Need a craft show/bazaar "coach"
01-23-2011, 05:57 AM
#41
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: martinsville Indiana
Posts: 4,461
Well after reading this thread I no longer want to set up at a craft show. I'll stay with my local customers who know me and want more. I like to attend the craft shows but it sounds like a nightmare to set up.
01-23-2011, 06:05 AM
#42
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: North Wales UK
Posts: 2,028
WOW what a lot of info you Ladies have posted, can't add anything to that other than I have seen a few ladies selling "quilt tops" of EBay, there is one French lady who seems to make quite a business of it doing quilt tops and sets of blocks :idea:
01-23-2011, 08:13 AM
#43
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Enid, OK
Posts: 8,273
beware of buying those tops on ebay!
Many are actually made in China or Indonesia or India and they are not made in the most ethical places! One lady on there says her family makes them, but it was discovered that she was USING poor elderly women to make them in a sweat shot type establishment with DONATED fabric from a church here in OH!
Another one uses famous designer patterns and every 6 months or so gets shut down on ebay....
They are the reason that you and I over here in the good old USA can not make a decent price for all of your hard work and costly fabrics...they make cheap knock offs with FREE donated fabrics so they can sell a qn size top for $45!
I have sold blocks on ebay, but at best you can only make about $1 per block! Thanks, but no thanks!
Many are actually made in China or Indonesia or India and they are not made in the most ethical places! One lady on there says her family makes them, but it was discovered that she was USING poor elderly women to make them in a sweat shot type establishment with DONATED fabric from a church here in OH!
Another one uses famous designer patterns and every 6 months or so gets shut down on ebay....
They are the reason that you and I over here in the good old USA can not make a decent price for all of your hard work and costly fabrics...they make cheap knock offs with FREE donated fabrics so they can sell a qn size top for $45!
I have sold blocks on ebay, but at best you can only make about $1 per block! Thanks, but no thanks!
01-23-2011, 08:15 AM
#44
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Enid, OK
Posts: 8,273
Originally Posted by leatheflea
Well after reading this thread I no longer want to set up at a craft show. I'll stay with my local customers who know me and want more. I like to attend the craft shows but it sounds like a nightmare to set up.
for a few quilts at the local church bazaar you only need a card table and garment rack from walmart! It is time consuming, often boring, but if you get the right venue, with the right clientele, it is amazingly fun even when sales are low!
01-23-2011, 09:20 AM
#45
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Northwest, NJ
Posts: 1,312
Ive done two, had fun, met nice people and made a little money to buy more fabric. I like you white shelving.
WRONG....while it is not easy, it depends on what you want to set up!
for a few quilts at the local church bazaar you only need a card table and garment rack from walmart! It is time consuming, often boring, but if you get the right venue, with the right clientele, it is amazingly fun even when sales are low!
Originally Posted by jaciqltznok
Originally Posted by leatheflea
Well after reading this thread I no longer want to set up at a craft show. I'll stay with my local customers who know me and want more. I like to attend the craft shows but it sounds like a nightmare to set up.
for a few quilts at the local church bazaar you only need a card table and garment rack from walmart! It is time consuming, often boring, but if you get the right venue, with the right clientele, it is amazingly fun even when sales are low!
01-23-2011, 09:33 AM
#46
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 110
Jacquie,
Thank you for sharing your pictures! I'm always trying to perfect my display and it's different at every venue: outside under a tent or inside with severe space restrictions. Where did you find that cool rack on the far left? My dear mother crocheted these towel toppers for kitchen drawers up until her 90th birthday and death last Valentine's Day. They hang about 18" and I have been using two plastic shoe racks to get two rows on each side of the rack. It's cumbersome and ugly, yet I can't seem to find anything more attractive to either stand on the floor or on a table. I think your rack would be the answer! Do you remember where you found it?
And yes to Leatheflea; don't give up yet! You meet so many nice people, and even when it's slow, you talk to your neighboring vendors. It's all about networking and getting more names/people into your life to either buy or share some time with. Vendors tell you what fairs they are successful at too and perhaps where to find supplies. Knowledge is power I always say (I'm a former college professor who'd rather play with fabric now!") No more cheating students to deal with!
Thank you for sharing your pictures! I'm always trying to perfect my display and it's different at every venue: outside under a tent or inside with severe space restrictions. Where did you find that cool rack on the far left? My dear mother crocheted these towel toppers for kitchen drawers up until her 90th birthday and death last Valentine's Day. They hang about 18" and I have been using two plastic shoe racks to get two rows on each side of the rack. It's cumbersome and ugly, yet I can't seem to find anything more attractive to either stand on the floor or on a table. I think your rack would be the answer! Do you remember where you found it?
And yes to Leatheflea; don't give up yet! You meet so many nice people, and even when it's slow, you talk to your neighboring vendors. It's all about networking and getting more names/people into your life to either buy or share some time with. Vendors tell you what fairs they are successful at too and perhaps where to find supplies. Knowledge is power I always say (I'm a former college professor who'd rather play with fabric now!") No more cheating students to deal with!
01-23-2011, 11:00 AM
#47
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Enid, OK
Posts: 8,273
the white rack was an old Frito Lays rack I got from a store closing. I love it because it breaks down for easy transport/storage!
The spinning rack to the far left I also got at that same store closing, it is so cool as it breaks down into smaller sections for easy transport, or for putting on a table top!
If you lived close I would sell it to you..I rarely use it any more...
these pix were from my set up 2 years ago!
The spinning rack to the far left I also got at that same store closing, it is so cool as it breaks down into smaller sections for easy transport, or for putting on a table top!
If you lived close I would sell it to you..I rarely use it any more...
these pix were from my set up 2 years ago!
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