Less than the sum of its parts..

I know that the usual saying is that something is worth more than the sum of its parts but that is so often not the case with crafts.

I was reminded of that once again today in a charity shop as I spotted on the periphery of my vision  the corner of a nice frame with an aperture about 12.5 by 17.5 inches. With a nice detail to the wood.

A turn of the head for a closer look was followed by a double take as this nice frame surrounded a finished Lavender and Lace design complete with metallic threads.

Now the chart only, for this particular design, would currently cost $10.79 on 123 stitch.com or anything from £5.61 to £8 from Etsy Studio.  Then there is the fabric, in this case it looks to have been completed on  ivory Aida 16 count, so probably another £13. including the extra round the edges for mounting (which I tend to be skimpy about however, I am assuming this stitcher added the recommended extra).

Then the threads, which one site notes as requiring 41 skeins, it is all adding up. One American site quotes $41.28 for a kit.

Hours of sewing time, the cost of the frame, which being a fair size and quite nice and of framing (no mount board but the back looks professional and the result.

Sweet Dreams by Lavender and Lace

is my purchase of today which cost me.....£3, yes three pounds.  Whilst I have something beautiful to give next time someone who I feel will appreciate this is setting up a nursery I still have a sense of sadness that after all that input this has been valued at considerably less than the sun of its parts.

I hope that the sewing and the giving of it gave much enjoyment to the person who made this (there is no name on the outside and I do not intend taking the back off) and that at least for a while it was loved and appreciated before it came to me.