Teen asks her 14-year-old sister to crochet 250 19cm stuffed bunnies for her Sweet Sixteen 2 months before the party, family members criticize her refusal: 'She didn't even offer to pay or buy the materials'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Senior Editor
Sep 7, 2024 8:00 PM EDT

It's challenging to have a hobby that people want to take advantage of. When I tell people I play adult dodgeball, nobody breaks down my door to ask me to give them 30-minute dodgeball lessons for free. Quite the opposite, they usually ask me to get away from them. But if you make stained glass pieces or knit baby blankets, your services might be desired by members of your social circle. That's all well and good in moderation, but if you're monetizing your hobby, it would get frustrating if every aunt, uncle, and cousin wanted you to make something for them free of charge.

Some requests can be annoying, but the request at the center of this story can only be chalked up to teenage hubris. A 15-year-old asked her 14-year-old sister to crochet 250 (you heard that right) stuffed bunnies for her 16th birthday party, which will be happening on October 25th. There are absurd requests, and then there's this.

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10399811328
    via spider_mani

    Photo does not depict real subject in the story

  • 02
    AITA for refusing to hand-make party favors for my sister's sweet sixteen?
    via u/isopodding
  • 03
    I'm going to keep this short. I (14F) have a little "business" selling crocheted stuffed animals. The other day, my sister (15F) came up to me and asked me to crochet 200 bunnies by the 25th of October for her sweet sixteen to hand out to all of her guests. I flat out refused with no hesitation because no way in am I going to overexert myself making TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY 19cm bunnies for a party!! She didn't even offer to pay or buy the materials or anything either. She begged and begged but I u
    via u/isopodding
  • 04
    Alternative-South607 • 16h Partassipant [3] Nta. I crochet - it's faster than knitting but still time consuming. For me, a smallish stuffie like you're talking about is like 2 -4 hours depending on the complexity. Anyone who asks or comments, tell them each one takes x hours to make (verge on the generous side) and you don't have 200 time x hours free in the next month. You could even mention that if a customer came offering to pay you for this you would still say no to the commission.
    via u/Alternative-South607
  • 05
    I'd go as far as pointing out that a work week is 40 hours, so she's asking you to do something like 10+ full time working weeks, in a (bot over a) month. Edit to add: your sister probs doesn't realise the magnitude of what she asked for. Talk to her calmly to explain exactly how much work it would be - if she's reasonable shell come to understand
    via u/Alternative-South607
  • 06
    Jayn_Newell • 16h Right, assuming sis was willing to pay for materials and OP was willing to do nothing else (which wouldn't mesh well with being in school), this is more work than a single person can do in that amount if time. Add in the rest and it goes from "humanly impossible" to straight up Looney Tunes-level ask.
    via u/Jayn_Newell
  • 07
    Outrageous-Second792 15h Partassipant [1] Seriously! IF each one takes 4 hours, two hundred would take 800 hours. That is 33 days, eight hours nonstop. No eating, sleeping, bathroom breaks, or (equally important) school. Even if OP had it down to a science and it only took an hour each, that's 200 hours (8 days 8 hours in a row). It's approximately 51 days from now, so about four a day, 4hours a day (if one takes an hour) 16 hours a day if they take 4 hours each.
    via u/Outrageous-Second792
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    Becca_Bot_3000 - 13h Honestly you need to factor in the wear and tear on their hands as well. I'm a knitter and I can tell if I've been knitting all day especially if it's a dense fabric. Crocheting that many things could be painful.
    via u/Becca_Bot_3000
  • 09
    RichCorinthian • 15h Just have her sit and watch you make one of them. Then she can do the math. She can't be on her phone either. "This is boring, I would rather be doing something else." "YOU DON'T SAY."
    via u/RichCorinthian
  • 10
    k1ttysexy 16h • NTA You're not an for refusing to crochet 200 bunnies, especially without compensation or covering costs. It's unreasonable to expect you to complete such a massive task for free and within a tight deadline. Your refusal is entirely justified, and it's not your fault that your family doesn't understand the effort involved.
    via u/k1ttysexy
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    J_Nic217 16h • Partassipant [1] NTA. Gotta love trying to enforce unpaid child labor. Crocheting is a very expensive and time consuming craft which is why those piece are often costly. AND WHO TF HAS 250 FRIENDS?
    via u/J_Nic217
  • 12
    isopodding OP. 6h It's not just her friends, it's family too a huge family with lots of cousins lol we have
    via u/isopodding
  • 13
    Cute Beat7013 • 16h Partassipant [1] NTA. Tell your sister to celebrate on the 25th of October, 2025 instead. She can benefit from an extra teenaged year, and it gives you ample time to do as she asked, for a reasonable profit per bunny, of course.
    via u/Cute_Beat7013
  • 14
    PWM30 16h NTA! BUT, here's what you do. You tell every person that is calling you an AH that you will teach them how to crochet and then they can do that! Or, you can say you will crochet 1 per table as a table prize/centerpiece and will teach anyone else how to make more if they want to get your sister her 250. Guaranteed not 1 person will take you up on that offer.
    via u/PWM30
  • 15
    3lm1Ster 13h • I am sure many will accept the challenge It's just a stuffed bunny that's only 19cm tall. It can't be that hard. And watch almost every one of them fail.
    via u/3lm1Ster
  • 16
    totallytotes_⚫ 16h NTA. 250 guests?! I'd go price out how much those would cost on Etsy and present that to family members so if they'd like to foot the bill plus a huge rush order fee they can go right ahead and do that
    via u/totallytotes_
  • 17
    isopodding OP • 6h Approximately $4,500 for all of them ($18 each) and that would be more than the sweet 16 itself costs!!
    via u/isopodding
  • 18
    Kathrynlena 15h • You have about 50 days between now and October 25, so you would have to make 5 a day every day between now and then to be able to finish. Let's pretend they take 3 hours each to make (I'm sure it's longer, but I'm just making a point) so that's 15 working hours a day, 7 days a week. That's more twice the hours of a full time job, and even full time jobs get weekends. Tell your sister you'd LOVE to make her party favors for her but you just can't because by making you work that
    via u/Kathrynlena
  • 19
    Significant Jump10 · 16h That's a -huge- ask. Even 10 or 20 would be a big ask. NTA.
    via u/SignificantJump10

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crochet bunnies teens family drama stuffed animals birthdays teenager stuffed animal birthday sisters teenagers Crocheted sweet sixteen family sister reddit thread
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