4. Would you buy a scarf...?

First, I am not selling scarves... (yet).

In my first 6 months or so of weaving, I have made about a dozen scarves. Sam (my wife) loves scarves and as we visit yarn stores she points out yarn that she thinks would make a good scarf. The scarves I have made are typically 80 - 100 yarn ends to make up the width and are about 3 yards long on the loom. It is easy to set them up (warp them) on a rigid heddle loom and a basic weave scarf can be made quickly (just a few hours).

But would you buy a scarf...?

We have shared pictures of scarves with friends and family, many of who had said that I should look at selling my work on Etsy, at craft fairs, etc. I am proud of what I do and the quality of my work has improved but I am not ready to have it scrutinized by someone trying to justify the cost of what I would need to charge to make sense.

As I am wired to do, I think about the motivation for someone to buy a scarf and then what they may be willing to spend; the cost/benefit analysis that goes into many purchases.

Benefits - in my mind, a scarf would be used for warmth and/or fashion. Living in the San Antonio, Texas area, many locals experience cold weather very infrequently so scarves are not typically a part of their wardrobe and not commonly found in stores. We grew up in the Midwest, with much colder, windier weather, and a scarf made sense for warmth and were much more common. If a local were to have one around for the few cold days, I would assume that the fashion motivation would play a big part. There probably is not a big market for scarves locally.

Cost - what would someone be willing to pay? Making an handwoven scarf basically takes 3 things: a Loom, Yarn and Time. A loom is a one time cost so not a real part of the equation.

My preference is to work with natural fibers, mostly wool and alpaca for scarves, and a 'typical' skein of yarn would between $18 - $30 each. That same scarf would take about 3 skeins of yarn so the yarn cost is between $50 and $90. If I were to use acrylic yarn it would be possible to get the cost down but part of the draw for me doing this is to appreciate the entire supply chain of natural fibers, from the shepherds that raise the sheep, to the shearers, the scourers, the mills, the dyers and the local yarn stores (LYS's). Wool also keeps you warmer and wicks away moisture. Some think wool can be scratchy next to the skin and, while some wool can, pick up a skein of 100% merino wool and the notion is quickly dispelled. l won't be weaving much with acrylic yarn.

And then what is one's time worth? I mentioned above that I can do a basic weave scarf in a few hours. It then takes time to finish the scarf (details for another time) so I may have 6 to 8 hours in a basic scarf.

So...would you buy a scarf for $149? For $130.

Fortunately, this question is is meant to be rhetorical as I took up weaving for the process, not the product. At some point, if I can get the money back for the materials (yarn) I use, I would be satisfied. But first, I need to get through the project list I have for friends and family where the time/cost analysis goes our the window.

I have purchased a new floor loom that I will be attending classes in September at Red Stone Glen to learn how to use. This will change the dynamics for time and cost as well as making it easier to use different types of natural fibers including cotton, linen and silk. I am planning on expanding on that in future posts.

For now, on to weaving more big rectangles!