You make incredibly cool and very unique handmade wares and are ready to bring your talent to the craft fair circuit. Carrie Nardini of I Made It! Market, a popular nomadic indie craft fair based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, offers these easy tips for first-timers interested in selling at a craft fair. Finding the Right Fit There are a variety of shows out there, even in the indie genre. Some events happen only once a year, some may be large and others more cozy, taking place in a bar or gallery setting. Consider getting your feet wet with a show that takes place on a regular basis and attracts dedicated shoppers. This opportunity will present you with customers who can provide instant feedback on your wares and you can observe how they interact with your display. Check out our Craft Map for craft fairs just right for you! Many shows are juried and have a selection process. For the best chance of being accepted to a juried show, present a description that conveys your passion for your work along with high quality photos. You do not have to invest in professional photographs but really demonstrate your work’s uniqueness and quality to the best of your ability. Dress Rehearsal Before the show, set up your table or tent in your living room. Really, do it! Then take a photo with your phone of your masterpiece in its greatest configuration. This way you can pull the photo up when you arrive to set up and it will take less time (and stress) since you are familiar with what you need. Got a receipt book or a notepad for custom orders? Check out more of Carrie's essentials for keeping sales transactions smooth and easy. On Display Consider height, color, signage and where you will sit. Regardless of your product type — jewelry, clothing, ceramics, art prints, metal work — make it easy for shoppers to approach, touch, interact with and understand what you are offering. You will most likely need to do some experimenting over a number of shows until you find the best solution for your wares! Make your space inviting with some wrapped candies or cute small items for shoppers to pick up and touch. Now to get prepared for sales! Make your space a mini store. Help yourself remember everything you need by creating a checklist and organize your supplies ahead of time in easy to transport storage containers. Anything with wheels makes it even easier to get from your vehicle to the event space. Got light bulbs and extension cords? Check out Carrie's checklist of items you might need for your craft fair table. The Big Day Once you are accepted into the show, comfortable with your inventory level and table set-up, you will need to market and promote your appearance! Do not rely only on the event to bring you traffic, but reach out to your entire network through email, social media, phone calls, handbills and so on. Remember this is the start to your very unique business, and you will want to take your customers with you wherever you vend. Start on the right foot by branding your business consistently (the same look and feel to your logo, font, signage and business cards) and communicating regularly. The first show is the perfect time to begin your email list. Once you get home, sign onto a service like MailChimp that has great video tutorials and you will soon be on your way. MailChimp also allows you to have fans of your Facebook page sign up through a dedicated tab, so it couldn’t be easier! Not sure how to act with the customers? Carrie offers 8 tips for making you and your customers comfy when selling at a craft fair. Now it is time to have confidence and enjoy! About Carrie Nardini: A crafter from the very start, Carrie has dabbled in macrame, beading, ceramics, glass bead making, metal smithing, baking and even needle craft. But, her skills are best put to use organizing craft marketplaces and working with creative entrepreneurs to craft their marketing messages. She is a new mama, the leader of the I Made It! Market, co-pilot at Propelle and creative small business strategist at CarrieNardini.com.
Hello, friends! Today I'm back with a fun little DIY. Right before the holidays I came across an image of felt ball coasters. You may have noticed that these little felt balls have been popping
It's that time of year again. All of us crocheters love to do craft fairs, to get out there and meet our fans and fellow lovers of...
This chatelaine is so easy to make with grosgrain ribbon, a couple of rings, a bit of stitch witchery and an afternoon of fun sewing. I took a little longer with mine because I like to embellish th…
View details for the pattern Mao Collar Blouse 01/2010 #121 on BurdaStyle.
A list of do's and don'ts for naming your craft business.
Hi Ihr Mäusäää! Is ja irre, wieder zwei Monate seit meinem letzten Post! Und weil ich in der Zwischenzeit prächtig fleissig war, lass ...
Foto: Milli Lembke/Formelle Design För några dagar sedan f...
Whether rendered as a snapshot of the ocean floor or a few drops of water under a microscope, the densely inhabited paintings by Robert Steven Connett (previously) are brimming with vitality. The Los Angeles-based artist probes the planet’s bodies of water, unveiling a range of flora and fauna that populate the mysterious and sometimes psychedelic ecosystems with exacting detail. From jellyfish and seaweed to microbes, the organisms memorialize Earth’s dwindling biodiversity. More
* * * * * * * * * * Pattern Details * * * * * * * * * * Originally published in 1953 by James Lees & Sons Company in Volume 704: Fashions in Quick Knits and Quick Crochets. You can also purchase and download the complete book which contains 9 patterns, including this one. Here is the link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/192669278/vintage-50s-swing-coats-jackets-cape?ref=shop_home_active_1 Patterns calls for 8 skeins of Columbia Minerva Knitting Worsted, which is a (discontinued) 100% wool Worsted Weight/10-ply (9 wpi) yarn that was sold in 280 yd/4 oz skeins. Patterns includes instructions for One Size MATERIALS: Worsted Weight yarn (see note above for estimated yardage requirements) Material for lining: 2 yds of 40" wide material 1 pair size 10, 14" needles GAUGE: 5 sts = 1 inch; 6 rows = 1 inch * * * * * * * * * * Our Products * * * * * * * * * * We sell only vintage knitting, crochet, sewing and various craft patterns and reference materials – all offered as Instant Downloads (PDFs), NOT finished items. Once payment has been made, this pattern will be available in the 'Purchases & Reviews' section under 'Your Account' at the top of this screen. Also, Etsy will send a link to that section to the email address listed in your Etsy account. Please feel free to sell finished items made using patterns purchased from us. Please include a link to our store (adorishvintage.etsy.com) when selling items online. All of our patterns include clean digital scans of all pictures, written instructions, charts/graphs and reference information (as applicable) JUST AS THEY WERE ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED (no re-typing)! * * * * * * * * * * Copyright Details * * * * * * * * * * Before offering any vintage patterns or reference materials for sale, we thoroughly research their copyright status. The original copyright for the publication this pattern was included in has expired. We own a physical copy of the original source (book, pamphlet, leaflet, magazine, etc) this pattern was published in and, therefore, the legal right to sell digital copies of its contents. The pattern you are purchasing (scanned, digitally restored) is © 2013 Adorish Designs ISBN: 33-0704-01
French Rose Quilt http://novelideas.typepad.com/novel-ideas/2011/01/french-rose-quilt.html
Be creatively inspired! Today's paper crafting projects were designed by the talented members of my Stampin' Pretty Pals Virtual Stamping Community. Links to blogs or Pinterest have been p
Looking for a fun little gift to give your friends, your kids’ teachers, and even people you run into that you think you use a little surprise gift? Well, these little mini spa tins are just …
If you're selling handmade products at a craft show, you're probably wondering; what sells best? Because, who doesn't want to make more money at an event?
Here's how to support small businesses in your local community, even beyond Small Business Saturday and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Instructions on how to make paper flowers.The free tutorials,three crafting diy books and kits help you construct these pretty blooms.
Make extra money on the side with one of these easy crafts! These DIY crafts are great crafts to make and sell!
As everyone knows or should know, Nespresso capsules is a new waste stream that was just non-existent only five years ago. Now it is yet another source of
Pricing handmade items with this easy to follow guide. Price for wholesale and retail and earn enough money to grow your business!
Arts and craft ideas for teens and tweens. From yarn crafts to painting and slime!
Giorno per giorno in laboratorio
List of goal ideas for craft businesses. A good read for Silhouette and Cricut crafters.
I'm sure you'll agree that it's quite obvious to see a makers inspirations straight off the bat. I hadn't even read through any information on woodturner Bill Luce, but instantly I knew he had some sort of affiliation with Japan, or had been inspired by that particular region of the world. His clean sensibility and exact use of natural material was quite the giveaway, the shapes also take on a oriental type vibe that resembles traditional Japanese vessels ...
A volte con un semplice mobile può essere usato in molteplici modi. Eccovi alcune soluzioni trovate in giro per il web che vi potranno dare delle idee su
Facebook has over 2 billion users but as a Facebook coach for makers and artists, I know that it’s a struggle to get your posts seen. Here's where to start
MySpace allowed for people to express themselves through craft, and other digital platforms should follow suit, argued Hannah Donovan from This Is My Jam, speaking at Playful 2012
Sell crafts from home and turn your hobby into a money-making opportunity!
Ready to try making your own soap? Here is a round up of some of my favorite frugal (and fun!) homemade soap recipes to get you started!
Do you know what a sontag is? This seems to me to be a modern version of a sontag. Pilland created this design and sells the pattern for this shawl. If you don’t knit, she might make one f…
