I Agreed to Knit for Money (and Immediately Regretted It)!
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- čas přidán 14. 07. 2024
- This week I’m sharing a personal story that every knitter might relate to at some point. In this video, I talk about the time I agreed to knit for money and immediately regretted it. From unrealistic expectations to the pressure of turning a passion into a business, I’ll cover it all!
Join me as I unravel the challenges and unexpected hurdles I faced, and find out why this seemingly simple decision (could have) turned into a knitting nightmare. Whether you’re thinking about taking on commissioned projects or just curious about the behind-the-scenes of knitting for others, this video is for you!
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Show notes:
What I'm wearing: Smokeshow by Thea Colman
www.ravelry.com/patterns/libr...
What I made: His Vest by Churchmouse Yarn and Teas
www.ravelry.com/patterns/libr...
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00:00 Introduction
00:39 The Story
02:58 The Planning
13:07 The Knitting
15:33 The Finishing
30:46 The Final Product
31:48 The Money - Jak na to + styl
If I don't love you, I don't knit for you ... I won't turn my wonderful hobby into a job. Live and learn. ❤❤❤❤
This is my rule as well. I embroidered some Ukrainian dance costumes and discovered I had to LOVE the recipient, liking wasn't enough. Without the love, it just felt like work. And work at a very low wage too.
I don’t knit for money and, when asked (or when it’s suggested I ought to) I point out that nobody is going to buy $150 socks. (Though I have seen straight up plain ribbed beanies at Nordstrom that cost more than that. 😮 I can’t remember the brand.)
The main thing is the joy killing, though. Knitting is something I do because I enjoy the process and the finished product. If it’s on-demand, that just kills the enjoyment. I was a volunteer paramedic in my youth and never turned it into my job for the same reason.
Now, if a loved one (a REALLY CLOSE loved one) asked me to make something for one of their loved ones… I might do that, just for the yarn cost. Maybe. Maybe I’d just teach them to knit and offer technical support. 😉
Ha ha! I think one “learn to knit” session would be enough to open their eyes to the level of skill required 😉😋
I knit for money once. Never saw the money. And I really disliked the mixture of pressure to make everything perfect, time pressure, and having to knit something I wasn't in the mood for. I don't need that experience again!
And remember, "minimum wage" is usually calculated for unskilled labour - something no knitter would their work consider to be!
Yes! Fair point. It's absolutely NOT unskilled labour, but it sure gets treated that way 😑😋
My dad was a master gunsmith. I asked him once to teach me his craft. He said no., that he didn't want in a job that paid me only ten cents on the dollar
I turned my hobby into a job when I knitted sample garments for a major department store. Although I was working in the Art and Needlework Dept and was paid by the hour to knit on weekends, it still spoiled my knitting experience. I don’t recommend knitting for money under any circumstances.
I did that too, but the only payment was getting to keep the sweater without having to pay for the yarn. I was very young and broke, so free yarn was worth it for me then 😋
Great information. I've been asked to knit for people who say, "I'll pay for the yarn." I always say "No". They have no idea the time and dedication it takes to make a garment (or how much quality yarn costs). I knit happily for my grandchildren, and occasionally for my grown children. Thanks for your time to make this video!
You’re very welcome! Thanks for sharing your story 😊
I am a finisher with Loose Ends Project. We finish projects that the original crafter couldn't. It is done out of love and not money. While it is very satisfying to help a family with a beloved project, it's not something I want to do all the time!
I’m familiar with that program. You are doing special and important work 🥰
I just signed up for this program. 😊
Been there, done that - NEVER AGAIN!!! Zero pleasure in the making!
Excellent video! I don't knit for money, nor I sell my knitted items. No one wants to pay... Even when it's only the cost of the yarn. 😔
When someone asks how much would this or that would be to knit, I put a very low price estimate on the table and guess what? No one has ever called or messaged back again after that. 😃
This was a really great one. Us crafters are always amazed that people who refuse to do their own crafting expect us to do it for them for next to nothing because that is how much it means to them. I simply don't. Your vest looks great, and do you realize....you turned your model into a literal Dapper Dan? (As in, Dapper Daniel. lol)
Ha ha ha! Dapper Dan...awesome 😂😍
You absolutely have bragging rights for that vest - beautifully done and it looks great on your uncle! 👍🏻😊Great video, and a nice reality check. I don't do commission work for pretty much all of the reasons that you covered. If I make something for someone else, it is either as a gift, or for charity donation.
Thanks ☺️
I’ve never knit for money and I never will. I realized early on that my main
Motivation for a project is based solely on the knowledge that it is for me. Once I finish the project, that’s when I think about who else might enjoy it and I gift it if I think the finished garment might look better on someone else, and that is usually only reserved for my mother or my sister. I gift knit occasionally and that is strictly for immediate family. Because like you mentioned, my time is precious.
I usually only crochet or knit for me or for gifts. Once or twice I've accepted to make something really easy for a friend who bought the yarn for it, the work was my gift. A few people (mainly family, my sister for example, and a couple of close friends) can ask me for things, as long as they don't have really urgent deadlines XD... I don't want to monetize the hobby I do to relax ^^
I think letting someone pick their own pattern and yarn and the gifting your time is an excellent way to share your skills. It takes a lot of the guesswork and stress from the process 🥰
Knitting is my hobby and my passion, I love knitting but I can only wear so many sweaters lol, living in San Diego, so I knit for family and friends to stay busy, They pay for the yarn, pattern and the shipping and I knit, I don't ask for any compensation,
when I knit for my Etsy shop I knit for customers the same way, I only charge for the yarn pattern and shipping, it's not a get-rich hobby but a passion, I have a closet full of handknit items that I just wanted to knit because I love the yarn or the pattern,
and when my family askes me to make them something I am honored and happy to knit for them, knowing that this hand knit item will be around a long time even when I am not,
That's amazing! You are incredibly generous with your time. 😍💖😍
I would never knit for money. How terrible to turn an enjoyable hobby into an obligation. I won’t even knit surprise gifts in case they don’t like it, it’s totally normal not to like a gift, but wouldn’t want to see my hard work not used.
It’s such a yucky feeling when someone doesn’t like or appreciate your hand knit offering ☹️
I used to sew for money because I was a stay at home mom and I made just enough to buy fabric for myself. There is no way that I could craft for a living. More power to those that do.
I used to sew for money too. Somewhat better payoff than knitting, but still super stressful 😋
When asked if I'll knit an item for someone, I offer to trade it for time. I suggest that I will work on their item ONLY when they are in my home undertaking a chore in return. So far nobody has viewed that as a fair trade, as they think my time comes free while theirs is too valuable to squander.
Great idea. Funny 😄😄😄
I have been asked many times to knit for money but this takes all the pleasure out of the craft. I have found these people, being friends, or friends of will give me a gift in return which is nice. I get the most pleasure out of giving knitted items so its a win win in my book!
Lovely 🥰
I will knit or crochet items, then sell the finished items, afterwards, or give as gifts. I will knit/crochet for charity events that have deadlines, but those, to me, are not stressful. If someone pressures me to knit/crochet for them, I simply offer to instruct them on how to knit/crochet for themselves (yep, I've even taught community classes).
Sounds like you have a big heart and excellent boundaries 😁
I knit for my closest loved ones and Susan Crawford, the designer. I only knit for her because I admire her, her work and I'm fairly rewarded, even with time limits. Each new baby in the family gets a hand knit but my family pop them out like Pez dispensers so that can take a while. Babies are knit worthy, not everyone is.
Babies ARE knit worthy! 🥰
My family was popping them out like Pez dispensers too. 😂
And babies are small. It doesn't take forever and if your tension is a bit dodgy like mine is you are finished before the tension thing becomes an issue.
The worst part of commission knitting is the deadline. There is enough stress in life. Knitting is supposed to be a meditative, relaxing activity. You had fun planning, selecting yarn, etc. The rest was no fun 🥵🥵🥵
Exactly! Deadlines suck the fun out 😋
I knit The Weekender in a 4X for my niece who lives 12 hours away. Even though I had her favorite sweater and tons of measurements, it was so stressful! Thankfully, there was no deadline and it did fit her. She really likes it, but I pray she doesn’t ask me to make a second one!
For sure! I feel like the stress of getting it "right" is a very important consideration, even if the money isn't a big deal to you. 😋
Well I’m a spinner, so ADD that time into the project too 😳
Let me tell you a couple of incidents:
I was prepping raw fleece one day and a film scout came to our door (we often have filming on our farm). He was obsessed with this dark fleece and asked me to make him a blanket… I said this would be NZD200. He agreed! I completed the blanket and SEVERAL months later he (and his foreign girlfriend) came to collect it. She pipes up in her broken English; “Is that VRool???” We said it was and she replied she was “Rallergic”. I said no problem you don’t have to take it, but he said he’d still take it and give it to his parents. She reckoned they wouldn’t want THAT! 😳
I was approached by a neighbour acquaintance to do a bit of mending on her pullover (it was just a very small hole which took no more than 10 mins!), and I was happy to do this for someone (no charge!).
Well…….. over the next few months, I received pretty much her entire wardrobe for “mending”.
She said she’d buy me a coffee 😱🤦♀️
I do sell quite a lot of my crafts, but I DO NOT do “commissions”!
I think most of us have found ourselves in THE situation which has now lead us to coming to this conclusion.
Ha ha! Great stories! Buy me a coffee…yeesh 🙄😂
I was really pleased when I discovered the Icelandic bind off. It was a game change4 for me.
I knit and crochet and went to my knitting/crochet club a few days ago and the subject of being paid for a project came up.
One of the ladies who crochets was told by a fellow member that she should sell her work and the crocheter said no because it will feel like work and she didn’t want to be pressured to complete it by a certain time.
Someone she met in Public did ask her how much she would charge to make some thing and she told the woman that she doesn’t charge but she would tell the woman what type of yarn to buy and she will make it without charge. So far the woman has not Said anything. She did not buy any yarn.
Agree hate when someone asks me to knit and tell me they will pay me. I hate the pressure and it sucks my joy for knitting and they have no concept of the cost.
A new subscriber, but already want to comment-love your videos, have binge-watched several already tonight. Many years ago ( like the early '80's) the trendy young ones in Australia were wearing very fluffy yarn jumpers with large koala faces on the front. I saw the ad for a trendy boutiquey shop wanting knitting done and thought - a nice way to earn some money at home BUT! the yarn tangled, it shed fluff everywhere, had to have a tea-towel over my knee to stop being drowned in the wretched stuff, and I hated the oversize needles required and the look of the stitches created. I made one, took it to the boutique nervously( you know, worried about quality of work) Anyway, the owner was over the moon and quite sad when I said Nevermore!! ...and I never have. I have knitted for love ever since, for those I love or their loved ones only.
Great story! Thanks so much for sharing 😁🥰
will never knit for money! I only knit for myself and people who are knit worthy - which is my husband, children and my grandson.
Years ago I sent a quilt away to an Amish group to be hand quilted. They measured the yards of quilting thread to establish a price. That seemed like a fair strategy to me!
Ah, that's really interesting. Thanks for this! 😊
😀💕xx Thanks Nicole. Very thought provoking. No, I never do commissions! I have many years back knitted for gifts and the items were never used, absolutely none of them (oh, one exception hat and gloves for my husband) and I wouldn’t say my knitting is rubbish, knits I make for myself are admired by other knitters and I REALLY enjoy making and wearing them. Lots of love 🥰🧶
Thanks for sharing your story!
I started following you because of that video about the running stitch markers. It's perfect!
Me too!
Wow! The best podcast ever.❤ Thank you so much for sharing your expertise. I've been knitting for eons and still learning all the time. I love how you block front and back. I would've in a lifetime never thought about your method.
Glad it was helpful! 😊
Thanks for the video - as ever, you make me smile. I'm flat on my back with sciatica and have been for seven weeks now. I can honestly say, not much makes me smile right now.
I have never knit for money as I have always struggled with the costing. Thanks for explaining about charging by yardage. It really makes sense.
I have however knitted for friends and family, both voluntarily and after being asked. In most cases I find it super stressful. As soon as I'm knitting for someone else, I'm fretting about every little thing and all my arm aches and pains appear as a result. Then after a while, I forget the negatives, just recall the pleasure of making something for someone you care about stitch by stitch, and agree to make something again. 😂
Yikes - sciatica! So painful 😖 I’m glad I can be a slight distraction for you. I sure wish I could do more ❤️ You’re right that even gift knitting can be stressful. We all need to make sure we exercise our own boundaries when it comes to knitting for others 😊
So sorry you’re suffering, get a good physio and get moving. If you have true sciatica lying flat on your back for weeks is not the way to get better. All the best to you,
@@Soffity absolutely! Doing both just needing to work supine as can't sit or stand for any period.
@@JuditSogan you poor thing, hope things improve for you very soon,
I totally understand this. I knitted for money once for a baby shower for my sisters granddaughter baby. How awkward when she opened the gift and immediately jumped up to thank me instead of my sister for the gift.
Oh no! Super awkward 😬😋
I love you running marker idea and use them all the time. Thank you.
This gives me nightmares. I used to knit. I crochet now.
You are an excellent teacher.
Thank you! 😃
Beautiful finish! ❤
Thank you! Cheers!
Great video. I have rarely knit for hire and typically, it was just that someone covered the yarn cost and I knit for the love of knitting & love of the person. It is so good to know where to start price-wise. Let's just say I would probably only knit socks, mitts, or hats for hire and then it would still have to be a rare occasion. I think I'd rather just do gift knitting. Then I get to pick what, when, and who. Been binge watching your videos since I found your channel a few weeks ago. Thank you & take care.
Thanks so much for watching! 😊
Great video!
I love this video😁thank you for making such a fun video. Thank you for the laughs😁
You are so welcome! Thanks for watching 😊
A friend handspun someone's fleece (from their flock) and that includes scouring, processing, etc. Then they knitted it up into a man's jumper. He gave her a bottle of wine as thanks (not even a good bottle) 😂. Great video to point potential requestees to watch!
Yikes! I've had similar experiences - hence the I don't knit for money principle I have now. By all means send your well-meaning friends and family to this video for some education! I should have added that suggestion in the video itself 😆
I use your running markers. Now I need to make blueprints.
Great video, and some very good advice(and tips). As said by many, you most certainly do have a right to be proud, the vest is gorgeous 🥰.
One thing you didnt mention for costs was the shipping... It isnt free and from (or to) Canada it is horrendously expensive.
You’re right - I missed the part about shipping. If it needs to be shipped, the purchaser should choose the shipping method and cover the costs…at least in my world they should 😋
I really like your videos Nicole. You pack them with so much wonderful information. I’m going to look up the Icelandic BO. I’ve used the EZ Sewn BO on two recently knit sweaters with 1X1 rib, the Alaska and the Peacock Tee. It has just the right amount of stretch as well.
Thanks so much! I do love the sewn bind off. I usually match it with a tubular cast on 😊
That was quite an ordeal, but the vest turned out beautiful!
When people ask me to knit for them I just tell them I no longer knit lol!
If they see something I’ve made and ask if I made it, I tell them I bought it at a thrift store or that I made it a long time ago lol
Ha ha! That's a diplomatic way out of the awkwardness 😄
If someone I know asks me to knit for payment I usually just ask to cover costs of materials. My cousin (also a July 1st baby) is plus size but short so I make things for her occasionally.
Beautiful vest. I love Church mouse patterns they are very well written. I also like their design simplicity. I agree completely with you with not usually accepting commission pieces.
They really do have great patterns 👍😊
I will never knit for $$$. I learned to knit in the 60's and was an on again/off again knitter (mostly off). I started again during Covid and now will make gifts or just knit for myself. I make too many mistakes and I'm not fast. I'm also a fused glass artist and have tried to accommodate some people specific items or colors. Rarely worked out well.
Thanks for sharing your story 😊
Hi Nicole, glad you got your button issue ie join the lounge issue fixed 🤩. I don’t consider myself capable of knitting for someone else although I am a long time knitter. The stress of doing things ‘right’ would kill my joy. I’m a process knitter so enjoy the motion, not necessarily invested (see what I did there 🤪) in the outcome. It was a beautifully knit vest though 👍👍. I’m a 🇨🇦 too. Minimum wage sure has changed.
In-vest-ed...😂 😂😂
You did a beautiful job
Thank you!
I have this pattern to knit for my husband! I enjoy knitting the patterns from Churchmouse. I have knit a few. This was recommended by a knitting friend. Might knit this fall we will see. I have this same yarn for a shawl and have used it previously for a scarf. I love ZWARBLES. and it is fun to say! Thank you for inspiring me to start that vest for Bob.
Thanks for watching! Zwarbles IS fun to say 😆
Love the giant martini glass!
Love the giant martini,😀😃
On the rare time I take a commission i usually charge double what the yarn cost
If I get complimented on a hand knit garment I’m wearing I simply say thank you. I don’t say “I knit this.” I don’t want people to know i made it, so I am never asked to make something. 👍
Great workaround! 😀
You are keeping me entertained whilst I frog a whole top minus the lacy sleeves… the striped yarn wasn't doing it for me (a completely wrong choice) so I finally decided it was time to go (the top was Jacana by Irina Anikeeva). Torc was finished with Icelandic bind-off and really liked it.
Just took a peek at Jacana - what a lovely sweater! That designer really has a great way with interesting details. 😍
@@Knicoleknits I bought the Vernal book (and had it signed 🤩) and was taken with nearly all the patterns. Made Ailiso Creek and Oak Hill for myself and Leucadia for my mum (my spelling may be way off as this is from memory) and wear mine constantly.
About 20 yrs ago I did knit for a yarn store and the going rate was £1 per 100g!
Haha. I have made those ribbing mistakes too😂
This is a very interesting video. I will NEVER knit for money. But it is good info. People who do not knit (or whatever) do not realize-all you said. You hear, that's nice. NICE? ARE YOU Kidding me? Thanks. 😅
Nope no way. I have a handful of family members who continually push me to do craft shows and "make so much money" because my stuff is really nice and people would "just love it". Well sure a they would, but at the rate I knit and crochet it would take me 20 years to come up with a decent enough inventory to make going to a show even worth the cost of a table. Then they throw out the prices they think I should charge for each item.... ha no. My family thinks all hobbies and skills should be monetized, otherwise they are a frivolous waste of time. Guess who I do not knit for??
Yup. It's amazing how undervalued this skill is. 😑 Thanks for watching!
❤❤❤ I LOVED THIS VIDEO I KNIT ACCESSORIES To sell AT CRAFTS HAND MADE. I SPEND MANY HOURS ON MY GARMENTS
FOR. FRIENDS ❤. I’M REALLY ONLY MAKING MONEY TO COVER THE COSTS OF YARNS /. 😮.
It’s costs $40 for the set up table also. I HAVE NEVER EVER MADE MUCH PROFIT FOR ALL THE WORK MOST PEOPLE
DO NOT HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH WORK AND I WORK IN ALL NATURAL YARNS AND FIBER. NO ACRYLIC.
LOOKS LIKE I WILL GO BACK AND WATCH ALL OF UR VIDEOS THANK YOU SO MUCH. JOIE
Thank you so much for watching this video! I truly hope you enjoy the others 😊
Seems like nearly everyone likes to take advantage of people that take the time to learn their skills. Makes me angry really (after being taken advantage of for many years)
I have quit taking commissions because i don't enjoy feeling like I have to work on something. Recently a friend wanted to commission me to make her some socks and I turned it doen, but I have made her socks. Missed her birthday, so am saving for a Chridtmas gift.
It’s so rewarding to give a gift, from the heart, on your own terms 😊
Ooooo! Daniel Craig is my boyfriend, too! 💕 That said, this is a wonderful explanation for after my initial response of: “you can’t afford me”. 😊
Right??? I can look at him all day 😍 (although my Handome Man is pretty darn handsome too 😉)
@@Knicoleknits Ah, mine too. 🥰
You said that you used 1640 yards to base your fee on, but you held your yarn double. If you had knitted in worsted, you would have used approximately 820 yards. If you were strictly following your $0.15 to $0.20 per yard rule of thumb, shouldn't you have used 820 yards? Just curious. No criticism implied, I really enjoyed your video and appreciated you sharing a "logic" for charging for knitting.
You are absolutely right! I failed to clarify in the video that when I did the math, it was based on 820 yards (half the 1640) because I was holding the yarn double. 820 x .15 = 123, rounded up to 125 😊 Apologies for that - thanks for the eagle eyes! 😃
I only knit is dog sweaters small.only
I do not knit for money . Most people don’t value the amount of time and skills involved in making a garment same goes for sewing
Watching on an iPad 9 up to date. There is no “join” button. I see Share, Download, Clip, Save, Report. I noticed this on your last podcast but figured it would appear by this one. Nope. Thought you might like to know. A subscriber and do enjoy your podcasts.
Apologies - I forgot to explain that you need to be logged into CZcams through a browser in order to see the join button. However, you should be able to access the same page by using the link that’s in the description box 😊 Let me know if that doesn’t work either! I might have to yell at CZcams 😋
The link in the description box works
Only a bulky knit would be worthwhile knitting, the bulkier the better. Not 4 ply....8ply and 12ply but a maybe..16ply..
So true - the bulkies do knit up faster. Good quality bulkies tend to be pretty costy, though...😋
I dont knit for pay. I love mmak8ng baby gifts and swraters and toys for my 21 graddchildren.
21? Wow!!😮🤩
Did you account for the fact that you held the yarn double? You only did half the knitting you would have if you'd held it single.
I sure did. 😊 The math was based on 820 yards (1640 held double). I somehow forgot to say out loud what was in my brain. It happens 😋😂
@@Knicoleknits Sorry, I missed that accommodation.
It's slave labor. Knit for love, maybe.
I will knit socks for you, but not sweaters! Those are for those I love only!
I haven't knitted a garment in forty years and even then not very many. Even so I was very entertained with your video. Love your presentation style. I'm tempted to knit something but I and my family live in the tropics or subtropics. Its only knitwear weather for a few weeks. 🧶
Maybe I should do a video on knits for super warm climates 🤔 Thanks for watching! 😊
@@Knicoleknits Maybe you should. Can you knit a bikini? I know crocheted ones were a thing when I was a teenager.🏖
This is why I do mostly charity knitting if I am knitting for others. So far this year I have knit 56 hats.💜🧶
Wow! 🤩
The only thing I’ll do for compensation is to take up the hems on trousers. I’ve got it so I shorten a pair in about 10/ 15 minutes, I don’t enjoy it and when they offer to pay (a pittance) I say I’d like a bottle of champagne (sparkling wine,) instead. W hen, if the bottle ever arrives the price they pay says it all. So now it’s just family and close friends, everyone else can turn them up. 🌈🦘
I would bet that every single knitter and crocheter who is good at what they do and does it as a wonderful hobby will have a horror story about someone offering to pay for a project. 🌈🦘
Agreed!