YESSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!
I hate to take orders, I'd so much rather somebody buy something that I've already done. Then the pressure isn't on. Orders are a job and crafting is fun!
Susan

Ditto, Gluecille!!

Taking orders - having pressure to complete a certain number of items, perfectly, in a given time - sure takes the fun out of it.

A few years back I was making those neck coolers with the water-absorbing crystals in them just to give to friends. Then a family member wanted me to make over 50 of them to take on a mission trip to Haiti in just a few weeks. I just hated figuring out how much the materials cost for one item, and then of course I didn't want to charge her for my time, not only the actual construction, but all the time spent shopping for the materials, and then the cost of the gas to drive all over buying the stuff, not to mention the cost of shipping them to her. I spent hours and hours making them (to perfection!), and disliked it more and more each hour I was bent over my sewing table! LOL!! Haven't made any since!

One way I got around taking orders for painted shirts was to offer to teach a class (for free, of course - haha!) on how to do a given project. Each student paid a modest fee for supplies (usually paints), and brought her own shirt, but I ended up supplying lots of 'tools' for them to use... palette plates, brushes, rulers, patterns, cardboard inserts, wax paper, tape, etc. But we always had lots of fun, and I think they ended up with a much better sense of all the hours and concentration on the task that go into making something crafty. Then we'd all wear our almost-look-alike shirts on the same day and get lots of questions and compliments. Fun!

I used to sell my crafts, either at craft shows or to order. These days I make them strictly to give away and am finding that much more enjoyable--I can spend the time, money and energy on it that I please and it is much more relaxing and less stressful that way. One of my friends did request some knitted dishcloths when she found out I was knitting again--her stipulations were any color, any time, any design. That's been fun--when I get some done, I mail them to her! I've gotten to choose colors, etc. so it's about the same as making them to give away.

I stopped taking orders ... it put so much stress on me - I couldn't stand it ! PLUS --- because I do stained glass - people got fussy when the one they saw was a teeny bit different than the original. I can't make the same thing EXACTLY twice ! Glass has different colors & tones - sometimes my cutting and soldering is just a hair off ...I'm tired of people pointing it out to me ! Boy - could I ever vent !! If they want mass produced stuff - let 'm buy Chinese !

--- Ok -- Sorry I vented !!!! I'm calm now ~~~ ;)

Maybe if you do some special craft and someone wants to buy it, is there something you can trade with--like a barter system. I could never craft to sell, because my stuff is not good enough. I do appreciate some crafts more than others, especially if I had done it in the past. I love to learn all types of crafts then go on to learn something else.
Kathy, I love homemade items like your stain glass, especially if they are different than the original. That is crafting, not mass producing. When I travel I love to look for that different homemade item, especially if I can meet and talk to the person.

I used to do a lot of orders and it got to be too stressful and more like a job....took all the fun out of crafting....I liked the money it generated but after awhile even that wasn't worth it all....much rather craft for pleasure again!