The Comfy Crafting Cafe Challenge

fairyclicks

psychopathbabble wrote: »

Spent the afternoon at my friends yesterday... we made 4 small wheatbags with kiddy covers, I made a bigger one for her (no pic), a peg bag for her DH and I drew an anchor to try to make a pattern for a cushion cover.... not much but it's a start. I also ordered some iron on polka dot heart cut outs to put on to my cushion covers I made a while ago.

Any ideas as to what sells quite well? We are obviously starting off quite small but there are just so many things to make, we don't know where to start...

I love the wheatbags ppb well done on those!! and i can't wait to see the cushions when they are done!

Re what sells well - when you find out will you let me know??? :rotfl::rotfl: It really is an impossible thing to answer as there are so many variables involved. As a general rule though i would say having a good mixture of bigger and smaller things. See if you can find out who the target audience is - is it going to be ladies who lunch? mums and kids? the shop workers out on lunch hr? and then you can TRY to judge what might be a good line to do! Hope that helps a little bit!!

Fairy xxx

Kepp

I think for what sells well there's no real answer! I haven't done my first craft fair yet so I'm not sure but seems to me that if it's something you love then there's a good chance that others will love it too. So long as what you love isn't too weird anyway! :rotfl:

Think also if you are making what you love then you will have more enthusiam to make and sell the product as you believe in it if that makes sense?

Can we have a link for your online craft fair Fairy, pretty please? I am so nosy!

Kepp

Oh and someone please tell me to step away from Fabric Rehab and stick to my shopping list please! I'll have no money left!

psychopathbabble

Very true guys... I guess we will just have to try it and see. I'm excited to play around with stuff for the anchor... maybe wadding so it's raised, or braiding for the rope. Also saw a cushion with blue ribbon stripes like water.

My hearts arrived but they are loads smaller than I thought they were... might have to put all of them on one cushion

craftingmad

:DMorning all,

Well the bad news is that I did'nt manage to get the last few items made before the craft fair. The good news (if you can call it that!) is that I did'nt need them. I hardly sold anything all weekend because the field where the event took place was knee high with mud and the rain did'nt stop all weekend!!!! :mad:

Now get ready to be impressed with this figure - I sold £186 over the two days. That means that after taking the stall cost, travel expenses, materials, time etc into consideration I made the grand total of -£25 per hour - wahoooooo!!!!!!

I am a total failure - on the plus side I don't think I need to make anything for my stall for quite a while so I will be able to focus on starting on some pressies ready for christmas.

Happy crafting everyone xxx

Kepp

Oh, Crafting, that's such a shame

I don't think you are a total failure, in fact if you consider the mud and rain that's an excellent sales figure, just a shame the stall cost was high to start with.

Would you consider selling online as well or do you only do craft fairs?

I have two craft fairs booked now - one for 4th June and one for 10th June, that's a lot of making, eep! :eek: Having heard how you pushed on with so many things though Crafting, I know it's possible

psychopathbabble

craftingmad wrote: »

:DMorning all,

Well the bad news is that I did'nt manage to get the last few items made before the craft fair. The good news (if you can call it that!) is that I did'nt need them. I hardly sold anything all weekend because the field where the event took place was knee high with mud and the rain did'nt stop all weekend!!!! :mad:

Now get ready to be impressed with this figure - I sold £186 over the two days. That means that after taking the stall cost, travel expenses, materials, time etc into consideration I made the grand total of -£25 per hour - wahoooooo!!!!!!

I am a total failure - on the plus side I don't think I need to make anything for my stall for quite a while so I will be able to focus on starting on some pressies ready for christmas.

Happy crafting everyone xxx

Firstly, you are NOT a failure. I dislike the word :mad:


That is such a shame But as beccie said, you did have good sales so your stuff obviously sells quite well! you still took £186 in knee deep mud and pouring rain so you definitely have a talent!

have you tried listing on ebays free listing weekends? that could be worth a shot.

simplydevine05

Crafting, the way I look at things is that you made a profit, regardless of how much as it's better than a loss. You also did it, unlike many others who can't say they tried. Perhaps you have learned something from the experience too? I know it's heartening, especially after working so hard. Might I suggest that you double check your prices as you may not be earning a decent income. For example, I charge the cost of materials plus my time. Granted I charge £10-12 an hour for my time! Lastly, Ebay can be a good market but I found the fees to be extortionate for business sellers and if you sell on a personal account to get the free listings, technically you're breaking the law due to distance selling and the regulations. Keep going. I've been trading for six months now and I am only just starting to bring in more than I spend each month. Sometimes you have to lose financially just to make people aware you're there. Most businesses fail within their first year and it's because people give up. You have to believe in yourself and your products or else others won't. So no more of this "failure" talk! Big hug xxx
I have been flagging this weekend after lots of pain and it's nor much better today. I am hoping to do some sewing but I have my postage changes to take care of and when you sell in five places it's long winded!

fairyclicks

craftingmad wrote: »

:DMorning all,

Well the bad news is that I did'nt manage to get the last few items made before the craft fair. The good news (if you can call it that!) is that I did'nt need them. I hardly sold anything all weekend because the field where the event took place was knee high with mud and the rain did'nt stop all weekend!!!! :mad:

Now get ready to be impressed with this figure - I sold £186 over the two days. That means that after taking the stall cost, travel expenses, materials, time etc into consideration I made the grand total of -£25 per hour - wahoooooo!!!!!!

I am a total failure - on the plus side I don't think I need to make anything for my stall for quite a while so I will be able to focus on starting on some pressies ready for christmas.

Happy crafting everyone xxx

Ok first of all i am so sorry to hear the weekend didn't go as well as you had hoped but you are NOT a failure at all - you set out to make a lot of products which you did, and you took a chance by booking into the fair and paying a lot for the stall. It is really really unfortunate that the weather was so bad, but that is something that you have absolutely no control over (don't we all wish we had???).

I am sure you are totally disheartened after spending so much time and energy BUT you also need to think about it this way - you have a lot of stock for your stall already made so the money and time and energy is an investment. It is like in a shop you have to pay out for stock which takes time to sell - when it does sell then you will have made a profit without having to spend any more money and time! I also think selling almost £200 of stuff in the conditions you are describing is amazing!

For now you probably need a little time just to recover from working so hard and the disappointment, give yourself a few days and then you can think about how and when you are going to sell all those lovely goodies you have produced!

xxxxxx

fairyclicks

All of you are more than welcome to pop into the craft fair event page to see all the stuff - its so totally amazing!!! Nothing will be getting shown on the event page until friday morning but do feel free to join the event before then

http://www.facebook.com/events/368849239816900/

I am very excited actually - there have been almost 5000 people invited to view the goods so far and i have spent most of the day promoting and writing a press release etc. I really really hope it works well for everyone - there are 150+ crafters involved and it will be great promotion for everyone even if there are not a lot of sales (though i will be disappointed for everyone if it doesn't work!!) At least it is costing nothing and its raising the profile of crafts in Ireland I also think i may have a new career :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

I am knackered now to be honest - am off to do some knitting and watch tv xxxx