Why does it cost so much?

For those of you curious as to why handmade items can cost so much, here is a breakdown of what a simple scarf costs to make:

Merino wool: $15.99/skein
Beads to put on the scarf: $6.98
(California) Tax on materials: $1.90

We are already up to $24.87 for this scarf. But wait! What about the time and energy of the person making it? If you go strictly by 2013 federal minimum wage standards, that person would only receive $7.25/hour for a specialized job. This particular scarf takes approximately three hours to make, thereby adding a cost of $21.75 to the bottom line.

Total for this particular "quick and easy" scarf is $46.62. Keep in mind, this does not include the time it took to write out and perfect the pattern. It took me about fifteen hours to perfect this scarf pattern, bringing labor costs up to $130.50. So now our grand total for this scarf is (drumroll please):

$177.12!!!!! And, come on, who would pay that for a simple scarf?

I charge $35.00 for the finished scarf and just $4.00 if all you want is the pattern to make one yourself. If you subtract the cost of the scarf materials from the price of the finished scarf ($35.00), I am left with $10.13. There are advertising and listing costs involved as well. At the end of it all I might be able to get a foofy coffee at the local 'Bux, if I'm lucky.

So basically, in this case anyway, I am covering the cost of materials and only charging my customers for 90 minutes of work (remember that it took 18 hours of actual work time!). And this is just yarn; think about the materials and time involved in stained glass, woodworking, metalsmithing, etc.

Bottom line: the cost for one of our items may be higher but we do it because we love it and it shows in our products. You can't say that about the products found at a chain store (Made in China, anyone?).

Please be kind to crafters who do it all themselves. If you don't want to pay their prices than don't do it, but please remember that they are already making sacrifices for their craft and for your pleasure. If you see something you like, please tell them. Just hearing appreciation for your work is sometimes worth all the effort.

Product Review - Sunapee Yarn

First off, I want to say that I have no affiliation with Patternworks or any of their products and I am receiving no endorsements.

That being said, I recently purchased some of their new Sunapee yarn. It is 55% cotton and 45% silk and comes in balls of 153 yards/50 grams. I chose the color eggplant and bought enough to knit the Patchwork Pullover, my free pattern choice with my purchase.

I placed my order a few days ago and I got it in the mail today. It took less than a week to get it. I was very eager to check it out.

When I opened the package I was mildly concerned. The color was exactly what I wanted, but the texture and look of the yarn gave me pause. It felt a little rough and looked like the cotton you would use more for dish towels than garments. Needless to say, I bought it and I was going to use it, no matter what.

I diligently cast on all of my stitches and began knitting. Now, I can never tell how a yarn is going to perform until I'm a few rows into it. Having completed only six or seven rows of my top, I can already say, I love this yarn!

It is exactly how the product is described, "firm yet smooth and soft". I can already tell that my top going to have a great drape. I am very excited to finish it and show everyone!

You can find the yarn and pattern I am using in their current Spring 2013 catalog (page 27); or you can visit their website and take a look. It is very affordable, easy to work with, and creates a beautiful product.

If you try it, let me know what you think!