Handmade designer items: buy ready-made or order from a maker
A ready-made piece or a custom order
Handmade comes in two kinds: the maker has already made the item and sells it, or makes it for you from a sketch and your size. Ready-made is quicker, while an order lets you choose the colour, pattern and size, or add a name. Price and timing depend on this: an intricate embroidered piece can take several weeks, so order a holiday gift well in advance.
How to find a maker with BlaBlaPrice
You create one request: what you need, size, material, when and where to deliver. You can add one photo, such as a sample or a sketch. The request is checked and you are told what is missing. Makers answer in the chat: what they can make, the price or what it depends on, timing, photos of similar work. Reviews are shown next to the offers, and the best match is shown first. Only the maker you choose gets your contacts. More in how it works.
What to put in your request
- Item — embroidered shirt, crocheted toy, macramé, wooden decor, beadwork jewellery;
- Ready-made or made to order, and whether you have a sketch;
- Material and technique — cross-stitch or satin stitch, cotton, linen, wood, beads, hand knitting;
- Size — in centimetres or clothing size;
- Design — colours, pattern, traditional motif, personalisation;
- Deadline — the date or occasion;
- Quantity — for example, 20 pieces as gifts;
- Budget and city for delivery.
Example: “I need a women's hand-embroidered shirt in cotton, floral pattern, size M, embroidery in red and black. Needed by 15 December. Courier delivery to Ottawa. Budget up to $67.”
What the price depends on
Mostly the time spent. Intricate embroidery or knitting can take dozens of hours, and the maker counts exactly those. Material also matters (natural cotton, silk and wool cost more than synthetics), as do the size, the complexity of the pattern and the number of pieces. If you want a batch of gifts, ask about a discount for quantity. Urgency adds to the cost too, while a search for “the cheapest” often ends with you getting a standard template.
How to compare offers
Ask for photos of similar work and what it is made from. Find out whether the sketch is agreed before work starts, whether you can ask for changes, and how many approval stages there are. Ask about the advance: it is normal for custom orders, but discuss the amount and the stages. For clothing, confirm the measurements, because makers' size charts differ, and ask for photos of the work in progress. Also ask how it is packed and how long delivery takes. If you want art rather than craft, see paintings and art objects.
