Do you ever try to fool yourselves into thinking that you're saving money by making things instead of buying them? I do this a lot but unless you're comparing your own handmade item with someone else's, it's almost never true. How can craftspeople compete with Wal-Mart crap?
I went to JoAnne and found some great fabric for the Amy Butler nappy bag that I want to make and I spent $40! And I didn't even get everything I needed (side note: the pattern calls for cotton canvas but I could only find "outdoor canvas". Is there any such thing as indoor canvas? Can I use duck cloth or twill?). Now I'm thinking I'll get an Old Navy onesie for the mom I intended the nappy bag for and make the bag for someone I'm closer to. Or, more likely, my first one will be hideous and misshapen and I'll carry it as a tote :) The pink and green are for the bag. The purple terry cloth and blue and brown fabrics are for the accompanying changing pad. Maybe I'll just send Katie the changing pad...
I am always willing to spend WAAAAY more money on fabric or yarn than I would ever pay for a skirt/sweater/hat in a store... I totally justify this by reminding myself that it qualifies as part of my entertainment budget, too. Yeah, that's it...
ReplyDeleteI've thought a lot about this, and I have formed some definite opinions (or should I call them rationalizations?)
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, Emily, I'm impressed that you found such cool fabric at Joanne's. Come to think of it, I HAVE seen some cooler prints there lately.
2. You DID find it on sale at least 30% off, or use your 40% off coupons, didn't you? Never pay retail at Joanne's.
3. You would pay way more than $40 or $50 for a bag and a changing pad as stylish and well-made as the one you're going to make. I would guess that it would cost at least double that at Anthropologie, and probably even more at fancy designer boutiques in big cities like New York or San Francisco. I can't be specific about designer boutiques because I can't afford to shop there, and they certainly don't put the likes of me on their mailing lists.
4. As a sewer, you have to build a stash of fabric, trims, etc. that you bought for other projects that may or may not have happened, or just because you loved them. If enough time has passed between purchase and use, it's sort of like it's free. Also, now that you have the pattern, as you look at fabric, you'll see something for a great price and say, "That would be great for a Nappy Bag, and the next one will be lots less expensive.
Some of Amy Butler's other patterns call for a canvas interlining. I bought something that looks and feels kind of like denim in an off-white color. I think it might have been with the "utility fabrics" at Joanne. But DEFINITELY wash it and dry it at least once before you sew it, because it shrinks at a greater rate than the outer fabric, and for a baby accessory you definitely want it to be washable. I can't wait to see the finished project.
You're right. I did get it at 30% off. I think partly I'm frustrated that my lifestyle is STILL so thrifty with time and money that I can't just go to the damn store and afford to make what I want for my friends. I also have a great space waiting for me up in Baltimore for crafting (and the rest of the house for the other things that matter in my life--God, I can't wait to move there) and I can't just do it.
ReplyDeleteMaybe when I have a real job I'll shop at Anthropologie and congratulate myself on my $40 homemade bag, but now it still feels like a lot of money.
Thanks for the advice on denim as a substitute. I was tempted to try that but held off. I also don't have a washer and dryer at the moment (argh) so this project may be partly-done for awhile!
Well, Em, you're right about not saving money by sewing. But we make uniques things that no one else will have, and when your friends' friends say "Where did you get that great diaper bag?" your friend can say "Emily made it!" You need to "shop" in my fabric closet next time you're here. Kathy, I love your comment that if enough time has passed since you paid for the fabric, it's almost free! I was in a really nice fabric shop the other day and bemoaning the fact that I have so much fabric and keep wanting more, and the girl working there said, "Well, we create things - that's just what we do!" That's going to be my mantra now!
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