# Pricing your handspun



## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Ok, I thought I remembered a thread with advice on this somewhere in FA, but I can't find it.

How do you ladies who sell your homespun figure your prices? Do you charge a certain amount per ounce? Per thickness/ply? Per content (plain wool vs. additions of mohair, glitz, whatever)?

Is there a basic guideline?

:help:

I've tried to figure it out by looking at various sites but there doesn't seem to be a consensus. In fact, there seems to be no rhyme nor reason!

:help: 

In the past I sold mine mostly on a per ounce basis but that was _years_ ago, and I'm sure the price has gone up (as if I could remember what I charged then anyhow! Everything since then I've used for myself.). Yesterday my girlfriend saw the first skeins of the red and she got all excited, envisioning a blanket - wanted to know how much it was going to sell for so she could have it saved up when it was all spun. :shrug: Now I'm (almost) in the position to begin selling again - and have no idea what to charge! 

:help:


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## Flwrbrd (Jan 14, 2007)

That's a dilemna I've been having too.....
Since I'm in it for the spinning itself...and not the knitting...I'd at least like to sell enough yarns to be able to buy more fibers......mmmmm....more fiberrrr!
I've learned in the past, with other crafty things, that you never really can count your hours involved....if you did..nobody could afford to buy!
So, for right now, this is the formula I've been going by....
I weight the skeins....and figure out what MY costs were by the pound....then I double it....!
I don't know if this is enough or not....but I'm not sure how else to figure things out.....

I just want more......fiber.......!!!!!!


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

have the same questions

as dh of course thinks im in it to make money  

how much can you sell that for he asks


he thinks im gonna sell it 

funny 



he is up to like 20 tractors now( bought them to sell hee hee)


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Definitely by weight of fibers used. I sell the thicker yarns are cheaper by weight than the thinner yarns since the thinner ones take longer to spin and ply.

My yarns spun from purchased rovings usually sell for less than the ones I process from fleece to yarn, especially if it is dyed. 

I figure they are one of a kind type items.

Of course .... I don't sell too many so I may be WAY off!!


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Very newbie here. DH spins, and our base rate for selling his handspun is $5/oz for singles and $6/oz for 2ply. From there we add or subtract if it's particularly fine work or exotic in some way. 

We would welcome feedback on this, as we are just feeling our way. Talked to a friend on Sunday, who said he prices his handspun at $9/oz. Though we didn't get details as to what exactly he sells for $9/oz...


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## goatladie (Oct 1, 2005)

jerzeygurl said:


> have the same questions
> 
> as dh of course thinks im in it to make money
> 
> ...



   Mine is doing the same now that he sees me spinning away on the wheel! Although, to some degree, I do hope to sell some, but jusssstt enough to feed the addiction some!~


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## kesoaps (Dec 18, 2004)

I'm selling mine by the yard. At the ritzy arts/craft shows (where they take a huge cut) I was selling for 20 cents per yard. At the farmer's market I run 'specials' where I take whatever yarns are left from the holiday season and take 25-50% off that higher price. Mine is just single ply. Often that puts a two or three oz skein of yarn at $20-30, and people _will_ pay that much.

I was recently at a little wool mill where the owner had been spinning some three ply yarns; really funky stuff! At least one ply was super thick and chunky. She was charging 40 cents per yard, and most skeins were 30-35 yards.

The woman who owns our local yarn shop told me she used to do custom spinning at 17 cents per yard...that was a few years ago.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

But an ounce of some fibers is a heck of a lot more fiber than an ounce of others :shrug:


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## sheepish (Dec 9, 2006)

A per yard price seems a reasonable way of doing it, in terms of production time.

I decided a long time ago that I wouldn't sell what I make. I usually give it away to friends and family. I made a poncho for my daughter that took 6 weeks of full time work to design it and then blend, spin, ply the wool and hand knit it. when her friends want one too, I say sure, if you give me $2,000 and do my housework and chores for 6 weeks.

Sometimes I trade with someone who makes handcrafted things I admire. I have gotten soap, artwork, photography and pottery that way.

Once I had a friend who wanted some handspun to knit with. I always figure it takes me about the same amount of time to spin and to knit up the handspun, so I made her twice as much yarn and she knit a sweater for me and one for herself. we were both happy with the bargain.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Talk about variance, then!

I thought of going per ounce but that puts a thinly plied skein at a disadvantage because there's simply so much more yardage and work into it (altho, Cyndi, I ply a thin single as quickly and easier than a thick :shrug: ). But the per yard sounds more reasonable in a way - even though it still seems high.

Of course, I'm a good country girl who, while I know handspun is relatively rare these days and certainly a higher quality than storebought, still weighs everything mentally against a strict budget and "can I make that myself?". . Your responses help me to get out of that mindset - since I *do* make that myself and others don't, I have an edge and an important service to offer.

Will have to think on this further. Am taking the first preview batch over today and perhaps the Art lady can give me a better idea what her patrons consider reasonable. I know they come from far and wide and have deep pockets for quality goods that strike their fancy, so maybe this is a mini goldmine waiting to be tapped. (Gently, of course )


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## flourbug (May 30, 2007)

Abby Franquemont has a very good article on the subject. To read it click here


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Great link flourbug. Gives us more to think about!


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## kesoaps (Dec 18, 2004)

I've been pondering this question (again) and today came up with a new pricing scheme. A lot of what I spin, I've purchased in roving. I've decided to charge by the yard (fifteen cents) and add a surcharge based on weight ($2.50 per oz.) This should cover both issues; those super thick yarns that weigh a lot but aren't as much yardage, and those that are light weight but I've spent a great deal more time spinning.

I priced a bunch of yarns today using that method and ended up with most skeins ranging between $16 and $22 for 100 yards. It gives me a little leeway for sales this way; if I've got some that aren't moving at full price, I can always put them on sale. Some of them seem a bit high to me, but I'm happier with this structure as it reflects the weight of the skein for a change.


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