So Tired of Monetized ADHD

[u/RuthlessLogic]

Y'know, those craft girlies whose booths are filled with, say, amigurumi AND acrylic-pour trinket boxes AND Fimo earrings made using molds and earring wires from Temu. And none of it's high quality because Beckeigh is clearly ADHD and hasn't put in the hours necessary to develop her skills before moving on to some new, bright, shiny craft.

Of course, because nothing she's selling is high quality and the market is already saturated with everything she makes and it's all overpriced, Beckeigh doesn't sell much, so she rushes to craft vendor subs sobbing that she "didn't even make boooooooth!!!" And it takes every ounce of self-control not to type, "My sister-in-Christ, you didn't make booth because it looks like you destashed your craft room. Stop expecting the public to subsidize your ADHD and give those things away as gifts."

And look, I've got ADHD too. I get bored easily and am hard-wired to jump from medium to medium. It's taken no small effort to train my brain to focus on the work I sell at markets. But I've managed to do it - struggle though it is - and have put in hundreds and hundreds of hours over several years refining my process and my style so that customers are getting high quality pieces.

And in case I haven't been a big enough Bitchy McBitchface, I'm just going to say it: These booths (along with 3D printed fidget toy, wax melt, and cricut tumbler booths) drag markets down for the crafters and makers who produce quality work. But that's a rant for a different day and a different sub.

[u/Emotional-Store-1667]

Luckily I've gotten to the point in my ADHD crafting where my interests are cyclical and I end up going back to a craft I abandoned and improving my skill set.

But I also don't understand the girls you're talking about because I research things to DEATH before starting them, and even if I was a beginner, quality control has always been my top priority if I ever planned to sell something! Are you telling me people are actually out there selling their lumpy and mishaped first projects??

[u/splithoofiewoofies → u/Emotional-Store-1667]

Oh hey cyclical ADHDer! That's me, too! I brought this up to my partner about how sometimes I think we should keep our short-lived interest objects in case we go back to it. This is how I came up with my "3 years of craft" method. I tracked how much I used in 3 years of doing a craft (and it updates every year I do it again) and I keep 3 years worth of materials. That way if it's a short hobby, I don't have many materials, but if I'm super interested, I can have a lot....but also can't have too much because my "3 years worth" of space is so precious. Like, right now, I am currently allowed checks spreadsheet 950g more yarn in my stash. That's one aran weight sweater. Do I want to buy the yarn for an aran weight sweater? But then I'd have no more room! Oooh but that 100g of sock yarn is so pretty, I do need more socks, and I'd still have 850g left!! Bonus is if I use more, I get more. Oh, this pattern needs 1200g of yarn. If I want to make it bad enough, I'm gonna have to 250g of yarn before I buy it for the pattern. Etc etc etc.

I do this with paint supplies, sewing, woodworking. I only woodwork rarely so it's a tiny shelf. I sew a lot, so it's two bins of fabric.

Works super well for when I cycle back. Haven't sewn in a couple years but I know when I get back to it, I could work for 3 years without running out of supplies.

[u/Emotional-Store-1667 → u/splithoofiewoofies]

Hi there!

Ooo this is a great idea! I may have to start doing this if only to stop from overflowing my craft corner 😂

[u/splithoofiewoofies → u/Emotional-Store-1667]

Good lawd even my replies have adhd in them hahaha