What do you make for yourself...?

[Former_Member]

Do you have a hard time keeping something you've made or do you want to keep everything?
My husband thinks it's funny that I don't keep things for myself- but to be truthful (in regards to bath & body), I have to try everything before I sell it, will use anything that got 'damaged' (so I don't waste anything) and always figure I can come back later and make something for myself...

But I DO buy fabric & make myself scaves all the time- I don't sell them and I keep them ALL ;)

[Former_Member]

My hardest time is keeping my wife from taking new product. I have has to make almost duplicate stuff for her

I have a hat I made for myself, and am wearing a pair of poorly made slippers I made for myself.

[Former_Member]

LOL, I love that Sprywhimsy! Anything I have kept from sewing is something that didn't turn out perfect. I have wonky slippers too :)

[blissfulturtle]

I keep all my mistakes, unless my daughter gets to them first!

[Former_Member]

I have a tendency to make a new item with the intent to sell it, and then keep it for myself. :( Since my "festival" wardrobe is kind of old, I've spent lots of time making items for sale, and then "rewarding" myself by working on an item just for me. :D

[Former_Member]

Hmmm... I don't make a lot for me at all. Not on purpose anyhow. I did make a prototype makeup bag for me since I spilled blush in my old one, but that was because I was trying out a new pattern and wanted to make sure it would work nicely. I will use some of my totes from time to time but not to keep, only to show off with! LOL I do use my bird tote for me, but that's because it got a tiny stain so I don't want to sell it.

The apron I made that took me 7 hours may end up being just for me. I don't know yet.

[ColoradoMorning]

I can't think of anything I've kept for myself in the last decade. I do "hold back" some beads that I've purchased to resell and use them to make finished jewelry, but the jewelry is made to be sold.

Sometimes I wear a necklace at a show as an advertisement...I don't even take off the price tag, like Minnie Pearl used to do with her hats. :-)

[wavejewelry]

I make my jewelry with intent to sell but if I make something that I think is especially beautiful, and it doesn't sell within a reasonable time, it's mine!

[Former_Member]

Well, I make womens jewelry, so I could never wear what I make. It never even occurs to me to make something for myself, even if just to wear at shows.

[Former_Member]

The problem is... I make something for myself, and then I make something to sell and I end up liking what I made to sell MORE, and the cycle continues... So I never actually end up with anything I've made for myself!

[Former_Member]

I make belts specifically for myself. I'm losing weight so I get to make a new one soon. :P I also sometimes "steal" cuffs from my vending stock if I really like them and they happen to be my size. I like having stuff to wear to shows or just for everyday wear. Sometimes I end up with prototypes that didn't quite work out too. That kind of thing usually ends up just sitting there though - I wish there was something I could do with them.

[GypsymoonChain]

I get most prototypes I make as usually they are made with off-colored wire/rings or were just a see if I can do it project.

On the other hand I do make the guy a lot of stuff..

[StitchinStation]

I keep my oops towels in my kitchen. Never have stitched a good towel for my kitchen, maybe when we remodel it down the road. I did stitch some microfiber hair turbans for myself. I hate putting a big bath towel on my head.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/92921237/kitty-hair-turban-towel

[AnnieLorraine]

Sometimes I have a real struggle with myself on keeping a piece of jewelry that I really like when it is completed. Since my pieces are "one of a kind" and I know I can't make a duplicate, I have an internal struggle. Then my husband reminds me that I am making jewelry to sell and not keep for myself. I will wear a piece at a show that I am doing or if I am going to other craft shows. Somebody always asks about a piece I am wearing. It's nice that I can say I made it my self; and then whip out my business card with my etsy site!

[Former_Member]

I keep pieces that I make with special beads, ones given to me from friends and family. And I have to admit to having a really hard time parting with a piece that turns out reeallyy well, although I so far I have been able to list/display it and promise that if it doesn't sell I will keep it (they always sell so haven't gotten to keep any of those ones).

[CDChyld]

I made myself a necklace a long time ago.
Usually when I make earrings I make the first pair as an experiment and usually end up keeping that pair for myself. And now my earring collection is taking over lol

I tend to make stuff for other people. Usually something I want to make but would never use. So I give it to someone that can try it out and let me know how it holds up :)

[Former_Member]

I do all of my paintings for myself. i have kept them for years and years. i am attached to them like my kids. the first one i ever sold, i was like, " you won't throw it, will you?...You won't put anything heavy on it, will you?" it was like putting one of my kids in a box for the ups guy. now i part with them a little more easily.

[Former_Member]

I do quite a bit of designing specifically for myself. I've got a fairly good 'signature collection' that consists of jackets, shrugs, sweaters and other wearables that are each 'one of' pieces.

The one thing that I don't have for myself is one of my shawls as I've never managed to put together the 'right' yarn combination (yet). Maybe some day...

[krissyannedesigns]

I only have three things of my own that I have kept for myself. One was a pouch I made quite some time ago, and it wasn't until I was completely done with it that I realized that I didn't catch the fabric completely in the seam along the zipper. I caught it enough to hold together, but it frayed a little bit -- so I kept that..

Secondly, last August, I decided to finally make a bag for myself. I needed a bag that worked nicely for things I need to carry every day to school (I'm an instructor, so I needed specific pockets for graded papers, pens, calculator, etc). It's the only item that I've ever actually picked out and purchased fabric specifically for and sat down and put together the pattern for myself, knowing I was going to keep it. I am still very happy with that bag and use it every day :) It serves its purpose of having a pocket for everything, and when people ask what else I do or the subject comes up, I just show them the bag.

Finally, I have a monogrammed keychain I started selling, and I wanted to take a picture of it but couldn't think of anyone off the top of my head to make one for, so I made the letter K and kept it. It's on my key ring and holds my business cards.

[Former_Member]

I always make for myself... I started selling jewelry because I realized I couldn't keep everything!

Well that and I had to pay for my beads -somehow- lol. When I was making handbags, I didn't want to part with a single one. They were all unique, one of a kind and I sold a few but several are still with me XD

I struggle with selling my art too. At least that I have digital copies of everything so I can still use it for other things.

[blissfulturtle]

I did make my first yoga mat bag for myself. It was only after people kept trying to buy it off my back that I considered selling them as a business. Since then I have made 2 other bags for my own mat. It does help spread them word to my customer base when I take them to class.

[Former_Member]

Byamber, I'm totally with you. I also get attatched to pieces sometimes. Mostly everything is one of a kind, and I get emotionally involved with pieces I like a lot or that have a special story. Then I find it hard to part with them. I just sold a pair of earrings like this. I was happy to make the sale, but very sad to see them go!

But I do find it to be good advertising to wear my work around!

[Former_Member]

whenever i try new designs, i usually keep the first one for myself. sometimes i will make a double and list that one in my shop, too. it's hard to keep my shop stocked sometimes!!

[Design4Soul]

I call my home, "the land of mis-fit glass". It's basically full of things I can't bear to trash, but am too ashamed to sell, or experiments gone awry. I've come to find some beauty in their quirkiness!!

[Former_Member]

Janis- would OTHER people know that you had make a small mistake, or maybe think it was part of the beautiful artwork? Glass is cool like that, it can turn into something even better than what you'd planned.
I love your stuff- and I really like when artists at some of the really big shows have that 'it didn't turn out' section, because you can find the most amazing little ornaments, magnets & treasures. (I have a weird thing for glass magnets)