How to do well in Craft Fair

Tips in doing Craft Fair

Going to a craft fair for the first time, I didn't make a dime! I was crying deep inside, but not showing my emotion to my family ( my hubby and my 2 little girls were with me), luckily I made a sale in my online store that day, so that was some consolation, to keep me from crying. I was thinking, what was it with those people, they would touch my items, and just say "very pretty" and then put them down! The crowd was big, but there were also soooo many vendors, selling so many different things, I found it hard to compete.
That experience haunted me for many months, it just would not  go away.The fact that I didn't make a dime, a penny, nothing at all bothered me a lot! So, I have to think why, what is the best thing to do, things to consider, those sort of questions.
 So,  I got an organizer that is now filled with post-it notes, and based on that bad experience,I listed these important things to consider: 

1. If your calendar is not filled yet (you should be 2 months ahead), surf the net and find Craft Fair events, Festival and Craft Fair, Arts and Crafts Festival, Bazaars, or Makers Market in your area.
2. List them, and make contact.
3. Go back to your calendar and cross out those craft fair/s where you had a bad experience.
4. If there are multiple fairs scheduled for the same day, you have to decide what's important to you, for example; proximity, type of wares, size of the crowd and etc.
5.   Consider the place and area- the last time I did a craft fair was in an area near retirement homes, so I prepared many scarves, hats and decor. Elderly sure want to keep themselves warm and their homes pretty.
6. Make or bring unique things-  Alright, I make crochet stuff but there are other many vendors selling crochets.  Be a stand out, make something unique,a steal, something beyond scarves, hats and blankets (most crochets in craft fair are these three), but if you love hats, then make them extra-ordinary. I sold this poinsettia for $95, and the other vendors' jaw dropped in disbelief!

      7. Organize your display- Often, space is limited to 10" by 10" table only, and you have many things to  display. At my last fair, I use baskets covered with wrap paper to look attractive and colorful. I put small items in the basket with just one label to list the price of the items, for example, my label says "Scarves $40 and under".

      8. Use shoe rack to display bags and mannequin heads- Shoe racks are easy to assemble, and they don't eat space in your car. I have a spare shoe rack so I bring it with me all the time. You see, if you have your items all on the table, splayed, it doesn't pique the customers' interest. They wont be able to see all the beautiful things you are selling. So, if possible, arrange your display in a way that they can shift their eyes to other objects on your table, and not on another vendor's table. In short, make your display,in your little space,as engaging as possible.

     9. Often, you have items that need to be hung, but there is no way you can do that in just a space with a low table. So, see if you can get a shelf. I got this bathroom shelf from Ikea, it is light to carry, and I can put a hook on it, while putting bags or other stuff on the shelves.

    10. Now, the last one is my own thing that science can not prove, hehe. After you make the first sale (cash), tap the cash on your items, while you utter some mantra in your mind,and surely, you'll make more. This practice is very much asian, is wishing good luck! Some people doing selling keep small budha figurin in their pocket for good luck!

In all, have a happy disposition, big grin and warm greetings. These three items are the right attitude in making money!

mitered granny square tote

                                        Mitered Granny totes side by side 

 Perrrrrrfect for all those carry-all things: yarn, hooks, books, WIPS and baby diapers too! I played with the lining, the brown tote has quilted lining, very basic quilting, but still broke the needle in three pieces, sometimes the sewing machine is gurgling or probably choking, I am a trying hard seamstress! But I have to put lining to my tote, I always believe it is prettier when fully lined, and I went overboard to do a quilted lining, isn't that ambitious! hehe

Okay, this pattern requires you to make squares first, and I owe the mitered granny square from this http://crochetagain.wordpress.com/2012/06/24/mitered-granny-square/

Written pattern here:
  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mitered-granny-tote-bag

If you wish to attach lining  visit this helpful blog http://carriewolf.net/2011/07/08/how-to-insert-a-zipper-and-lining-into-a-crochet-purse-tutorial/

The Dune

Learning new stitch gives a thrill specially when it comes out very pretty like this tote I call "The Dune" it is like the Mohave desert, it also creates an illusion (the way I look at it). I call this spiky SC, is made on a row of 5 SC, in any chain amount in multiple of 5 (50,45,50,60,65 etc) build a row of 5, load new yarn and make the longest SC, going downward, pulling up a loop.

 For a base, I used red heart yarn super saver, it creates a very stiff piece.

 I want to make my project ultimately pretty by adding lining. There are many tutorials on how to make lining in You Tube, you can find one that you find useful. Before working the lining, I put a golden trimming to the lid of the bag, complimenting the middle section.

 One more exciting thing about this stitch, you can also do in Tunisian stitch, still, in multiple of 5 plus 1(11,16,21,26 etc.) and again, building a row of 6, so you will do a pass and forward 6 times, the best thing to learn it is watch video.

  

 This is the video in regular crochet

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