OK my OS lovelies! I really need your help!

linzibean

Hi all,

after I leave university on July 1st, I am going to lie with my OH's parents until a place becomes vacant that we've put a deposit on. Now we'll only be there a maximum 2 months, but it will be a real strain financial wise as they are currently putting their daughter through university and have to pay almost £1000 for her rent in advance over the summer. They have been nothing but wonderful to us and they don't want anything while we're there, and know it will be difficult for either of us to earn any money (S Wales not the best place to find employment, short or long term!).

Basically, I would like any ideas anyone has for craft objects I could make up and sell at local markets / car boot sales. I sew outfits and dresses mainly, but these are too big and time consuming for a short summer job.

So please, any ideas! To make some money to give them for having us over summer. They will be short and I don't want to be a sponge!!

Lindsay xx

Hardup_Hester

Do you have a stash of fabric & notions? If you have, I'd start to look at what you can make with what you already have. I quilt & although people always say they would love to buy one, they change their mind when they realise how much the fabric & wadding costs. There are a few people on here who make things to sell, they might be able to give you some good ideas. I knit scarves but thats not much good for summer. Good luck & I hope you manage to make some money
Hester

Rikki

How about making cards using your left over fabric with some fancy stitching etc. People love novel cards for special occassions.

Lillibet_2

Peg bags using a small (child size) coat hanger? And co-ordinating tea-towels/aprons/oven mits? Knitting/sewing bags with ribbon handles? Lavender drawer fragrance bags? Padded hangers? Fancy hankerchives if you have small peices of fabric/lace/can embroider? Nappy stackers? Changing mats for babies if you can get hold of any of that think plastic tablecloth type fabric? (Or make out of tescos value shower curtians!) And co-ordinating wet (i.e nappy) bags for when out to keep in changing bag. "Nice" shopping bags which you could market as enviromentaly friendly (as opposed to carrier bags)? I'm currently looking for some plain cream calico type drawstring bags to store baby stuff in for the nursery & bathroom, might be a gap in the market here as I can't find any!

HTH;)

Pink.

Have a look in the Mega Index under Craftwork to see if you can find anymore ideas.

Pink

[Deleted User]

Funky aprons in all sizes

JailhouseBabe

How about kids dressing up costumes? People are usually willing to spend more on their children than they spend on themselves or their homes.

I used to knock up costumes for my daughter in the evenings, it's amazing what you can do with a bit of felt and crepe paper.

Try the library for costume ideas.

[Deleted User]

Go and have a look at the local boot sale /markets and see what is selling. Maybe some seeds grown in yogurt pots Tomatoes ,beans ect,. with the summer coming on plus maybe some kids clothes

needmoney

You've had some nice advice here, I made some of the things Lillibet suggested for a school fete at one time can't remember all I did but a drawstring bag and quilted coat hanger were among them and they were snapped up straight away and I even had people asking me to make some for them.
I wasn't interested at the time because I was busy enough with work and the children.

Another thing you could consider making up gift baskets lined with pretty fabric and fill them with all kinds of things.

Aril

Try the library in the craft section for suitable items. I made my son some fleecy blankets by buying patterned fleece then putting a layer of wadding in the middle and a cotton sheet for backing- I fixed the layers in place initially with safety pins and then threaded and knotted embroidery thread/cotton through before binding the edges with wide satin ribbon [these wouldn't be suitable for children under 12 months]
Aril

henhog

If you're good at sewing could you make dolly or teddy clothes? As someone else said, some people will spend a lot of money on their kids, and you have 'pester power' on your side! Supposedly,(I read in the Sunday newspaper) dressing teddies is big at the moment with teenage girls!
Good luck.