Donating Sewing for Auction?

The kids just came home from school with a notice that the school is
doing a Fundraising Silent Auction and needs donations.....so I
remembered that someone mentioned that they had heard of someone
donating "The Sewing of a Prom Gown" to a similar auction. So, I was
wondering if anyone had ever done anything like that and how & if it
worked. Were there certain stipulations or details to note before I
contact the chairperson with the idea.
Joy

Donating Sewing for Auction?

(Joy=A0Hardie)
The kids just came home from school with a notice that the school is
doing a Fundraising Silent Auction and needs donations.....so I
remembered that someone mentioned that they had heard of someone
donating "The Sewing of a Prom Gown" to a similar auction. So, I was
wondering if anyone had ever done anything like that and how & if it
worked. Were there certain stipulations or details to note before I
contact the chairperson with the idea.
Joy
---
Good idea, Joy. Personally, I'd approach it like this: I would donate
several cards, each attached to a nice gift-type card, good for a set
amount towards either dressmaking, or alterations. Don't neglect to put
an end-date on each card, as well as the note that they are not usable
together, ie, cannot be combined.
Let the fundraising organizers know that multiple cards are being
donated for multiple auctions, and are not to be bundled as one package.
For example: "This card good as a credit towards $20.00 worth of
dressmaking.' (Or towards Custom Prom Gown work; Alterations, etc.
Expiration date: "Feb 22nd, 2005.
To better control your work intake, especially if you will be busy
from now through New Year's, you might want to make the coupon good
from, say, February 12th, 2005, to May 12th, 2005. 'No exceptions'.
When donating your services, it is always a good idea to have control
over your time. Use the donations to fill in your slow periods. After
the Christmas rush, and around tax prep time is particularly slow here.
Also, the donation should serve a useful purpose for your business;
namely, that of drumming up new clients/more business. There is nothing
wrong with this sort of donation; it is a good practice, and will serve
to get your work out before the public. $20.00 to $30.00 is a nice
enough amount to give away per donation, especially for a small
business. HTH.
Cea

But don't try to take that $20 or $30 donation as an expense on your tax
return, Joy. Donations of your time are not tax-deductible.

Karen Maslowski in Ohio

wrote:
Also, the donation should serve a useful purpose for your business;
namely, that of drumming up new clients/more business. There is nothing
wrong with this sort of donation; it is a good practice, and will serve
to get your work out before the public. $20.00 to $30.00 is a nice
enough amount to give away per donation, especially for a small
business. HTH.
Cea

"Joy Hardie" wrote in message
...
The kids just came home from school with a notice that the school is
doing a Fundraising Silent Auction and needs donations.....so I
remembered that someone mentioned that they had heard of someone
donating "The Sewing of a Prom Gown" to a similar auction. So, I was
wondering if anyone had ever done anything like that and how & if it
worked. Were there certain stipulations or details to note before I
contact the chairperson with the idea.
Joy

This one could be a loaded gun, Joy!
I just got a call from the local Jazz Productions people (they hold a
festival in the spring) and they were hoping that I would donate my
talents....NO WAY! I explained to them that it would be just my luck to
have someone 'win' the auction that I have turned down in the past.
Instead, I am making some items for them that are not person-specific.
It could turn out well for your small business, or you could end up with the
client from hell. Much better to make some items that showcase your
particular talents...
Cynthia

Joy, DD did this one year. I will contact her and ask if she wants to give
you some hints, if you'd like.
Emily

"Joy Hardie" wrote in message
...
The kids just came home from school with a notice that the school is
doing a Fundraising Silent Auction and needs donations.....so I
remembered that someone mentioned that they had heard of someone
donating "The Sewing of a Prom Gown" to a similar auction. So, I was
wondering if anyone had ever done anything like that and how & if it
worked. Were there certain stipulations or details to note before I
contact the chairperson with the idea.
Joy

I did eight years of donating to silent auctions at my sons' school. I never
donated "my time". I made up what I wanted and gave it to them to put up for
auction. When I dropped the garment off my work was done. First I was
working an average of 60 hours a week and being a single Mom time was a
precious commodity. I'll tell you what I did and it worked out very well. I
made two prom dresses and six Christening gowns. (Not all at once, this was
a total of eight years of donating.) I made the prom dresses in sizes 10 and
12. I had some little gals try them on so we'd be sure of what size to put
on them. Think of this as off the rack, ready to wear. I made them with
seams that could be easily altered but I did NOT alter them. I put a note
with the dresses saying, "seamstress does not do alterations". They still
brought in close to $200 each. I have no idea if the girls had them altered
or what. The Christening gowns were bigger money makers. The last one I made
was out of parachute silk and some antique silk lace I found at an estate
sale. I made bonnet, and booties to match and the skirt was 4 feet long.
Pretty breath taking even if I do say so myself and it went for
$1,100.00......that's One Thousand One Hundred.....and still holds the
record for highest bid 15 years later. The parachute silk was given to me
years ago and I still have some, it's really very nice stuff. I've made
myself a blouse and several nighties out of it. I was told at the sale the
lace came from a priest's robe and supposedly was made in France (that was
their story). My total investment with lace and notions came to about
$40.00.....pretty good deal!

Val

Wow! Everyone has such good ideas and amazing stories.
I had NO idea that labor wasn't a tax deduction. An artist donating a
painting can deduct more than the cost of his supplies....they usually
put down the "value" of the item donated.
I was wondering if a Middle School would have that many people placing
bids on baby items (ie. Christening Gown)....because many of the Moms
are "past that stage." I had been thinking last night that I have a
great pattern for a maternity sweater that I could do on my knitting
machine...but was thinking again it might not be a good seller in a
middle school....(of course there are always accidents, hehe).
Anyway, when the friend here told me about her seeing a seamstress put
something in an auction she attended...she said the lady had donated
"labor for a custom gown." She said the lady had put an example of
her work...but my friend said that it was pathetic and she didn't know
how anyone would bid....but, she added that it DID get lot's of bids.
I do like the idea of making something ready for submission...but I
think the appeal to people here in this "upscale" area would really be
more enticed by something just made for them and it might bring in
more.
Joy

Don't count out the middle school moms as "past that stage." I'm sure
plenty of those kids are the oldest, or have blended families where new
siblings come into the picture. Grandparents come to school functions
too....and they make good customers for christening gowns and other special
baby outfits.

"Joy Hardie" wrote in message
...
Wow! Everyone has such good ideas and amazing stories.
I had NO idea that labor wasn't a tax deduction. An artist donating a
painting can deduct more than the cost of his supplies....they usually
put down the "value" of the item donated.
I was wondering if a Middle School would have that many people placing
bids on baby items (ie. Christening Gown)....because many of the Moms
are "past that stage." I had been thinking last night that I have a
great pattern for a maternity sweater that I could do on my knitting
machine...but was thinking again it might not be a good seller in a
middle school....(of course there are always accidents, hehe).
Anyway, when the friend here told me about her seeing a seamstress put
something in an auction she attended...she said the lady had donated
"labor for a custom gown." She said the lady had put an example of
her work...but my friend said that it was pathetic and she didn't know
how anyone would bid....but, she added that it DID get lot's of bids.
I do like the idea of making something ready for submission...but I
think the appeal to people here in this "upscale" area would really be
more enticed by something just made for them and it might bring in
more.
Joy

Joy, my husband is a photographer, and I do all his bookkeeping and
taxes, and I can tell you that this is not true. An artist can only
donate the cost of supplies. Otherwise, the artist could assign any old
value to deduct, and we know how the IRS loves that kind of thinking! So
my advice is, don't try this at home.

Karen Maslowski in Ohio

Joy Hardie wrote:

Wow! Everyone has such good ideas and amazing stories.
I had NO idea that labor wasn't a tax deduction. An artist donating a
painting can deduct more than the cost of his supplies....they usually
put down the "value" of the item donated.

Joy:
While I have no experience with selling garments, I agree
with those who warn against getting stuck with difficult
customer. I mainly quilt. I've donated a couple small wall
hangings or lap quilts in 'popular' colors. If you want to
go the clothing route, a Bog Coat in a Medium Size should be
a popular item. It is a forgiving style, and can be really
really cool, depending on fabric and embellishment chosen.
It would also appeal to those "upscale" shoppers, especially
if you put a "one of a kind" label on it. JMO.
PAT in VA/USA

Joy Hardie wrote:

Wow! Everyone has such good ideas and amazing stories.
I had NO idea that labor wasn't a tax deduction. An artist donating a
painting can deduct more than the cost of his supplies....they usually
put down the "value" of the item donated.
I was wondering if a Middle School would have that many people placing
bids on baby items (ie. Christening Gown)....because many of the Moms
are "past that stage." I had been thinking last night that I have a
great pattern for a maternity sweater that I could do on my knitting
machine...but was thinking again it might not be a good seller in a
middle school....(of course there are always accidents, hehe).
Anyway, when the friend here told me about her seeing a seamstress put
something in an auction she attended...she said the lady had donated
"labor for a custom gown." She said the lady had put an example of
her work...but my friend said that it was pathetic and she didn't know
how anyone would bid....but, she added that it DID get lot's of bids.
I do like the idea of making something ready for submission...but I
think the appeal to people here in this "upscale" area would really be
more enticed by something just made for them and it might bring in
more.
Joy