Yesterday on Facebook there was a link to an article from a woman who had made her co-workers baby blankets for their impending delivery. She questioned whether she should continue and was she cheap in doing so. One woman who received a blanket said based on what she made she could have afforded more than the blanket and a few trinkets. I would have grabbed my stuff back after I slapped her.
For those who don't craft they have no idea what supplies cost, but mostly the time involved. I made many baby blankets for my co-workers and I can tell you they all loved them and wondered how I found the time to do this for them.
I made my mom an afghan made up of puzzle pieces. The whole project took 108 hours from the time I picked out the yarn to the time I wove in the lase end. That does not count the time I spent looking for just the right pattern. Lets say I made minimum wage, the afghan time alone would have amounted to $800. Now for the woman who said the crafter was cheap she really does need to be slapped. I can make a pair of plain vanilla socks in about 20 hours and based on what I made when I worked, well lets just say these socks would cost over $1,000.
Most of the time it is not the cost of the supplies but the cost of the time involved. When you make something for someone it takes the time of that person who could be doing something they need to do or want to do. They are taking their time to make something special just for you, no one else, just you. Many times it is done with love and hope that the one getting the gift will appreciate for what it is worth.
I have learned that there are those who get 15 minutes of my time with a purchased gift that really does not mean a whole lot. Those who appreciate the time I take get a "cheap" gift and know that is was made with love.
