And they're trying to SELL this stuff?

Well yes. The most important thing I learned there is that there is always more stuff, so there's no reason to have a sense of urgency about buying something.

Realistically, a pillow on a painted canvas would probably cost me more than $69 to make. To work at even minimum wage would drive the cost up probably double. Most people in a medium income bracket won't pay that. So that is what those people are willing to buy, missing stitches and all. There isn't any guilt that way about throwing it away and buying something new a few years down the road that way either. To bed! Dora

Dora Good night , i am already Up in TUESDAY

I think this is a lesson we all learn at some point of our life.

Or even thrice it .... People are Willing to accept that Handmade is not `perfect` ... and not all care so much about mistakes which they don`t see , or their guests won`t see.None of us expects our guests to go around poking their noses into our Textiles and commenting about `the mistakes`..... In fact i get a great kick out of such behaviours ,,, Lately had some visitors, one of them asked to see my work room, admired my loom, commented on the `mess` ;"why do you need so many threads?" , and than told me :" You make nice handcraft, I used to make such handcrafts". she picked up the [own pattern] Shawl i was just finnishing for colleague, and asked where the pattern was from? i said it was my own ,,,, lady answered Nobody can make their own YOU NEED INSTRUCTIONS" ,,,,,,Same lady also inspected my Cushions , Hand woven Curtains etc,,,, she had loads of comments,,,Best one was when she pointed to a work, that was part of my art works, and comented how `Neat but Cluttered i worked, mixing techniques etc,,, " , I just couldn`t resist it and answered , that This was exactly what attracted the Nuseum Curator who showed it .!!!!! , I didn`t mind at all ,,,,, It has become an Anthropoligical event ,,, Some People like to comment, they see faults at my stuff , but if i tell them it was shown in a museum , they will fall over with praise over that same work ,,,,Like this Lady, after my comment that it was exhibited in a Museum,,,, she LOVED it, was Excited to SEE it ,,,,,, blah blah balh ...... mirjam

For awhile after getting back into stitching, I took to heart what the local stitching police said with their back handed compliments such as "oooh, that's so funky" meaning that the subject was odd and the project wasn't as elegant or precise as their work. I was also told that all grounds had to be linen and that plastic beads were no nos!

Most of the stitching police don't talk to me any more and I've found other 'friends' now.

And another thing, when my EGA chapter has an exhibit, they insure pieces based on the materials, finishing/framing and the number of hours the piece took times current minimum wage. With that formula, even little ornaments appear to be expensive.

Try telling Mountmellick embroiderers that their grounds must be linen. Or fine Asian embroideries on gorgeous silk. What this statement tells me is these types of people have little knowledge of embroidery.

You can't do that for shipping purposes. In the event of a loss, you will only be compensated for materials. At least that's what the post office and UPS has told me. And you must be able to prove your costs. Keep this in mind when shipping.

Dianne

I don't recall seeing any adverse comments about your stitching Anne, nor am I sure whom you mean are stitching police.

I'd be inclined to say that the difference between you and them is that you're an artist, while they're technicians. Technical expertise is all well and good and an important base upon which to build, but to me at least there's more to needlework than that.

I encountered such a person at a local needlework shop. She absolutely despised Kaffe Fassett because the back of his work was unattractive; she couldn't see any artistry in his work because the part no one would see didn't meet with her approval, and dismissed him with a sneer.

She then proudly showed me a piece of her own needlework; the back was perfect, but the piece itself was utterly boring, without any interest at all.

True; sewing is time-consuming and, if someone has a "need" to be fashion-forward at all times, they'd never be able to do much but sew ;)

We had a discussion about this at HOXS. The gal sitting next to me bemoaned the fact that my back was perfect and hers was "a plate of spaghetti".

Well, turn them around. Hers was a TW, impossible to have a perfect back. Mine was something simple with big blocks of color, much easier to have a perfect back. I doubt even I could make the back of a TW look pretty.

Exactly; I think some people become too focussed on technique and lose sight of why they're doing this in the first place ;)

HUMMMM ANNE , i like that , local stitching police,,,, hahahha i think some members are lost here ,,,,, on other note Yestereve i attended an opening of a Fiberartis [ and friend] , who makes her artifacts with Zips, safety pins and paper , woven and knitted works ,,, mirjam

Sounds like a good thing to me!

What a great idea. I know the local craft fair takes out theft and damage insurance for the entire group and hires overnight security. (this is an open air venue) Keeps the little guys around and not crowded out by the "names" that have enough income to afford insurance.

Unfortunately, where child labour is concerned - as I said before, you`re on the horns of a dilemma. It`s all very well getting sniffy about the poor kids working their fingers to the bone for little reward. On the other hand, those who DO get sniffy and refuse to buy the goods thus produced, are condemning those self-same children to an even more deprived life.

An African activist quite rightly said on TV recently, that it`s no good salving our conciences by throwing money at the problem. In most cases it doesn`t go where it`s needed - and if it ever does filter down from the fat-cats at the top, it discourages the people from attempting to work and support themselves.

_Pat

Precisely. Some of those families can only afford to feed the kids if the kids contribute to the household budget. Refuse to buy, the kid starves to death.

There are several charities (and you can google up the one in your country of choice) now doing "micro loans". They give (mostly women) a loan of $50-$250 to start a business, and have a number of success stories where the woman winds up employing half the town.

And I'll give a plug here for a store I volunteer at: Ten Thousand Villages. Everything in the shop is Fair Trade, meaning that the artists are paid a fair wage (and up front!) for their crafts. Nice stuff, and decent prices - not particularly cheap, but not overly expensive either..."fair", I guess you'd say! Check the website for a store near you:

I buy Fair Trade coffee and other products. While we continue to buy the little fingers products the middle men will make all the money.

Or buy and allow the MNC to continue to pay the parents less than a living wage because the kids can make it up.

Elizabeth

I love shopping at One World Goods (Pittsford NY) which is a Fair Trade store. And I've always found it to be exactly as you described. Good craftsmanship (and unique!) at a fair price.