How much does handmade really cost? - Pricing a Handknit Stocking // Rachel is Knitting

We've all been there! You're making something and a friend or family member... sometimes even a stranger asks the most dreaded question: "can you make me one?" The first agony is figuring out if you will or not. The second agony comes when you must determine a fair price for your hard work.
This video is the first installment of my series investigating how much handknit actually costs. Here, I monitor my progress knitting a Christmas stocking. The stocking uses three colors and colorwork techniques to make a beautiful finished product!
What handknit item would you like to see me price out next?
Pattern: Christmas Stocking Collection by Michelle Hunter www.ravelry.co...
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Rachel is Knitting
PO Box 41331
Baton Rouge, LA 70835
#knitting #howmuchdoeshandknitcost #thecostofhandmade #handknit #knittingcommissions #christmasknitting #giftknitting #rachelisknitting
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[@nataliealexander7457]

I like this video. Not because I intend to sell commissions, but because I feel that we should all recognize the real value of handknits! I hope you do more in the future!

[@rachelisknitting]

Thank you!

[@knitcalifornia]

This definitely needs to be a whole series!

[@rachelisknitting]

🫡🫡🫡

[@janlowe8736]

I think this podcast was great ! You are correct our time is valuable. I was amazed you knit that complicated stocking in ~6 hours. Your past experience knitting this item really showed. Keep up the great work in making podcasts that are original, creative, and full of wonderful content!! YOU ROCK!! Jan

[@rachelisknitting]

Thank you! 💜💜💜

[@tjbuttsful]

I love the idea of charging by yardage, but that won't account for mistakes/redos, or more complex items that take more time but not more yardage...

[@rachelisknitting]

Wow that is a really good point. I hadn't thought of that!

[@tamiwilbanks836]

Great video and a great idea for a series! I am 63 years old and found it very interesting to see the difference when price by the hour compared to price by the yard. Both made sense. Your Stocking is great. You are a talented knitter and it is wonderful that you value yourself. By the way, I know your favorite color is purple, but you also look great in your navy color work sweater. Have a lovely day.

[@rachelisknitting]

Thank you so much!

[@leahh9284]

I like these videos! It gives a great breakdown. I'll use this when people see something a vendor has and asks me to make it. Answer: pay the vendor

[@rachelisknitting]

Great answer!

[@prettypanda]

I personally dont think I could ever sell my handmade items because I risk injuries to my hands and wrists when I knit in general (thanks chronic illnesses) but this is so fascinating to think about. Plus I think handmade items like this also bear the burden of needing to re-educate customers that if you want quality items that are built to last and are custom made - that shit isn't cheap.

[@rachelisknitting]

That is a really good point: the cost is more than time and materials! It’s also our bodies!

[@prettypanda]

Also follow up comment here I would love this to be a series so that the next time a coworker jokingly says in a meeting "why don't you just knit the team matching sweaters" or a family member casually volunteers my time to make them a knitted item when I didn't offer I can send them a link to a video showing them the exact cost breakdown for a hat or a sweater or a scarf. I think there is a big difference between the knitter/crocheter offering a gift knit and someone deciding that you are going to make them something

[@rachelisknitting]

Yes totally! My thought for this series is to do breakdowns of common items and then at the end of the year do an overview video!

[@HollyTriedIt]

I enjoyed seeing all the ways to price an item. I usually tell people they wouldn't be able to afford a sweater if I made it for them. So I just knit out of love. But I'm glad to see you charging fair amounts for your custom work. Also, I struggled working at home because I felt like every coffee break should be taken out of my time worked. And then my days got long.....I felt your low level anxiety and recognized it myself.

[@rachelisknitting]

Yes totally! But ultimately I wouldn’t expect my employer to dock my pay for taking a sip of water. That would be horrendous working conditions! So I think the same standard can and should apply here too!

[@arieng9646]

Came over from Instagram, and watched this while literally knitting my first (and likely last) commissioned stocking. Thanks for the breakdown! I think commission knitting isn't for me, but it's been interesting tracking my own production costs.

[@susancurrie5751]

Thank you so much Rachel. This whole concept is such a minefield for me. I'm always happy to knit for others but my anxiety causes me to usually just get paid for the yarn, and I always tell people to pay what they feel is fair. Not surprisingly, I am sometimes disappointed with what they think is fair! I am too insecure to ask for a specific amount. Having listened to your video I will try asking a specific fee and hope for the best. I am inspired and entertained greatly by you and so look forward to your videos. Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful nature and your incredible talent. ❤

[@rachelisknitting]

I’m glad this was helpful and inspiring! Your time is valuable!

[@Creative_Yarnoholic]

I love how you broke this down. I now realize how much I’ve been under valuing myself. I would love to see this as a series. 🥰🧶

[@AnnabethisKnitworthy]

Definitely would be interested in a series of this!! Also, when you got up to get the sweet potatoes, it sounded like you were calling us “my potatoes” in an endearing way 😂

[@rachelisknitting]

aww maybe I should start calling you all that then

[@nancyborgeson440]

I’ve knit many Christmas stockings for family & household decor. Love them! My mother also knitted several for family members. They were all knit for love - no compensation was involved. Good for you for wanting to charge appropriately! Your labor & skill are not free!

[@rachelisknitting]

That is awesome! And thank you!

[@tjbuttsful]

I've many times been asked if I would sell my handknits, and my answer has always been I could never charge a "fair" value. So yes, looking forward to more of this content.

[@WhistlestopStitcher]

What a great video! Very helpful information! I have sold handmade items in the past and it’s always so hard to figure out how much to charge. This was an excellent walk through of how one might approach it. Thank you!

[@rachelisknitting]

I’m glad it was helpful!

[@peaches7551]

This is a great video rachel . Thank you !! Your knits are beautiful

[@rachelisknitting]

Thank you so much!

[@EvanKnitsThings]

Thanks so much for this video! So many things I never even considered, and I do commissions a lot!

[@rachelisknitting]

Glad it was helpful!

[@marsy1480]

Love your rust cardigan. I used to knit for my lys and pay was 1p per gram! That was about 25 yrs ago.

[@rachelisknitting]

Wow! What do you think you'd charge now?

[@JACLevair]

❤ Great video. You passed on a lot of valuable information on the process of pricing for hand made goods. I do commissioned knitting and crocheting. When I first looked at those stockings my immediate thought - just off the cuff with no other information for cost of materials etc. I absolutely was thinking no less than $250.00 but closer to $275.00 per stocking as an actual charge. Great job! All the best, Joyce

[@rachelisknitting]

We are on the same page Joyce! Always look forward to your comments 🫶🏻

[@cathycoughenour3849]

I did realize later in the video how much yarn each stocking took! Thanks for the info!

[@teresacombs8597]

Great video. Thanks for sharing. Thanks for sharing ❤

[@rachelisknitting]

Thanks for watching!

[@jennifersmall8696]

I appreciate your time and content in this video! I’d like to see more and have subscribed.

[@rachelisknitting]

Awesome, thank you!

[@RoamingwithRover]

Salena Baca at the American Crochet Association has a whole series on pricing and selling your handmades. It very well done.

[@rachelisknitting]

Thanks! Good to know!

[@ladyinredyarn-yvonne1942]

Your process was very informative.

[@rachelisknitting]

Glad it was helpful!

[@those_eyes]

Sweet doggo!!!

[@HappyLittleYarn]

I really enjoyed this vlog! I enjoyed spending time with you and learning your process! I would love more content like this ❤

[@rachelisknitting]

Thank you so much! Definitely will be making more!

[@catherinebuttrick5678]

This was fascinating! Thank you so much for doing all this work to show us the the options. I do think that the yardage option is a good pricing tool because, as you said, you don't have to time yourself, but also because some people knit faster than others. I heard Rebecca Clow mention something about pricing for having samples knit, and it was a yardage determination. I really enjoy your podcasts!

[@rachelisknitting]

Thank you so much for writing! I’ll have to check out Rebecca’s pricing strategy. Don’t know if this was in a KZbin podcast or somewhere else?

[@catherinebuttrick5678]

@@rachelisknitting it was in a U Tube podcast, and she just mentioned it in passing. She had a sample of one of her designs that she had paid someone to knit and she said the pay was based on yardage.

[@AnneHarris-rn4dn]

A magazine article I read years ago suggested you charge 4 times the cost of the yarn, not time spent knitting.

[@rachelisknitting]

In this case, that would be as low as $66 for a stocking. I would never price so low. It’s not fair pay for my labor!

[@nataliealexander7457]

OK, yeah. you did that!

[@jacqueismaking]

Darby needs her commission too! She’s an unpaid actress!!

[@rachelisknitting]

So true 😂😂😂

[@cathycoughenour3849]

Love this video series idea…I don’t plan to knit for commission but would love to make stockings for my family…just curious how many balls of each color did you buy for each stocking? Love your doggy lounging on the back of your chair!

[@rachelisknitting]

Thanks for the kind comment! I bought 9 skeins of yarn for this, since each stocking uses up half a skein of each color.

[@nataliealexander7457]

Why don't you use both yard and hours. You bought the yarn and you put in the time. Beautiful stocking by the way!

[@jennifersmall8696]

What brand of hand steamer are you using please?

[@rachelisknitting]

This is the one I use! Here is my affiliate link: amzn.to/3OpjInU

[@jennifersmall8696]

Thank you!