Making Money...

[Lasse_C]

You are right, Nautile, and the story is certainly well worth thinking about.

However, when I want to get more material, want to travel, get tools, have a bite to eat, raise a cup or two with the mates or any other of a number of things, I still need money to pay for it. Making extra money from my crafts means that I can do  more of the good things I want, get more and/or better materials for the stuff I want to make, or simply spend less time at a job that sometimes wear me down, in spite of the fact that I really do like it!

Lasse C

[nautile]

Hi Lasse_C

that stance is perfectly respectable and maybe recommandable, so we will add to the story to keep it alive :

the fifth, a passer-by admiring the work : "I take care of myself and doing so helps keeping me opened to the world and ready to lend a hand to its smooth working"
...(to be continued ?)

Here is a link that may be will help with the "pricing" bit
http://www.stairropes.com/

[KnotNow!]

drjbrennan
You have orders you can't fill?  Let the Lord smite me with this curse!  Can't some of our guild come to the front to help you?  I am working steady now but last month.... glad to have helped.   If IGKT gets upset about trading work for money come to KHWW and lets try to work out some contacts.  Or find me as PABPRES.

[Lasse_C]

You have orders you can't fill?  Let the Lord smite me with this curse!  

AMEN to that!  

Lasse C

[drjbrennan]

Awww!

I knew you'd say that, but it's just a pocket money pastime, it's not a big money business, one or two bracelets each weekend.

[deckape fancy knotworks]

hello everyone
     well this is my first post on the site, so i just want to say hello to my fellow knot tyers. also i have been reading most of your posts for making money, and very much agree. i now live in CT USA and am retireing from the US Navy as a Boatswain Mate and its funny buy my knot tying skills are in high demand here. you would be suprised on the silly money people will spend for hand tied displays, as well as work in their homes and boats. i am now developing a web site which will most likley be up and running in the next few months, it will deal with anything from small knot boards too sea chests, too lacework. if anyone is willing you can email me and i will post pics of your work on the site, and try too sell it for the price in which it is intended. i have a small but steady client base just by word of mouth. i also agree that their should be a site that anyone can go too and purchase our craftwork if anyone has any ideas on the site please email me with them and we can get it off the ground   thanks The DeckApe AKA BOATS

[KnotMe]

There are certain specialty web site that I know of that sell polymer clay objects and lampwork beads (among others).  It is unclear whether they are more successful than ebay for their users.

As has been previously noted, part of the problem with selling knotwork is lack of knowledge on the purchasers part, exactly how much work has gone into making the end product.  To maximize a group venture of this type, some (one?  team?) must take on the educational aspect.  

For instance, the recent belt tutorial gives people a taste of the work involved (and how-to's of this nature are highly unlikely to arm your clients with so much information that they just go do it themselves. .

Educate them so they know how much work and skill went into the product.  Also, so that they can better tell you what they want in a custom product.

When I finally get the gallery part of my site up and running I'd be happy to provide a marketplace for any knot artisan that is interested, but IGKT  or knotheads would probably be a better fit.

[SlipJig]

What are your experiences of making money from knotting? What I personally find to be two of the major problems are:

A) In general, people simply have no idea about the amount of time and work that goes into the stuff we make (not to mention the time and work needed to acquire the skill needed!) and consequently are reluctant to pay a decent price

B) To sell also takes time and effort, time and effort that from one point of view is non-productive, as it could have been spent making stuff. This reduces the income per hour spent.

Lasse C

Lasse, point A is my story too. $25 AUS for a multi-coloured monkey fist key float that took hours to make is too much compared with a $5 mass-produced plastic float (even if it doesn't float at all but they don't know that till it's too late.)

If I had to deal with Point B, I doubt I'd bother. My work is sold in a ship chandlery that my husband used to work in, which means no marketing effort on my part. It doesn't really make me money but it gets traded for boat fittings, anti-foul etc at wholesale prices and it's enough to make a difference. A few special orders have come in through the shop which have made a bit of extra money but it's not to be relied upon.

[Lasse_C]

My work is sold in a ship chandlery that my husband used to work in, which means no marketing effort on my part.

Which is very similar to the way I usually to sell my stuff. I sell most of my stuff on a percentage basis - I send them to the place/s I cooperate with, they add an agreed percentage on the price and sell it. They keep their percentage, I get my money.  OK, I have to lower my prices a little, so I make less money per unit - but as I can spend my available time producing I still make more money in the end!

The idea is that they can handle more customer contacts in a more rational way than I could ever do, and I can make stuff in a way they simply can not. Each one does what he/she does best, in other words.  

LC