Craft Fair Survival

I survived my first craft fair!

It was actually disappointingly quiet but that’s the risk you take with these one off events.  Despite the lack of patrons I learned a lot about not only selling in public but also about my business.

The great thing about selling online is that I can try out a couple of new products and post them in my shop for minimal cost.  As long as my photography is in keeping with the rest of the shop then things don’t look out of place.  What I discovered when I started to set up my table is that I have a lot of different products.  My scarves are made from a variety of different materials, in different patterns and at different price points.  This made my display look pretty disjointed.  It was the same with my range of jewellery and beanie hats.

I now have a plan to create a much more streamlined looking range of products.  I’m first going to implement this with my beanie hat range with the help of my latest wool order.  I really love the slouchy pom pom hat pattern that I’ve created so I’m going to knit a wide range of these in loud, funky colours.

I’m then going to apply the same strategy to my scarves – choosing one or two patterns that I enjoy to knit the most and then create a whole range of these scarves in different colours.  This will allow me to produce a series of scarves at the same price point and in the same good quality material.  I’ll still of course be open to custom orders if anyone had a specific style or pattern in mind.

I also want to concentrate on hammered jewellery and I’m going to be moving away from my beaded creations.

This is all going to take time but I just know it will be worth it.  I’m hoping that next year I will be ready to attend a proper full day craft fair with a very professional looking range of products.

I get the keys to my new house a week on Friday so I’m very excited but this probably means that my shop plans will take a little longer to implement!

Don’t forget that you can still get 15% off everything in my Etsy shop with Coupon Code MOVINGSALE!

My First Ever Craft Fair

Ok so it’s not a craft fair per se but I will be at my first event selling my goodies in public!

On 15th March a charity coffee morning will be held at Newhaven Church in Edinburgh to raise money for Whizz-Kidz which is a disabled children’s charity.  There will also be around 10 tables of crafty goodies for sale.  This is a great opportunity to help raise money for charity and pick up a unique gift – and just in time for Mother’s Day too!

I’m very excited and pretty nervous about it – I can be pretty shy!  Selling online has allowed me to market myself and my products from behind a computer screen but I can’t hide forever!  The event runs from 10am until 1pm so I’m sure I can but on a brave smiley face for three hours!

So if you’re in the area please come along to show your support and say hello!

That’s 10am to 1pm on 15th March at Newhaven Church in Edinburgh: 7 Craighall Crescent, Edinburgh, Midlothian EH6 4ND