Knitting for Numbshulls

[Tria]

Please tell me that the yarn cost $15 not that you are selling them for that price, because if so then you are selling them for way to little. Most people I know who knit on commision charge the yarn price up front (non refundable) before they even start knitting with an hourly rate estimated and priced seperately. A hand knit scarf should be around $40 or so by time and go up from there.
Can you get on etsy or ebay and sell the ones you got stuck with?

The yarn cost me less than 5 bucks a skien. I'm not making anything fancy and most of the people around here are broke ass motherfuckers. I charge what I can get seeing that I won't sell ANY if I charge hourly when the scarves at Wall-Mart are MAYBE ten bucks.

Ps you must be a fast knitter, it takes me at least three weeks to do a pair of socks.

I can get a flat scarf done in 18 hours. I also use the circular needles to make the Harry Potter scarves.

[going gaga]

I'm pretty slow , but it's for fun and birthday presents not profit.
Are the circular needles hard to use? I still have L plates on my needles

[auntiem]

Pricing is a double edge sword. You want to price it low enough to sell, but high enough for people to respect that it took you 18hr to work on them. You will always get people who don't craft saying things like "but I can get it at WalMrt for x amount" - these are the people who aren't going to respect your work and pay you what you are worth.
If $15 is the price point for a hand knit item where you are - I think knitting and felting a bunch of cool ipod cozies would be less time consuming, sell year round and it is something they can't get in the store at all much less for cheaper. (plus it is fun as all get out to purposely shrink stuff) Just thought I'd throw that out there.
After all that hard work, I just want you to get enough money to make it worth it.

[Tria]

I'm pretty slow , but it's for fun and birthday presents not profit.
Are the circular needles hard to use? I still have L plates on my needles

-Starting- can be a pain. But after that it's the simple knit like on straights.

these are the people who aren't going to respect your work and pay you what you are worth.

Oh that's funny.... The place I live in is a building for the old/physically/mentally disabled. Not a chance I'll get what I'm worth even for a basic scarf. But if I get a meal here and there.... meh.

[ArcticChicken]

Are the circular needles hard to use? I still have L plates on my needles

I personally prefer the double ended needles, because of how tight I knit, but I'm only up to simple hats, so who knows how I'll feel later.

[Kyree]

And stuff like that is why I won't sew for money anymore. I did a couple times and had really bad experiences. I had someone stop payment on the check that she used to pay me. So I was also out bank fees; as yes, my bank charged me for depositing a check that was stopped.

I'd say, make it Cash Only. Cash is the safest way to go now days.

[Tria]

I personally prefer the double ended needles, because of how tight I knit, but I'm only up to simple hats, so who knows how I'll feel later.

I avoid the double ended needles. But you can loosen your stitches by using bigger needles.

[zzapp the witch]

Tria, lesson learned. My rule is 50% up front. Cash. Non-refundable. They don't like it, they must not want it that much. In fact, I deal only in cash. Safer. If they bitch, I tell them a horrible story and point them to an ATM. I can recall only two sales its prevented, everyone else had no complaints.

[Tria]

Tria, lesson learned. My rule is 50% up front. Cash. Non-refundable. They don't like it, they must not want it that much. In fact, I deal only in cash. Safer. If they bitch, I tell them a horrible story and point them to an ATM. I can recall only two sales its prevented, everyone else had no complaints.

Oh I only work in cash. The exception being online orders who I'll accept money orders because sending cash via mail is bad. But yeah, I really think a deposit is the way to go now. It's not like a store where losing a sale will affect a cashier much. It takes time and energy, especially when the hands just go numb randomly. Yes I probably have CTS, no I have no way to get that checked.

[STEELMAN]

I think you should try some advertising or list your stuff on E-Bay. There are people out there that recognize the quality of what you do is worth far more than a $10.00 Walmart scarf. $15 for 18 hours of work is ridiculous. Even the people that do pay are ripping you off. And yes, you should always get at least 1/2 up front. At my work we make everyone pay full price for special orders before we do them unless they have an account with us.

[Tria]

I think you should try some advertising or list your stuff on E-Bay. There are people out there that recognize the quality of what you do is worth far more than a $10.00 Walmart scarf. $15 for 18 hours of work is ridiculous. Even the people that do pay are ripping you off. And yes, you should always get at least 1/2 up front. At my work we make everyone pay full price for special orders before we do them unless they have an account with us.

Yeah, I agree I should get more. However, where I live it's just not plausable. And my rent is based on my income. Selling scarves for cash leaves no trail. Ebay would leave a trail and effect my rent. I'd have to work off a friend's account. Sad but true, even the winderful lady who taught me to knit told me I'd never get paid for my time. And -everything- is a special order. I don't have a stiock of scarves, I make when one gets ordered.

[Reyneth]

I'm pretty slow , but it's for fun and birthday presents not profit.
Are the circular needles hard to use? I still have L plates on my needles

Circs aren't hard - but I love me my DPNs. Those aren't nearly as hard as they look. I've been knitting less than a year and have done at least 8 hats on dpns since this winter.

[Tria]

I'm pretty slow , but it's for fun and birthday presents not profit.

I gave up on doing gifts after my mother told me that "homade stuff was cute when you were five. Try to do better next year".

[going gaga]

I gave up on doing gifts after my mother told me that "homade stuff was cute when you were five. Try to do better next year".

Harsh, I think I'd rather get a homemade present.
Better than one that smacks of the sentiment I couldn't be bothered and just ran into a shop and got a generic whatever.

[Reyneth]

I gave up on doing gifts after my mother told me that "homade stuff was cute when you were five. Try to do better next year".

My mom loves the scarf I made her. And so do her fellow teachers.
So guess what I was doing for my mom's presents to give next Christmas? But then I got my mom started - garter stitch w/novelty yarns - so I have time to do more fun things!