Making Your Handmade Items Stand Out

Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s the little things.”?  I believe we can include our handmade items in this saying.  So, how do you make your item stand out above everyone else’s?  Here are just a few tips.

1)  Tie in all your ends and make them invisible. I was recently on vacation, and stopped into a local country store.  I saw some handmade washcloths/dishcloths, and decided to pick it up to look at it. I was more looking at the design, rather than quality, but what I saw surprised me.  Ends that were knotted, and not tied in. (See the pic below. The ends are right below the tag, and were much more obvious in person. How willing would you be to pay $3.95 for this?)

2)  Learn how to properly change colors.  It sounds like something so little, but it will make a big difference in the finished look of your item.

3)  Check your gauge.  If you’re following a pattern it really does pay to check your gauge.  I never did until a few years ago.  I decided to make myself a sweater from a pattern I had purchased.  I didn’t get far before I realized that the sweater would fit my six year old.  It was then that I first started checking gauge.  I had to go up 2 hook sizes, and make it one size larger than I actually needed, just to get it to fit me! (And I thought I was a tight crocheter!)

4)  Make sure your project has a good drape.  If you’re not following a pattern, make sure your piece isn’t crocheted too tightly, or too loosely.  A good drape will be somewhere in the middle.  If you’d like some great tips on how to achieve a good drape, the CLF (Crochet Liberation Front) has a great article HERE.

5)  Most importantly, make your item to the quality you would expect to buy from someone else.  If you wouldn’t buy your item, specifically for quality issues, consider what you can do to make it something great.

tips for making handmade items

It’s not usually noticed when we go that extra little bit, but it is definately noticed when the quality is rushed or missing.  Take the extra time to give your crocheted item 200%.

I’d love to hear other tips if you have them.



5 thoughts on “Making Your Handmade Items Stand Out”

  • Hallo, Kristine,

    Thank your for your tips. They are very helpful and true. I have to admit that, the ending part of a project–the part to make them greater or perfect, is not my favorate part of crochet. I always find some part, either the weave in or the connenction between different colours or the edging, require more work than I expected. And the feel that I have almost got it is so strong, that sometime I really don’t want to care for the little parts any mroe. But as you wrote, they make the difference! I would like to be more patient with each step of one crochet project, until the very end! Thank you.

      • Great tips. My mother always said it is all in the details. If you don’t finish something right
        just don’t do it. Today we are fortuante with great websites (such as this one) and wonderful
        tutorials there is no excuse for not learning tips and techiniques for finishing off projects be
        it sewing, knitting, or crocheting. Mary

  • pay attention to small details especially if you’re planning on selling your work…one thing i noticed in the picture was the spelling on the tag…also i like things with care instructions…this would be more so with garments..i do remember the first time i was given a handmade dishcloth i was disappointed to find out that cotton isn’t very colourfast and doesn’t stay pretty looking…now that i make my own i replace them quite often …even when giving things away what doesn’t matter to you will matter to someone else…when so many people are selling the same thing it’s those small things that will make someone chose another’s work over yours…which is why i haven’t chosen to start selling things i do…it’s a scary thought when there is so many things you need to think about before you start…occasionally i do support local crafters..i usually look for things i wouldn’t do myself or colours i can’t or haven’t found…i like pretty dishcloths so i look for patterns that aren’t as common too

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