Okay knitters! This is a very serious post, I need commentors! Whenever I knit something really cool all of my friends want me to knit one for them. They often offer to pay for it, but they still don’t realize how much time it can take- I do NOT have time to knit 6 people one of the bathing suits I just designed. I’m sure this happens for all knitters, hand knit items are pretty amazing. But today at the pool when I was watching the kids I kind of got pressured into agreeing to knit a bathing suit for one of the ladies there. She is the epitome of fashionable Italian, wearing heels to the pool everyday. So while this was encouraging that she would like my design, at first she insinuated she would just pay me for the cost of materials. I really hesitated because I already have planned what I want to knit next and didn’t really want to make this for her. There’s also the added pain of a knit bathing suit have to fit PERFECTLY for it to not look frumpy. She asked me how much I would look like her to pay and I hesitated again, because honestly high end bathing suits go for a lot of money, and comparing that with the time I put in, I would think $100 wouldn’t be too much. Obviously most people aren’t willing to pay that much, but she seems pretty rich. I was thinking about saying 80 euros at about the same time she offered 30 euros. It was sad. There was basically no way I could say no at this point, so I agreed to 40 euros.
This is where you come in readers, please help!
How much would/do you sell you knitted items for? Do you think it’s worth it?
Also, if I wrote a detailed and charted pattern for this bathing suit do you think anyone would buy it?
I’m torn, I really don’t have time to be knitting large items for sale. The few things I have on etsy are headbands and only take about 4 hours to make. Things like bathing suits that have a lot of detail and finishing touches such as a lining and sweaters that are just large take upwards of 50 hours. But I do like that people want to wear them. Like I said I’m torn.
you are far too kind…and sweet…you’re right that $100 is more like what it would take. i’m a knitter myself – and i sew – and i get the same requests – and incredulous looks when i say how much time/effort/design goes into bespoke pieces. put this one down to experience and next time have a ready response – you are a designer, an artisan with specialist skills!
That’s good advice! I will be ready in the future to kindly say no, unless you want to pay me per hour haha.
I sell hats i knit all the time and they range from $10 – $20 depending on how generous i feel and those take me around 5 or 6 hours. I could see $100 being reasonable for the suit, its really nice btw.
Thank you! Hopefully the people that buy your pieces appreciate the time you put in!
I’m pretty sure the patter will sell well, it’s fashionable, youthful and bathing suit patterns are rarity. As for knitting for others, I have that issue too, non-knitters don’t get how long it takes to knit something and they tend to ask for it without thinking twice. While I do knit/craft gifts, I decided not to accept “orders” for more reasons:
- I’m too busy and the last thing I need is more deadlines
- this would take the fun out of knitting
- I still haven’t knitted everything I have on mind for myself
- my time is limited
- those who don’t knit don’t understand the real value of hand knitted items, if I would put my time and energy to please someone and later see that the person doesn’t handles the fruit of my hard work carefully, I would end up with hurt feelings
- there’s no way to get the prize you deserve for your work, if you do it for a lower prize you will feel that your work isn’t appreciated enough (besides others would request the same favor from you), if you do it for the accurate prize people would think you are making them pay throw their nose (again, hurt feelings)
When asked to knit sth, I tend to explain why I’m not accepting, usually I point out the price of the yarn and the estimated number of hours necessary to knit the piece, then I talk about technical difficulties, like adjusting the item to a body shape and such. With all these information, people understand that it doesn’t work the way they thought.
Part of what it comes down to is how much your time is worth. There are many things I refuse to make to sell because each time someone sees it and wants one, they say my asking price is unreasonable. They think 100 for a blanket I spent $30 in materials and over 60 hours making is just to much and for me, my free time away from what I want to be making is worth well over that. If that helps at all
I knit also, and did the same thing last week. Made a baby blanket for a friend. I charged $50.00, but it took me 2 weeks. I did not like the deadline, it took the fun out. If you have several people in your area wanting the same thing. maybe you should think about teaching a knitting class. Money up front for the class, they buy their own material, no refunds. If it is the same people asking you to make things for them, that should put a stop to it.