished making it, I just give it to them. However the thought of doing it for other people really freaks me out. All of us have a hangup of some kind, that happens to be one of mine. I tried... didn't work out. Spent more time freaked out than sewing.

I can sympathise with that. Daughter is always volunteering me to make scrubs for her friends. I love making them - they are so simple, usually. But - making them for someone outside the family that expects no errors to show is another thing entirely. I don't see very well, and my seams aren't as straight as they should be. Daughter and the grandkids don't care - they wear them anyway. (Daughter used to work as a CNA in nursing homes. I made her so many sets of scrubs, she didn't have to wear the same set more than once a month. The residents were always wondering what she would wear next, because I made them from some of the wildest, most outlandish prints I could find...

) But I'm always afraid that someone would notice a few stitches showing where they shouldn't, or a seam or hem not quite as straight as it should be.

I love to sew, and often make outfits for the grandkids or shirts for DH - but they don't worry about my little boo boos. I only have the snaps to sew on the pj's I made for the grandkids. They're coming over tomorrow to open their presents from us, then I'm done for a few days. DH found some material in my stash that he likes and wants me to make him a shirt. Guess that's the next project. I was hoping to make a suit for me to wear to work, but I can wait another week or two to get started on it.

Fairie - what kind of machine do you have?

 

[poultryand bees]

Quote:
Never thought of that - it makes sense - good idea

 

[poultryand bees]

Good night Okies - hopefully it will be nice and sun shiny tomorrow, like it was today. We have a long way to go before the snow is gone, but I am grateful it is staying in one place now, instead of blowing everywhere.

 

[faerielady]

Quote:
The serger is a Pfaff Hobbylock 4764 that I got as a door prize at a quilt show. Otherwise I wouldn't have one... those things are pricey. My current sewing machine is a basic bare bones Singer that I bought a couple years ago on clearance. A long long time ago in a former life, I owned an Elna Quilters' Dream sewing machine... I loved that sewing machine so much. I sold it to pay off a medical bill and then didn't sew clothes for years... until I bought that Singer.

I don't try to sew a straight seam. I try to sew a *sound* seam. The fact that it may or may not be straight isn't something I worry about. A few couture sewers that I know online are the ones who advocate that. A garment made with 100% straight seams is an aberration, not the norm.

I remember when my 2nd exhusband handed me his new patches when he made TSgt. I looked at those patches for a week... then took them (and the blues that they needed to go on) to the tailor and had them sewn on professionally. I wouldn't do it.