Have you felt as though you put a lot of time and hard work into a homemade gift for someone only to feel as though it went unappreciated?
When it comes to making something handmade, some people equate “handmade” with “tacky” and treat it accordingly. Also, they think because you crochet, they are doing you a favor by simply asking. They are giving you something to keep busy with as they only see it as a hobby, but you may see it as something more. It is one thing if they genuinely enjoy it and plan on using it, but it is a whole new ball game when it comes to something they think is simply cute, but it ends up on a shelf collecting dust. How exactly do you handle this situation?
For me, I stopped making handmade gifts for my family. I didn’t stop making gifts for them out of spite. I feel like a lot of the time they don’t appreciate my handmade gifts. I’ll make someone a hat or scarf and only see them wear it once before it’s shoved in a closet. Again, they like the idea, but they don’t actually see it as meaningful, which is hurtful to anyone that puts their heart and soul into something.
The main thing I have trouble with is that they don’t value the time and effort that goes into making a handmade item. It is not about the money, but the thinking behind it is that they’ll love something that was made specifically for them whether it was a blanket in their favorite colors or a hat in their favorite sports team. I’m giving these gifts out of love and it feels like my gift was a waste of my valuable time. Out of everything I made for my family, only about 2-3 things are truly loved and used frequently.
As a newbie crocheter years ago, I made a sports-themed scarf for someone. They really wanted this scarf, so I picked up the yarn needed and got to work. When I finished, I let them know the price and inquired about a time where either I could meet up with them or mail it out to them. They kept hesitating and never gave me a clear idea on when they were going to pay for it. After a while, I became tired of waiting around and ended up giving it away to charity. It hurt that I went through all this trouble, especially when I went out of my way to make this scarf for them. Since then, I’m smarter and only make an item for someone once I have either a down payment or payment in full.
Have you ever made handmade gifts only for them to go unappreciated? How did you handle it? Tell me your story in the comment section below. I’d love to hear it.
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