Go me, yet again.

[ysobelle]

I managed to get most of a corset done today. I'm rather impressed. Drafted the pattern, transferred and cut it, then cut all three layers of it, and pinned them. Including the patterned stomacher. To be properly impressed, you must understand that I usually work at a glacial pace-- something I've been working on.

Though, I suppose, being able to do a corset in a day or so is actually pretty good. Which reminds me: I got my first dumb cow of a snotty customer this weekend. She actually had the audacity to walk up to my booth, finger my wares, so to speak, and remark, "It always amazes me how much you can get for one of these."

I looked up from the pattern I was drafting. "Pardon me?"

"Well, what, it takes, oh, thirty dollars' worth of material? Forty if you're using a busk. I make my own corsets." She gestured at her teenage daughter, "She made her first one yesterday."

I blinked, and raised an eyebrow. "And how much are you charging for your labour?"

"Oh, I don't sell them."

"Well, then."

Good grief, woman. What an unutterably stupid thing to say. What did you expect me to say in return? "Oh, I'm terribly sorry. You're right. Here! Have one for $40! I'll be your slave! Sure! I don't need to eat. I don't need gas. Heck, I don't even need this booth!"

Sigh.

Comments

[wench18.livejournal.com]

"are these real or did y'all make 'em yourselves?"

[keltique.livejournal.com]

its always amazing to me how people devalue labor & creative thought.

even crafts peopel i know can do the same damn thing internally. There are people i've had to almost beat in to charging for thier work at a level that reflects the labor and creative effort, not *just* the materials.


but yeah, we used to get the "but i can make that" from passer -by, even at Pilands. So its not just you, sweets.

[silverstah.livejournal.com]

Yay! Congrats on the corset-in-a-day! :) It's always a challenge to try to increase productivity - good for you! :)

*headdesk* Get used to dingbats like that. You'll get a LOT of them. Although probally less than me - at least there is the gleaming hope that someone can make a cloak. (Although the liklihood of them doing it is usually pretty slim - I see the same people come into the booth, year after year, wearing jeans and t-shirts.) Corsets are still shrouded in a bit of mystery. :)

You're a better woman than me --

[indolentcin.livejournal.com]

I probably would have raised an eyebrow and said, "Why yes, I COULD get that much material for $30 dollars at Wal-Mart too, and its obvious the amount of time and skill you put into them. How nice."

There's probably a reason I've never done retail. Hell, I went into the USMC out of high school to keep from having to work at the mall or MickeyD's. . . .

[daemionfox.livejournal.com]

*headdesk* At least most of my dingbats don't do that. (I get a few, but they're rare, because dead cow is a mystery to most folks)

Where do you want the shiney stuff sent luv? Email me your address and I'll ship it out posthaste.

[christianet.livejournal.com]

What a bitch. I have not seen anyone do the lovely multi-lace corsets you do anyway. I have made a corset or two, and after those delightful experiences, I can tell you that it's well worth paying someone who actually has the skills to do them.

[ktnboo.livejournal.com]

betcha her corsets weren't near as sturdy

Go me, yet again

[sheraqaw.livejournal.com]

It is blatantly obviouous that the "dumb cow" doesn't know her ass from her elbow! She wouldn't know quality if it bit her in the ass!
AND....I'll bet that she is a faithful Value City and K-Mart shopper. Hey, COW! Blue light special in aisle #5!!!

Re: Go me, yet again

[smileitsme.livejournal.com]

*waves hello to Bev*

~ Barbara / eamane

[regalpewter.livejournal.com]

We always stop folks dead with the following;
"and how much is your time worth?" That usually gets them thinking. If that doesn't get the mental muscles moving, they are too dumb to buy anyway.
YIS,
WRI

[pikachette.livejournal.com]

Can I be in the booth the next time some bitch tosses out a similar comment? You might not feel comfortable saying anything, but me? I'm just a good 'ol playtron. I can turn off the inner monologue filter.... ;)

[surlywench.livejournal.com]

HOLY CRAP! GOOO YOU INDEED!!! Get ye gone with thine bad ass corset cutting self!

re: dumb cow...

yeah,...maybe it's good I'm not so much hangin in yer booth......
You were really rather nice to her!!

[smileitsme.livejournal.com]

Ryan gets the same thing about photography ... well, yes, anyone can take a picture, not many take a *photograph*.

Not to mention that no one wants to pay for his time, skill & experience.

Hang in there honey! Everybody gets a bad piece of meat every now & then.

[well-artesia.livejournal.com]

Geez. Ok, so I sometimes *think* the same thing at craft fairs where I see people selling cards or photos for what seem like ridiculous prices. I do understand overhead and labor expenses - the surprise isn't what's being charged so much as that anyone will actually pay it for some of what I see available...

That said - two things:
a) it's absolutely positively RUDE to say so to a vendor - whatever the quality of the outcome, the effort alone is to be respected. I'm always WELL aware that even if I *could* do the same thing myself for less.... well, I'm NOT, now am I?!

and

b) I'm floored that anyone would say anything of the sort about your corsets - they're lightyears more complicated and involved than slapping some paper together or pushing a button on a camera. I would have thought that even women who sew their own clothes would be impressed with the skill in patterning and execution that goes into your work.

I think your answer was completely appropriate - and I agree with those who say you were almost too kind.