My First Craft Bazaar!

I have been sharing with you some of my research and work on figuring out how to sell some of the stuff I make.  Making is very much ingrain in me.  It is part of who I am and I have been sewing and crocheting as a creative outlet and a stress reliever for many years.  Making for others was quite a challenge.

WithoutDirections

I needed to approach the process differently.  Instead of creating simply to please me, I needed to also incorporate thought about what would please others.  Since I sew for a pre-teen girl, this is not an entirely new concept, but the scale in which I thought certainly changed.

Being that this was being advertised as a 'spring' bazaar, I thought I should make the colors quite light and spring like.  I also was drawn to fabrics and yarns that had elements of the new Pantone colors of the year; serenity and rose quartz.

WithoutDirections

My oldest daughter got in the act too. She made some bag charms out of her collection of beads and small plastic animals.  She actually sold two and when we have a garage sale later this year, she plans to set of a table with her charms to see if she can sell more.  She of course gets the money from her work.

I intended for the aprons to be my main items.  But I ended up only making six.  They still were my most expensive item and they certainly are pretty.  I used my dress form to display one and I think that did class up my booth considerably.

reversible apron

Surprisingly, the baskets were the items that I had the most fun making.  I found it to be incredibly soothing to continually stitch around each basket.  Work has been quite stressful and this was the perfect way to relax in the evening ... it did not even feel like work.

nesting merino wool baskets

My mother even sent me a few things that she thought would round out my display.  She made quilt pieced snack mats (a mini version of a place mat for a cookie and coffee) and some micro-bowls (a 100% cotton fabric bowl to place your dish in for a quick re-heating in the microwave; a bowl shaped hot-pad),

Snack mat/ Rug mug

So how did I do trying to sell all this loot?  Well OK.  I did not have a lot of traffic to my table, but I did make a few sales and a lot of people seemed genuinely interested.  And frankly I had a blast just chatting it up with the people walking by and the other vendors.

So what now?  I am not exactly sure but I had enough fun that I am sure that I will figure out another way to sell my goods.  Of course I will let you all know once I have figured it out.

***UPDATE:  Well, I had been prepping to open an Etsy shop but was a little nervous about being ready so I didn't yet commit.  But hours after posting this I decided to jump in so I now have an Etsy shop.  I will be taking it slow, but who knows what will happen.  I will at least learn a lot.


If you are interested in hearing more from us, there are a couple ways for you to keep in touch!