i adore making stuff, but once made, they have no value. so in depression, i dont make any more.

[panickypatch]

anyone else feel like this?

i have a beautiful knitted beanie that lives on the floor around myhouse.
another knitted jumper that took me an entire winter to make, and dd not only grew out of it immediately, the little sod didnt even like it to begin with. i have since given it on to the charity shop.
cards. they at least get some use. but, tbh, not worth the time and effort i put into making them. or the cost
sewing. i've not ever completed an outfit for myeslef for years. especially not one that i'm happy with. and patterns cost a fortune. and i can only sew cotton, so nothing really.
i adore the process of making something, and the feeling of satisfaction from a finished project. but then seeing same project ruined upsets me so much, i tend not to do so again.

yes, i used to. i've gotten better at working out better things to make which will 'work' with my life.

i also have stopped worrying about the cost / time of doing something, and now i just enjoy the process. if the recipient doesn't like it, doesn't matter...

keep on, sounds like you've lost your mojo a bit. how about a new craft? beading is great.

thanks for replying warthog
yes, i guess i have lost my mojo....
the problem with starting a completely new craft is thta i know myself. i will end up spending a fortune on stuff for it, and if i dont then use it, well, its money down the pan?
i also need rl friends who are crafters.

This is the thing tho' isn't it. I feel v. uninspired with the friends who look at me like I'm nuts because I get my knitting out in front of them, and I think it's much nicer to craft in conjunction with someone else, it gives you motivation.
My mum and I have bonded over our shared love of sewing and crochet and I like that.

Why not look at it from a different angle? What can you make? Anything easy enough for children to make too? If so, why not advertise that you can do childrens 'make and take' parties? That way,not only are you still getting the satisfaction of making something, but also earning at bit from it. I'll give you some pointers, if you're interested. I've been doing it for about 5 years.

have you thought about scrapbooking, the reason i did it is because i hated putting all the effort in cards and then sending them knowing they'd go in the bin.

You could combine all your craft skills scrapbooking plus you'd be creating a lovely keepsake for your dd, my girls love getting the books out and because the pages are in plaqstic sleeves they don't get damaged.

do you feel up to taking a look at the weekly challenge thread? (in a&c section), there is a group of mn crafters who have joined together, we all do different things, scrapbooking, card making, beading and sewing etc, but everyone is setting small weekly projects and then showing what we've done. most of us keep blogs to so you can see images. i know what you mean about needing rl friends that also craft, i does help to have someone to share ideas and enthuse with, helps get the creativity going.

How about making stuff for your childs school christmas fayre, like say decorative stockings to hang on the fire place or handmade christmas crackers and cards, knitted tree decorations. That way you get the pleasure of making it, someone buys something they want and the school get a profit.

Excellent idea Furball, I ran a stall at my DCs school last year (bear in mind fee paying rich parents), I designed/created 90% of stuff then showed a small team (sounds grand) how to make them.

We doubled the profit made previously by the same stall as I have an eye for a bottom line/profit margin - I knew all that study would come in useful sometime! - making in excess of £600.

My DH is astonished that my hobbies could net so much and wants me to branch out and have a craft stall, not just for school, for my own financial gain. I don't wish to do this at present, but the personal satisfaction from selling things you have enjoyed making is priceless - even if you aren't pocketing the cash.

I was going to suggest scrapping but Katz beat me to it! I am more of a card maker, I feel scrapping is very self indulgent as time is so tight but once I have done a layout, it is mine, for me to look at whenever I want to. Little mini albums for nanny & grandad are certainly not time wasted, some of my christening cards have been framed and kept for keepsakes....please don't run your crafting down. Crafting should be a means of enjoyment and relaxion above and beyond anything else.
Come and join in the weekly challenge thread and try a few new things out!!

thank you all, i shall look into the crafting challenge threads.
and yes, i could invest in a digital camera to share creations with!
need to get mojo back.

I know exactly what you mean. I'm not generally a crafter but have been feeling bored stiff and unstimulated since being on maternity leave, so spent an absolute fortune on jewellery making stuff in hobby craft! But since then have lost motivation for exactly the same reason as you. Feel like it's pretty pointless spending all that money on the stuff and not getting anything out of it. But I figure if I can make some things as gifts I will be saving some money, it's just getting around to it now with a 4 month old!

here is the weekly challenge thread for anyone else interested in joining, dingle started it (and keeps us all going by cracking the whip ), and its great that so many have already joined doing such a wide range of crafts

take up baking instead

Do you know about Etsy? It's a online shop for selling handmade things. If you can find something you really enjoy making, and that proves popular, you could actually make a business out of it. But, oh, I so relate to the unfinished project thing. I have about eleventyseven unfinshed jumpers, skirts, etc... in TWO chests of drawers.

Oh, and the "I don't like it, it's scratchy/ not shop-bought/ i didn't ask for it/ I don't wear (colour) any more/" thing? Up to here with it!

panicky - come and join us over in the A&C challenge thread, we might get your mojo back for a bit. You might get inspired to try something different and have a crafty christmas.

If you have lovely handmade things that your children don't want, you could always donate them via the Christmas Appeal!