Thursday, July 26, 2012

Gee

A quick post. I have been busy as all get out here.

I am bummed. I sold the piggy security blanky from this post for only $15 and made a cute little hat to go with it. The girl I sold it to was not there. She had seen it twice on my FB page and loved it, raved about needing it and wanting one like it.

So I finally said ok...I will deliver it to you at lunch. She said how much? I said how about $15, is that fair? She said OMG yes!! So when I get to her work and go in she isn't there but she had left $20. I said 'oh...I don't have change.' The girl says that's ok she said keep the rest. So I was like cool.

I didn't even get to where I was going for lunch and she texts' me and says 'Just got back. I didn't know so small. Can we switch back. I knew I should have been here. Sorry. And. There was a hat in the bag. U gonna b this way. I can leave up front.'

I'm like WHAT??? She saw the pic of it on the bin/tub that is in my post.

$15.  Is that too much?? I mean, my time alone was worth that to me. PLUS I threw in a hat.

I'm bummed.

TTFN
Kat
xoxo

14 comments:

  1. Not too much at all. I normally charge $10 - 15 for a hat. A blanket would definitely be a $20 for a small (36" x 36"). From there, it can ony go up.

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    1. I was just throwing the hat in because that's me and I'm nice. I just don't get people. And it wasn't a 'blanket'. It's one of those security blankies that little kids carry around. I told her that if it had been a regular size blanket the price would have been 60-80!! Let her make a blanket....she'll see how much time and materials are worth!

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  2. Sorry you're so bummed. Maybe this will brighten your day...you won my giveaway!!! Come on over to RiverBend Farm and leave me your address. (It will be kept confidential). Congrats!!!!
    Yay!!!!
    Berte

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  3. I think you charged too little. And what the heck was she expecting anyway?

    This is the reason why I don't crochet for money. Years ago I crocheted an afghan for a friend. She paid me $20.00. $20 bucks didn't even cover the cost of the yarn.

    A girl at work asked me to crochet her a hat and scarf - I only charged her $15.00 - she got the hat and scarf, but I did not get the money. She always had some excuse why she couldn't pay me.

    That was it for me.

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    1. I don't know what she was expecting Debi. I hate it because the whole thing just made me feel so deflated, it's all I've been able to think about. Even though I know I shouldn't feel like that I do. When I got home I sent her a message on FB privately and told her sorry it wasn't what you expected but it was what was in the picture I posted, I didn't mislead. I also told her that she was getting a deal because of my time and materials in it and that it wasn't a 'blanket' to be covered up with. AND that I was just throwing the hat in because, that's just me!!

      That bites that your co-worker stiffed you on the hat and scarf! What is wrong with people? Why do they take advantage like that? You were being nice! Sigh

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  4. Kat,

    My crochet friends and I talk about this very subject all the time. People that don't make handmade items have no idea what the product costs. I guess from now on we should have THEM buy the yarn and tell them up front that you charge "X" dollars an hour. Keep track of your time, charge them, (like an attorney)and if they question it, let them go to Wal-Mart and continue supporting child labor in a communist country. Oh dear....if i went over the line just delete this message. It gets me going every time.

    Cindy Bee

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    1. It's ok Ms. Bee. I could've gone on a tyrade yesterday when I posted but 1)I didn't have time and 2)it wouldn't have been nice and pretty. Plus where does that get me? No where. I talked before about doing craft events and I think that right there just cured me. Why should I go through all that work for people like that who don't appreciate handmade goods? Happy Friday!

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  5. Congratulations on your big win. I had my eye on that pan.

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    1. Thank you Gail! I was pleasantly surprised! I can't wait to make some baked deliciousness in that pan!! To tell you the truth I had forgotten about entering for it. :o)

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  6. Ok, I just wrote a book to reply to you and wonderful blogger ate it! So I'll make this quick.

    The lady is a crazy. Your time alone as worth more than 20.00 and to have included a hat, too....and to have taken it to her and not charged her for delivery....if she had bought it from a store mail order, they would have charged her shipping and handling. What an ingrate!

    Don't let this stop you from doing a craft show or selling in the future. Let is be a learning experience. Give the exact size down to height and width, along with a remark that all sales are final! That way you only get the serious people who want to buy your stuff...don't cheap people who have no idea what the value of hand made items are.

    I'll be over at noon to pick you and Leo up for a day out in Savannah. We'll do lunch in the park with Leo, then head over to Hobby Lobby. Would that make you feel better? :) I have always found that no matter what is wrong with me, yarn usually can make me feel better. :)

    Hugs to you and my pal Leo, too.

    Oh, and there's another part of the story up on the writer's blog today, too. :)

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    1. :o) You're so funny. And so sweet too. I let stuff like that eat me up and I don't know why. I'm better today. Yesterday that was all I could think about. Thank you for putting a smile on my face! Happy Friday my friend! Hope you have a wonderful weekend. xoxo

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  7. $15 ... geesh, a bargain! Your work is beautiful, and this was adorable. Some people don't want to pay for handmade, even though its so much better! They're the same people that try to get something for nothing from everyone. Keep making! There will be people who appreciate the workmanship. Have a good day. Blessings.

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  8. What Stitchy said! LOL

    We handcrafters often have a tough time on the business end. Most of us are artists more than number crunchers/marketers/etc. And if that is coupled with being a nice person, humbleness can get in the way of a successful business enterprise. But at some point, hopefully, we realize that we have something special to sell and find a way to convey that to the customer. We just need to convince ourselves that our work is THAT GOOD and worth the asking price. It's the intrinsic "value" that makes it worth paying for.

    And of course, some customers just plain twits. ;)

    Don't shy away from selling. Recognize the value of your work, price it FAIRLY (in other words, do NOT undercharge), and convey your confidence to your customers. It's all a matter of letting both our left and right sides of our brain play together on a level field. I know, easy said ... but eventually it will click.

    Best wishes!

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