To give or not to give your handmade products

To gift or not to gift your handicrafts? I think every crafter has thought about it at least once. Perhaps for many, the question remains open. In this article, I will share my thoughts and research on this topic.

1. Who to give and who not to give

When I started working on this material, the first thing I typed into the internet search engine was “handmade gifts, reviews,” honestly, I was shocked by what I found. 

The materials were peppered with expressions like “she brought her stuff again,” “she saved money on gifts and presented her creativity,” “it’s lying around, I’ll probably throw it out…” Wow! 

And we, naive, do a few days, maybe nights do not sleep, and people say: “junk,” “saved up” … 

In addition to rude comments, the reviews of people meant: “Let them give their art to those who appreciate and love it. But this is true, and there is nothing to be offended by. And the first conclusion: giving handmade gifts can only be those who are sure to appreciate. For example, a person who is also fond of creative work. Someone who has shown you many times his interest in the work. By the way, relatives are not necessarily automatically included in this list. People close to you do not have to love the handmade.

People are usually divided into those who view handmade gifts as:

1. Amazing, valuable, thoughtful, one-of-a-kind, they feel lucky to receive it.
2. Handmade “hobby,” kitsch, trinkets, they feel “cheated” by receiving a gift they don’t like, but they can’t return it, throw it away, or get rid of it.
3. Admire your effort and craftsmanship; you should know their tastes.

– To give or not to give your handmade products

For example, a friend loves hand-knitted clothes and hats for her kids. They are very expensive, like all handmade things. She doesn’t like the price, and she rarely spoils herself, preferring to buy in-store. These things are a great luxury for children as they quickly grow out of their clothes.

She will significantly treasure it if I knit her something for them, especially in the style she was considering. Admires it. Keeping it after the kids can no longer wear it. She bragged about getting it as a gift when others have paid huge amounts for it. People who appreciate handmade items often hint that they would like the same.

On the other hand, I had a friend who was very polite but disappointed when I gave her a handmade cashmere hat. The thing felt like baby cheeks and draped beautifully on her head. In the store, the same hat would have cost $200. Although I thought she would like it, she preferred buying it in the store. But I wasn’t upset. No problem, I just remembered it to avoid making a similar mistake with her.

2. What to give?

It is essential to understand that a woman who wears gold and diamonds is unlikely to appreciate polymer clay earrings. And a man who likes minimalism is unlikely to be useful blankets in the patchwork technique. If you decide to give your creativity, think to whom and for what purpose. 

In this regard, are universal:

The logic is clear: the universal handmade is something people use all the time or daily. Such gifts will be desirable. Of course, the quality of products must be at a high level. You can make a gift out of your creativity as long as it is flawlessly executed.

3. An exciting nuance

When I started taking orders for my toys regularly, I happened to come across the expression, “Never give your products as gifts. You devalue them. The author of the topic explained that the person who received the gift of a handmade product then never becomes your customer and never buy anything else. That’s the pattern. Someone who gets something for free doesn’t appreciate it.

So to give or not to give? What do you think about it? Do you give your products as a gift or not?