Using Up Scrap Yarn

So, a friend of a friend is in need of baby stuff.  Well, my "baby" is 20, so I don't have anything, but I hate to see someone in need and not help if there's any way I possibly can.  Like most folks, my husband and I rarely see much of our money.  It's generally spent before we actually get paid, so there's nothing I could do in that regard, so I offered to make her a baby afghan out of leftover yarn.  She's having a girl, so was asking for girl stuff, but while this blanket is going to be colorful, I'm working with what I have. 

I was raised on the phrase "beggars can't be choosers", and I still live by it, so if what I make doesn't suit her, that's fine, I'm sure I can find someone who would appreciate it.  I don't mean to sound nasty, but I have made too many things for people, put time, effort, and thought into it, only to have them turn their noses up at it.  I don't want, need, or expect a big production of gratitude, but it would be nice to be thanked, and for the person to NOT look like I just handed them a bag of dog poop!  *sigh*  Sorry.

Usually those folks are the same ones who raise their eyebrows when they find out how much it is to buy an afghan.  No, they're not cheap.  Not to buy and not to make.  On average, I ask around $200 for a regular sized afghan.  For a blanket??  No, a blanket you can go to the store and buy for $20.  This is a hand made afghan.  Not only that, but my afghans are made to order.  Bigger or smaller, whatever colors you like, and if you want to pay for Merino, I can do that, too!  (That's gonna be a hell of a lot more than $200, though!).  Once I take out the price of the yarn and break it down into all the hours I put into it, I'm making about half minimum wage.  Oh, well, you can do this sitting on the sofa in front of the TV.  Yeah...I can...but it's still work.  It still makes my carpal tunnel act up sometimes, I still get a stiff neck and sore shoulders from it!

I have looked at several calculators that are supposed to help you price your hand made items.  HA!  I should be charging at least three times what I do!  Now, there may be s few folks out there willing to put that kind of money out for an afghan, but I certainly don't know any of them!  I know I had an aunt who made quilts and she could sell just the tops for $600 each, but I don't see that happening here. 

Anyway...

I've just done a simple half double.  I have more blue and purple yarn, so I do five rows of one, then six rows, each one a different color, in no special order, then five rows of the other.  It's not baby-ish and it's not girly, but it's colorful...and it's free!