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Honored Contributor
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Registered: ‎03-12-2010

Re: Loosing The Art of Making Anything By Hand!

@BalletBabe It made me nervous to do it too, but several of us have done it a few times quickly.  That's how I email and am friends with a few people outside of here.

 

I do understand though.  Let me know if you change your mind.  I'm honest and not a creep!  Ha!

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Re: Loosing The Art of Making Anything By Hand!


@BalletBabe wrote:

@Annabellethecat66  I appreciate that, but number one I need long pieces so I can tie in a knot.  I don't think it would be a good idea to post an address or an email on here, but thank you for the offer.  You are very kind.


@BalletBabe You know, your project would be a great way to repurpose flannel sheets that are old, and possibly gotten holes in one or two spots. Not sure where you might be able to get some though. 

Don't Change Your Authenticity for Approval
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Honored Contributor
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Re: Loosing The Art of Making Anything By Hand!

[ Edited ]

@jaxs mom wrote:

Now days people don't need to rely on selling their stuff at craft fares. It's less work ( no manning a booth all day) and you probably get better prices selling directly online. 


 

          @jaxs mom, While the online sales are helpful, the shows, shops, gallery, and studio sales are still important, unique, and hold an intangible sort of "magic" for lack of a better word.    The ability to connect directly, face-to-face, and also to touch and feel the pieces -- these things are really helpful.    It also depends on what you're selling.   And the atmosphere of in-person sales is so different from online shopping.   I agree with you, going to shows, with all the preparation, setting up, manning the booths, enduring weather kerfuffles, and closing down and packing is hard work.    Some of it is fun, too!  

 

 

Few things reveal your intellect and your generosity of spirit—the parallel powers of your heart and mind—better than how you give feedback.~Maria Popova
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Posts: 6,596
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Loosing The Art of Making Anything By Hand!

[ Edited ]

@itiswhatitis wrote:

@spix wrote:

Back in the day I did sew, made "special" dresses for my DD's, like Communion, etc, also crocheted (sp) poncho's for them, when DH & I had an affair to go to, my DSIL would make a dress for me taken from a pic in a mag, etc, usually a very $$ designer dress, she was a master at her craft.

 

My treasures are 2 afghans made by friends & given to me, I know how much love was put into them, I will hand them down to the kids when the time comes

 

Sadly you are right, hand made is a dying art

 

@spix, I hope you mean Kaftans.


@itiswhatitis  An afghan is a knitted or crocheted blanket or throw.  I don't understand why you think she should call it a kaftan???


 

"Breathe in, breathe out, move on." Jimmy Buffett
Honored Contributor
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Re: Loosing The Art of Making Anything By Hand!

@riley1 No I'm not a quilter.  My friend is (I mentioned here).  I don't have an eye for putting together patterns or colors.

 

Really funny.  I used to think I could put some colors and patterns together and when I'd go up to get it cut, the people I knew who worked at Jo-Ann Fabrics would say, "Ummmm....are you going to put THESE together?"  I didn't say anything, but just put them back on the shelf!  Ha!

 

I crochet but do it for my arthritis in my hands.  It's just straight stitches.  I turn 70 this year so everything I have has got up and gone!! Ha!  I mean my patience, my eyesight, my ability to keep track of my stitches, you name it!

 

But boy can I crank out those scarfs and smaller afghans (very simple ones).  I'm going to go find that picture of the thing she made for my daughter.  My daughter found it in a ski magazine and my friend copied it.  Others asked if she'd make them one and she said, "No way".  So she's making another kind of animal.....

Honored Contributor
Posts: 30,238
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Re: Loosing The Art of Making Anything By Hand!

Another thing I do is at Christmas I make reversible bread cloths and put them in baskets with cookies, etc.  I make a few pot holders and dish rags and put it all together for gifts for neighbors.  It's fun to do, and it only takes a few minutes to sew a few straight lines!

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Re: Loosing The Art of Making Anything By Hand!

@Annabellethecat66 - I understand you friend.  I have made many quilts people have ordered. Some have taken many, many hours to complete. I always take pictures of my quilts and keep a lookbook. There are some that have been removed from that book - I just don't want to make some of those type quilts anymore.

 

Way too much time and extremely tedious. 

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Re: Loosing The Art of Making Anything By Hand!


@jaxs mom wrote:

Now days people don't need to rely on selling their stuff at craft fares. It's less work ( no manning a booth all day) and you probably get better prices selling directly online. 


Yes, you are right about that plus it often isn't really cheap for the fees they charge at some of those things. There is the manning of the booth and then the pain it is to set up and break down too.

 

My daughter has an Etsy store and this past November a local plaza near us that has a craft fair each year had written to her asking if she would come with goods. They told her they would waive the fee. She did decide to go and what a nightmare. It took us 2 hours to set up (with 3 of us doing it) and she made in one day what she would normally make in a few hours. I do love to go to those types of things as a shopper but as a vendor, it is a nightmare. In the days before the internet and sites like Etsy I imagine that was a nice for people who were in business doing crafts like that but I can't imagine doing that all the time. 

Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
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Re: Losing The Art of Making Anything By Hand!


@Blahblahvampemer wrote:

@jaxs mom wrote:

@Noel7 wrote:

@Blahblahvampemer wrote:

@MyGirlsMom wrote:

Here's an interesting f.y.i. During the turn of the 20th century, the "Arts & Crafts Movement" was started because people had a fear of handcrafts being a lost art because of the advent of machine/factory made goods.

 

There are still many handcrafted items being offered for sale, hard lines and soft lines.

 

 


Yes, but the under 40s aren't the regular customers.  I've been in small and large galleries, tiny craft stores, sizable co-ops, museums, artist's studios...and a huge chunk of the business is from 55+.  The age of people LEARNING these skills is also way up.  

 

Elton John was big on collecting fine antiques until a museum curator told him to also collect new pieces to keep the skills alive.  I wish that attitude was spreading like a grassfire, but it isn't.

 

************************

 


The under 40s are all over crafting, are you even familiar with Etsy? 

 

 


Yes, what happens in local stores is not representative of what's happening in crafting. Most people shop online now for better selection and prices.


True, but when you talk to the artists, their customers tend to be on the mature side.  Research shows that younger people overwhelmingly favor disposable goods. 


***********************************

 

You are overlooking the obvious.

 

Art isn't cheap.  Older people can afford it, younger people are just getting started and don't have that kind of disposable income, in fact many are still paying off their student loans.

 

I will never understand why you dislike young people so much.

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Re: Losing The Art of Making Anything By Hand!

@Irshgrl31201, what does your daughter sell on Etsy? 

 

Are you allowed to say?