I was talking to a friend about crocheting and donating things and she said – “you don’t sell things, you give them away? Do the groups give you yarn? I mean yarn can be expensive.”
Yes, yarn can be expensive, even the easy care yarns that I use for donations. I never think about the dollar amount of the value of afghans, scarves and hats that I make, because it is something I like to do. Though at times I minimize the “cost” – my time effort and materials that I put into my work. I just think about it being a useful item for a recipient who may not have a warm item to wear in the inclement weather or a blanket to make their space more home-y. I like projects where I can see progress, which is why traditional crocheting with thread never appealed to me. That’s fine. There are more than enough projects for everyone. I’ve made stuffed animals before, but they are not my favorite things, though I thoroughly admire the creations my friends make and that I see posted on crochet group boards.
As I was browsing through my email yesterday, I saw an ad for kits for baby blankets ranging from $70 to $85 close to $200 for kits for knitted blankets. Crochet takes more yarn, so the price would increase a bit. Then today, I saw an ad online offering a kit for a granny square afghan in a high-end wool at a discounted price of just over $200 for a 50 inch x 50 inch finished product. Wow!
The cost of yarn isn’t a big consideration when I’m making something for others. On the rare occasion that I make something for myself, I buy what I like and don’t put a lot of thought into the laundering process, which is something I’m very aware of when I make something for a shelter. I have a wool and mohair blanket on my bed from yarn that was bought as part of an estate sale. It is delightfully warm. I know buying all of the yarn that I used would be expensive, but I don’t put a price on the items I make. When considering cost, I just think of the ease of cleaning for the yarn that I use and not the hours of labor.
Yes, yarn can be quite expensive, but when you are doing something that you love and giving to others, you make a way. There are sales and coupons that I take advantage of when I making a gang of afghans. When I am making an item for a gift and I know the recipient, I may spend more for the yarn and consider it a “cheap” gift because I only had to purchase the yarn. That’s not a good way of thinking of things either, because the time that it takes for me to make something, even at my hourly wage from my 9 to 5 job added to the cost of the materials would make a hat much more expensive than the cost of the yarn.
Many people who make things for charity are doing it because they care and don’t consider the “cost” of their donation. We do it out of love.
