Holiday Bazaars - Worth it?

[lsmithbendor]

I've done the holiday bazaar gig several times with various crafted items. Some times it went well, sometimes it went pretty poorly.

I'm wondering if anyone is doing bazaars this year (or has in recent years) with small quilted items - hot pads, that kind of thing).

Every time I do them, I swear I'll never do it again....and then ... I do it again, LOL. Pricing has always been an issue - I tend to price my items too low which A) Causes the other bazaar sellers distress, B) unwittingly undercuts the whole crafter thing, and C) Sometimes makes people think your items are of lower quality because you have put such a small price on them.

interested in your thoughts... Lisa in Oregon

[jeanniebee]

Re: Holiday Bazaars - Worth it?

I always misjudge my crafts. ie, the one thing I don't expect anyone to want everyone does, and the one I am ready to move like gangbusters sits in huge piles still in my attic. I've done some on etsy this last year, I think that's the closest I'll get to selling my crafts this year. I do love to go look at what others have done though

[shell.scraps]

Re: Holiday Bazaars - Worth it?

pricing is a touchy subject...some people short-sell their time and talent while others seem to think that they are selling a future picasso!!

I try to use the formula of

price = materials + (time x $12)

so if I spent $30 in supplies...then it took me 6 hours to make it...I would charge $105 since I round up. If you are talking about a quilting project, don't forget to include any expenses that you put out to finish the quilt...your longarm fee, washing costs, etc.

[sewhot]

Re: Holiday Bazaars - Worth it?

Ooooh, great question!! Pricing is super hard. Why do we so easily undercut ourselves!?! Yet, I can go through etsy sometimes and see things priced WAY too high.

I really think the difference between crafters (and quilters, etc) is that we tend to under value something because we can do it ourselves. Yet, people that don't posses that talent are willing to pay for it. So...i think we should get our time and materials and make a little money on it.

And it is always nice to feel like you are giving a deal, rather than ripping someone off.

We are all about the deals here, anyway!

[Quilt Vader]

Re: Holiday Bazaars - Worth it?

This is a good question. I often stop at bazaars, and sometimes buy an item or 2, but usually I have the thing in my head 'I can do that, better save my money' .. bottom line: this is not a good year money-wise. This year I was involved in our quilt show, attended several others, and attended Long Beach Int .. the vendors all said the same thing.. not as good as in the past. Some expressed regret they had spend so much to participate, others were happy to have their names and faces out there for others to see. One lady with lovely threads and floss said that she had about the same number of sales, all smaller .. but enjoyed the event.

[lsmithbendor]

Re: Holiday Bazaars - Worth it?

LOL- QuiltVader I do the same thing, but I'll bet you are like me and say that IN YOUR HEAD, NOT OUT LOUD as I often experience!

Every time I do it...there is an interesting "type" of woman that comes by. They come in a group...and one picks up something and says "Oh I love this! I'm going to get it for... " whatever.

Another woman in the group will immediately say "Oh Aunt Judy could make that, don't buy it!!!" and they walk away. A variation on this is where they stand (literally across the table from the woman who put her time, money and creativity into said item) and deconstruct it - out loud - "see, she did this and this, and then she did that.." and sometimes, they even take out a piece of paper and write down the specifics. Then they set it down and walk away - as if the table were completely unmanned...

People AMAZE me. You are right, I am hurting for extra cash and so thinking of ways I could fix that creatively. Other people are doing the same and it's likely not "let's go to the craft bazaar and buy things from other people!" Good perspective, thanks for sharing!

[Quilt Vader]

Re: Holiday Bazaars - Worth it?

TOTALLY off-topic, but had to share it - I was at the grocery looking for canned tomatoes, and politely waiting for a man all bent over searchng through them, reading labels out loud and chatting with the cans in a voice growing more perturbed by the moment.. finally he stood up, saw me, turned the tomatoe color and said "the phone" and with hands full of cans tried pointing to his head set. I laughed out loud giving him that 'yea sure' look. Bet his wife never heard the end of it!
Back on topic - I do talk out loud to inanimate fabric bolts - and all too often a reply comes from just behind or right next to me.