Check-In Post August 15th 2022

[badly_knitted]

Hello to all members, passers-by, curious onlookers, and shy lurkers, and welcome to our regular daily check-in post. Just leave a comment below to let us know how your current projects are progressing, or even if they're not.
Checking in is NOT compulsory, check in as often or as seldom as you want, this community isn't about pressure it's about encouragement, motivation, and support. Crafting is meant to be fun, and what's more fun than sharing achievements and seeing the wonderful things everyone else is creating?

There may also occasionally be questions, but again you don't have to answer them, they're just a way of getting to know each other a bit better.


Today's Question: No question today.


If anyone has any questions of their own about the community, or suggestions for tags, questions to be asked on the check-in posts, or if anyone is interested in playing check-in host for a week here on the community, which would entail putting up the daily check-in posts and responding to comments, go to the Questions & Suggestions post and leave a comment.

I now declare this Check-In OPEN!

Comments

[badly_knitted]

Hasn't really rained today, just a few stray raindrops occasionally. I managed to move a few more boxes, but most of my time was spend fishing plant pots out of the corner between the staging and the potting bench, where the bags they's been in had fallen apart. Then I had to brush the cobwebs and stuff off them. Put a load in the driveway to go, hoping that someone will want them.

A few of the larger pots and 2 hanging baskets have gone, so that's something. I'll have to move them all out of the driveway tomorrow though because I've got a doctor's appointment early on Wednesday morning and I need to be able to get my car out. I'll leave them where they are tonight though.

[wiseheart]

A good decision! You've done enough for one day!

[badly_knitted]

More than enough really. Trouble is, there could be storms tonight and tomorrow...

[celli]

ah, fiddly work like that always takes forever!

[badly_knitted]

Fished the rest of those pots from under the staging this morning so they're ready for brushing the worst of the spiderwebs off. *sigh*

[sister_raphael]

Loads achieved today!

[badly_knitted]

And yet still loads more to be done. *sigh*

[althea_valara]

Dropped off the waiver for the craft fair this afternoon.

I was working on gnomes the other day, and said to myself, "You know, there's an awful lot of sewing on these, maybe I should charge more than $5?" So that's something I'm mulling over. My brain said $8 instead. If I charge that much for gnomes, I'll charge that much for snowflakes, too. I'm still pondering it, though.

Today I have finished one snowflake, and have another in process. It's rough going because I'm starting to get bored, even though I switched up the patterns I'm doing (I have decided to limit myself to four patterns. So, a variety, but the last round of the snowflakes can be tedious because there's a lot of stitches in them.)

I had planned to have at least 50 snowflakes for the fair, and I know I still have time yet, but I don't think I'll hit that mark. I think I have about 15 so far (six were done prior to this month) but ugh, doing the same pattern over and over is not fun. This is definitely work. Maybe if I imagine each of them selling, I can get through it easier.

I just looked at Hallmark to see how much their ornaments go for. Their mini ornaments are $8.99, and a regular size starts at $15.99. Some of their keepsake ornaments go for over $100! So I think I could probably get away with charging more than $5 per ornament - mine are handmade, after all.

Right, back to the slog. I *will* finish this snowflake before I give in and nap.

[badly_knitted]

Only you know how much effort as well as materials goes into each item, but for something so cute and handmade I'd think $8 would certainly be fair.

Making the same thing over and over can get boring (says the person who knitted over 400 meeces in 4 months).

*cheers you on to finish the snowflake*

[althea_valara]

I had wondered how many meeces you had ended up doing.

I have a "Crafts Calculator" app on my Fire tablet and it had recommended $6 for the snowflakes, but yeah, I think I can charge more. As I just wrote in my journal: I can always lower prices if no one is buying, but I can't RAISE prices, so it's better off to price them on the higher side and see if anybody bites.

[badly_knitted]

The final total was 442 *grins* I got a bit carried away...

Precisely. If they're not selling at $8 you can always drop the price, but it doesn't do to under-price things. You put time and effort into each item, and buyers need to respect that.

[wiseheart]

Have you tried watching the telly with half an eye while working? It helps me enormously to get through the boring parts.

[althea_valara]

I usually listen to music. I haven't watched TV in, well, years (barring Wheel of Fortune at dinner, but that's not by my choice). We did just subscribe to Disney+ and there were shows on it I wanted to watch, so maybe I will give that a try.

[sister_raphael]

Pricing is always an issue, because while people will pay ridiculous amounts of money for keepsake ornaments which are NOT hand made, they somehow balk at a handmade item which costs so much less. Charging more is quite appropriate (and remember you're still not getting an hourly rate you could live on) but you might like to add enticing words on the tags like "bespoke," "individually crafted" or "artisan-made" because that reminds buyers that they are getting something special. (And buyers respond to marketing like that... oooo it's special!)

[wiseheart]

I sewed on little penguin feet, stitching through 3-4 layers of very hard felt, plus at least one layer of double-sided tape that I use to keep the parts together. My fingers are not happy with me, but at least all 10 penguins have their feet now. Three of the double-layered front panels are completed, with wings and bow ties and a tiny, sparkly foam sticker Christmas tree. All they need are the hangings and the stitching on of the back panels. I think I'll be done in, oh, a week or three.

[badly_knitted]

Ouch, that sounds difficult and painful! Hope the penguins don't wander off now they have feet!

You've really been powering through the ornaments!

[wiseheart]

Frankly, this is the only way to deal with cabin fever. If only writing would go so well!
The penguins seem to enjoy their temporary housing; they are still in their box, all of them.

[badly_knitted]

Glad the penguins haven't gone wandering!

[wiseheart]

Probably because they didn't have eyes yet. We'll see what's gonna happen tonight. *g*

[badly_knitted]

Ah, good point. They won't wander if they can't see where they're going...

[celli]

yay penguins! that is a LOT of layers to stitch through!

[wiseheart]

That is about the average with such small ornaments. They all need a front and a back panel, *and* the embellishments on the front panel, and the only way to keep them from sliding apart is the use of double-sided tape. I tried with pins earlier, but ended up with wounded fingers, so I switched to the tape.

[sister_raphael]

Hooray for penguins! That's a lot of thicknesses. No wonder your fingers are sore!

[wiseheart]

The fact that the felt I'm working with is particularly hard doesn't help. But it gives the ornaments a solid base, which is worth the pain. Or so I find - afterwards.

[sister_raphael]

MOAR buttons! Got one sleeve completely finished and then had to struggle to squeeze the buttons through the holes but with use they always stretch a bit.

[badly_knitted]

They look so great! Not sure how comfy they'd be to wear though. Are the buttonholes hand stitched?

[sister_raphael]

They're not uncomfy to wear and yes, hand stitching the buttonholes too. A job I dislike.

[badly_knitted]

I'd think it would be very fiddly.