sewing obligations vs. what you really want to do
#61
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Rain Country USA
Posts: 300
And why don't you gift them with sewing lessons?
I am going to remember that! Two years until retirement.........
In the meantime, I have two pairs of curtains to hem for a niece, a perpetual calaendar to sew for another niece for school, a second one to sew for my daughter because she will want one too, a quilt for daughter's preschool, and now of course the same quilt for niece. Not to mention the quilt for my sister that looks to be neverending. Yes, I know - the word is NO!!!!!!!
In the meantime, I have two pairs of curtains to hem for a niece, a perpetual calaendar to sew for another niece for school, a second one to sew for my daughter because she will want one too, a quilt for daughter's preschool, and now of course the same quilt for niece. Not to mention the quilt for my sister that looks to be neverending. Yes, I know - the word is NO!!!!!!!
#62
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 2,122
For the past several years I have been going to Texas for the winter. There is a consignment craft store where I have been selling things. I seem to spend my whole winter sewing like crazy to make things for the shop. You have to put a decent (low) price on it so that it will sell and then the shop takes 30%. It's near impossible to make money on it. You are lucky to cover your expenses. I have piles of stuff that did not sell. No more. Now I am only sewing what I want. I still have deadlines....like the quilt show next weekend....my 4 quilts need to be turned in on monday and I still have a binding to hand stitch. Such is life. At least with a deadline I actually finish something!
#63
Power Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,654
I used to make Rabbits and they were so adorable with their expressive faces. Each rabbit was 24 inches long for Mom & Dad the babies varied in sizes, each rabbit had clothing and a hat to special order. I would charge 50.00 for a adult rabbit pair (24" size) and add 10.00 on for each child. A aunt in law took a famliy of 5 to sell to a friend of hers. When she brought me back the 25.00 as she told me that wasn't worth the money I was charging and that is what she took from the woman, I was floored. I have not made anything to sell since then, my daughter asked me to make some for the granddaughters; and she asked if she can start selling them-would I make families again? I will just make for the grands -and maybe a friend of theirs .. Too much time and material involved I think ..
#64
Others wants and others deadlines put far too many restrictions on my wants and make it seem like a JOB that I dont want. I love to gift my quilts to whom I want when I want. Friends, family, charities, without strings and without tension over HAVING to do them
#66
LOL Rebecca that is so me! I blurt out I'll make you a quilt, a bag, a wallhanging and then I think you and your big mouth! My intentions are good but my motivation lags.
I made a Bow Tuck bag and took it to work and someone asked what I would charge to make them one so I figured up cost and added some for my time and told her. Well then she walked in the next week with fabric and batting and said, "Now it won't cost me anything right?" I told her there is still my time. She told me no hurry just do it when I had free time. UGH! I knocked some off the price and told her if that wasn't ok I would tell her where to get a pattern. To my dismay she agreed. The fabric was...um...not my taste or quality. It was all I could do to force myself to work on that bag. Honestly they don't take long to put together but...this seemed like forever! Made longer by constant text messages about it's progress! She loved it and paid what I asked but NEVER AGAIN! Several other people asked if I could make them one but I suddenly became too busy with other projects. LOL
So I feel your pain and it wasn't even a quilt!
I made a Bow Tuck bag and took it to work and someone asked what I would charge to make them one so I figured up cost and added some for my time and told her. Well then she walked in the next week with fabric and batting and said, "Now it won't cost me anything right?" I told her there is still my time. She told me no hurry just do it when I had free time. UGH! I knocked some off the price and told her if that wasn't ok I would tell her where to get a pattern. To my dismay she agreed. The fabric was...um...not my taste or quality. It was all I could do to force myself to work on that bag. Honestly they don't take long to put together but...this seemed like forever! Made longer by constant text messages about it's progress! She loved it and paid what I asked but NEVER AGAIN! Several other people asked if I could make them one but I suddenly became too busy with other projects. LOL
So I feel your pain and it wasn't even a quilt!
#67
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Barnesville GA
Posts: 3,181
Oh, Burchquilts, I think you're my sister from another mother!! It's not just you. Those are my sentiments exactly and, yes, I'm an only child, too! I don't even join swaps...that would be a deadline and I don't do deadlines anymore! I don't offer to make anything for anybody even my children & grand,children. As someone else said if I want to make them something, I'll keep it to myself until it's done. Years ago I made almost all my own clothing, sewed for other people and was a partner in a craft business doing sewn items and I came to hate sewing. I even quit for a few years. When I came back to sewing, I vowed to make only want I wanted to, when I wanted to, and no self-imposed deadlines. And now that I'm retired I'm even more intent on adhereing to that vow. "Read, sew, eat, repeat." The perfect motto!!
#68
I feel you!!! Only ONE time have I let someone bring me fabric that they pick up (for me to make them some thing), I did it - and YES it sucked big time. It was for a dress for a wedding, it fit like a glove. She didn't like how it felt, etc..... (all the problems came down to the FABRIC). NEVER AGAIN!!! When someone says they will bring the fabric! - I say "NO", if they don't understand they I UP-CHARGE by 3 times what the price was.
#69
I also make handbags and sell them. I love doing it. But "I'm the artist. Tell me what style and colors you want and let me craft something beautiful for you" When the customer wants to direct my every move, she might as well make it herself.
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