Dear Answer Angel Ellen: I am a passionate crafter. Knitting, sewing, crochet, needlepoint, quilting, counted cross-stitch. And, if I do say so myself, I am good at all of them.

I love it and my home (and wardrobe) is filled with my handiwork, which gets appreciative comments from guests, friends and my large (and growing) family.

I enjoy making gifts for friends and family and they seem appreciative at the time. But then I never see them wear or display them at their homes. I don’t say anything. I want to ask, “Did you like it? Do you wear it? Do you use it?” but I don’t. Is it forward or rude to ask? It would help me figure out what things I should make for them in the future — if anything.

--No Name Please

Dear Anonymous: First of all, let me thank you for generously sharing your talent. I know that craft materials can be expensive and your skills cannot be bought or duplicated.

Now for the hard stuff: Maybe the recipients, while grateful for the thought, aren’t in love with the gift. Your issue is one I hear quite often from readers — sometimes with a tinge of … anger. The word “ingrates” has come up from time to time from gift-giving readers who feel under-appreciated. Clearly, some of those on your gift list have tastes different than yours. You can’t make people be grateful or display or wear the handmade-with-love object.

I think the solution is to ask first, then involve the recipient from the start. Sample: Write a card or simply say, “I’d love to make (you, new baby, graduate) an (object, piece of clothing, etc.) but not if you don’t think you have the space in your home or wardrobe.” If the answer is an enthusiastic “yes,” work with the would-be recipient in choosing the project. If it is a lukewarm reply or none at all move on, donate your hard work and skill to a hospital, nursing home, shelter or other good cause.

There are plenty of people and nonprofits out there that would be thrilled to put your work to good use.

Dear Answer Angel Ellen: I inherited an impressive collection of vintage sports and concert T-shirts and would like to sell them on eBay or other sites. But I have no clue how to present them to look their best online. Can you help get me started?

--Francie G.

Dear Francie: I asked my friend Pamela J. to share her first-hand experience. For many years she has supplemented her income by running a successful eBay (ebay.com) website, Pamorama Chic Boutique.

Here’s her “How to Get Started” advice: “Most of the items I sell are clothes but the simple techniques I use can apply to most items. Presentation is crucial! For clothes, I use a mannequin. I use clips to help the fit. I use a wrinkle-release spray like Downy or a steamer to remove wrinkles. Use a lint brush to remove hairs, fuzz, etc. Using my iPhone, I shoot photos from all angles, close-up of the neckline and any details. Then I take the garment off the mannequin to shoot the label, lining, contents/care labels. I edit the photos (crop, color, contrast, etc.). Then I use PhotoRoom ( photoroom.com ) to remove the background. There are many apps that do that, some of them free, but I like PhotoRoom because it's easy to use and offers many options. For me it’s worth the $7.50 a month I pay. Typically I use the white background. Whatever you do, do not photograph the garment on the floor unless you plan to remove the background; same goes for shooting your item on an unmade bed! If you don't have a mannequin and hang the garment from a hanger, make sure the piece doesn’t just appear as a shapeless bag. Preferably lay it out flat and edit out the background. For more detailed advice there are countless how-to videos and websites that offer more help to get you started.”

Reader Rant

Janet B. writes: “Why are some sheet sets fit sold for “full/queen beds,” when there is no such size? My bed is a queen size. Any bedding I’ve ever bought in “full/queen-size doesn’t fit — too small, especially the fitted sheet -- and I’ve had to return it.” From Ellen: Full/queen is a hybrid designed to fit both full beds (often called double beds) and queen. A full bed mattress is 75 inches long and 54 inches wide. A queen mattress is 80 by 60 inches. Manufacturers are trying to sell sheets that will fit both sizes, which just doesn’t work. You learned your lesson the hard way. Maybe your rant will help others avoid this headache.

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