I don't know how Orbie does it, but she's my HERO.
Several weeks ago a woman approached me about making something for her. We talked about price etc. and struck a deal and exchanged info. I spent the time making the item (a fashion shawl and then a shawl pin to go with). When I was done making the items, I e-mailed her about arranging pick-up and payment. She's since fallen off the earth. This irks me. Why go to the trouble of arranging for someone to spend 10-12 hours making you something (not to mention the expense of materials) if you're not going to follow through? The price wasn't a lot of money considering the item and the wait wasn't long, about 7-8 days. When something like this happens, it makes me want to quit making stuff for money.
People have urged me to set up a website and online portfolio where people commission me for work instead of me making random items and selling them. Fine, but where's the incentive if people are going to renege? My guy has urged me to forget this woman and just sell her shawl and pin online for the same price or more than she was willing to pay to the first person who wants it. Also, I have other customers who haven't backed out etc., so it's not like all faith is lost, but really! Sometimes people suck.
I'm really thinking about setting up private lessons/small classes teaching crochet to people. If you were to take a crochet class at JoAnne's or Michael's, you'd pay anywhere from $30-$50 for one 3hr session or 2 3hr sessions with a group of strangers and learn basic skills like single/half double/double crochet in rows and in rounds as well as rocking the eer traditional granny square. You probably wouldn't complete a project, just get it started with instructions on how to finish it. I know the teacher doesn't get to keep all that money, but seriously, I could do that one-on-one (always the BEST way to learn) for less money than they're asking customers to pay and toss in a few more sessions and help the person complete the whole project. Plus, I'd get to keep the money and not pay out a portion to the craft store.
I found a "class" where one becomes "certified" by the yarn craft council/crochet guild of america to teach people to crochet. You really just complete some assignments, go through an interview or two and are then given the OK to market yourself to the major chain stores as a teacher for the low price of $150. I could do this and probably pretty fast, since I've already been teaching people and making expert grade projects. Heck, I know how to teach people all kinds of crazy junk according to the state I live in, I just choose not to... so why not this?
Anyway, I've been thinking of what it would take to start my own official commission based business (you know, with a website and business cards etc.) and or offering private lessons/small classes.
Oh, this is a pic of a shawl i made similar to the one that's for sale. The for sale one is the same as this one, but it isn't as wide (top to bottom) as this one. It's about 4" thinner. I made this one for me because I'm always cold, so I wanted a huge shawl I can bundle up in. The woman wanted one like mine, but more of a "fashion" item, rather than one to keep warm, so I made it smaller.
Man, if I lived near you, I would TOTALLY hire you as my private instructor. I would love to find someone like you to teach me to crochet.
ReplyDeleteverb, try the website ravalry if you really want to learn. i'm sure if you offered to pay about what the craft stores are asking people to pay for the same # of sessions/length, you'd find a taker quick.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I'm finding that a lot of people just want me to make things, they don't want to be bothered with doing it themselves. That makes me sad because I think people sell themselves short and they have more time and ability than they think they do. I can make stuff all day long, but in the end, if more people don't pick the craft up, it'll die out.
When I picked up the craft store class flyer, i snorted at the 3 hour long class to teach someone to make a granny square. I taught my friend to do the traditional granny (8" square) in less than 40 mins. You can do a lot one-to-one in a short amount of time making the cost of one-on-one worth it over the cost of a class.
You are amazing! Absolutely beautiful pieces! Wow!
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