Crocheting & Knitting
I spend most of my spare time crocheting or knitting projects, as I find it very relaxing and rewarding when I finish a project that someone appreciates. I hope to hook up with others who share the same interest to discuss current projects, exchange patterns and ideas, etc.
This is a picture of one of my projects that Lionbrand Yarn put in one of their recent newsletters.
Gina
posted by Gina @ 10:34 AM
11 Comments:
At 6:09 PM,
Gina said…
So far I have just mainly made gifts for friends. I have sold a couple of small projects and am thinking of trying to get into that market now that I have all of my gifts made. I have several projects shown in the www.lionbrand.com customer project gallery at the moment and got quite a good response to one project of mine that they featured in a newsletter.
Do you make your quilts for sale or just for friends?
At 6:14 PM,
Gina said…
Rose,
I have made a couple of pet cushions for my Mom. Her pets are very spoiled and tend to fight over them.
I can make summery items using lighter weight yarns. And I can make potholders. Are you interested in any special color for your potholders as they are an easy, quick item to make?
What kind of books would you be offering? If they are not of interest to me, the potholders would not be an expensive item to make.
Many of my afghans are more expensive as I have been using a rather expensive but very rich yarn for them. If you have an interest, I can post links to a site where afghans I have made as gifts are posted.
Gina
At 8:59 PM,
Gina said…
I am not sure but seriously am considering selling some items. I just finished all my gifts and have several projects in the works but none finished at the moment.
Once I have a few projects completed, I will check out the market and see if I could get at least my material costs out of them for more yarn.
Gina
At 7:25 AM,
Gina said…
If you would like to see some of my recently completed projects these are links to them:
Frosty's Chenille Pet Cushion:
http://tinyurl.com/pvhnm
Turquoise Shawl/Lapghan:
http://tinyurl.com/r9ay7
Maxi's Cushion:
http://tinyurl.com/nkv57
Kayla's Kaliedoscope Afghan:
http://tinyurl.com/qgph2
Lisa Suede Afghan:
http://tinyurl.com/qz4lh
Mom's Chenille Afghan:
http://tinyurl.com/q3z7x
Martha Poncho:
http://tinyurl.com/mbhw4
Andrea's Wine Afghan:
http://tinyurl.com/q5ree
Turquoise & Black Afghan Link:
http://tinyurl.com/qa7cd
Black & Desert Link:
http://tinyurl.com/onpjr
For Rose: Please follow the links to Frosty & Maxine cushions for pet projects.
The final project listed is my afghan that Lionbrand used in one of their newsletters.
Gina
At 7:29 AM,
Gina said…
tchat - Thank you for the compliment. In case this looks out of order,I went back and redid the original post with smaller URLs so that the projects would be easier to get to and see.
If you know of anyone interested in buying something, I would be happy to make an afghan or something if they let me know what they are interested in, colors, etc.
At 2:42 PM,
Gina said…
tchat,
All of the ones pictured are very rich and soft. I have been using a lot of Lionbrand Chenille Thick & Quick Yarn, which although it is expensive, it makes up some of the most gorgeous afghans and very soft and vevelty feeling.
I do believe the people I have given them to appreciate them. :-)
Gina
At 2:45 PM,
Gina said…
Rose,
I don't have any summery projects made at the moment as I have a ton of the heavier weight yarn that I have been using for the afghans shown in the pictures.
I do have some cotton yarn that I could make you a few potholders with if you could either post a color you like or email me with one or two colors that might go in your kitchen, I would be happy to make you a few.
Gina
At 2:47 PM,
Gina said…
Rose,
As for the throw, at the moment I don't have any really lightweight materials. Perhaps you could see if tchat has some scraps that she could throw together for a quilted throw like the one you say you have that is falling apart.
Gina
At 7:29 AM,
Gina said…
Tchat,
For one like the turquoise & black I would have to charge a minimum of $100.00 just due to the materials I have in it. If you check any yarn sites, the Lionbrand Chenille Thick & Quick is an expensive yarn and that is about what I have in it.
If I were to sell them, it would be nice to make a profit but I would be selling them more to just get my material costs out of them so I could buy more yarn as I find crocheting and knitting relaxing. I also get more pleasure out of seeing someone happy with something I have made.
It I set it up for online shoppers, I think I would give them a money back guarantee for like 30 days or some short period of time. That way if they purchased the product I made and I shipped it to them and they didn't find it to be what they wanted or the colors didn't look the same as online or they didn't like the quality of the product, I would return all their money except for my shipping costs.
I do put a good deal of time into my projects but have never counted the hours but I am pretty sure I don't have 200 hours in any so far. I believe quilting takes a lot more work than my crafts do.
I would not put a longer guaranty on the projects because their ability to hold up depends on how the buyer treats the product. With all of the Chenille afghans that I have given away recently I have given all the recipients care instructions. They should be washed on delicate and either lain flat to dry somewhere or in the drier on just air dry with no heat.
For example, I just received my Aunt Mary's Shawl/Lapghan back for repair. She is in a nursing home and they do her laundry. It is in amazing condition, as I am sure they don't follow the care instructions I sent with it. It is fine except for one small tear at an end, of it which I intend to take apart and fix for her. However other than that, regular washing and drying doesn't appear to have damaged it but it would have lasted much longer with the appropriate care.
I can understand how you would feel about selling your quilts. I have only sold one or two projects in all the time I have been crocheting and that was only for the cost and for items that were for people I knew but couldn't really afford to just give something to at the time. They requested certain colors, etc. that I did not have on hand and had to order new materials for or go buy them.
Your friend and her mother must be very lucky to have you as a friend and be the recipient of one of your quilts. I love quilts but just don't have the patience to make them. I don't find quilting relaxing as I do crocheting and knitting.
Gina
At 7:09 AM,
Anonymous said…
Quilting may take more time and patience, but those artistic pursuits are really more of a matter of personal preference. I probably could crochet and eventually make something as nice as what you've already created, but why should I? It's quilting I love, not crocheting. I would rather buy something I liked by someone who loved crocheting, and stick to making my quilts. Each of us likes to do what we enjoy most.
I think if you decided you wanted to go into business with your crocheted artistic pieces, that would be good. Having a hand-crafted item as part of your home surroundings makes everything more cozy, I think, instead of scads of designer pillows and stuff anyone could buy anywhere.
At 6:06 PM,
Gina said…
I agree that one should do what one enjoys. I love quilts but would buy one or rather receive one as a gift than make one.
I have tried in the past to make things that I thought fit the person and their home, etc. I have to get some projects done before I can even think about selling them. I have several in the works at the moment that are not being made as gifts. Just designs I liked, so perhaps when I get a few of those completed I can see if there is a market for them.
I will be sure and post photos once I get another project done. Thanks for the boost of confidence.
Gina
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