Craft fair season done!

Nearly there! A couple more work days, a visit up-country to see family, then it's home to relax over Christmas and New Year.

All my craft fairs have been done for this season. On the whole they were worthwhile, although the recession has obviously taken hold this year.

I'm pleased with my revamped knit & crochet kits, which proven very popular.

I'll be expanding the range next year with kits for the long wrap crochet necklaces, plus some completely new patterns & kits for both knitting and crochet.

The new kits will all include my hand-dyed Perran Yarns, although the patterns will still include alternative yarn suggestions.

I also have plans to change my stall display equipment again; tweaking this to get it right seems to be a never-ending task!

I'm pleased with the extra height that the shelving unit has given me, but a collapsible equivalent would be much easier to transport & store.

A new display item would be useful too - a tall collapsible coat-stand type with short 'branches' sticking out at various points to display my scarves and cowls. Designs are underway!

The Art of Craft Fairs

Yesterday I started writing what would have evolved into a series of posts about my experiences of selling at craft fairs.

I was looking around to see if there were any other tips to link to and found the UK Handmade have just started an exact same series! 

The first part is packed full of useful information if you're starting out on the craft fair market. Well worth a read!

BUSINESS: Surviving Craft Fairs - Part 1: Applications

Handy!

I recently bought a couple of hand mannequins from ebay to display my fingerless mitts better.

They're great for photographing items for my Etsy shop and of course very useful for the craft fairs I do.

The next one is this Friday 26th November at Sainburys in Truro - please drop by and say hello if you're in the area!

Pictured here is a new fingerless mitt design in a gorgeous aubergine shade, which sold straightaway at the craft fair last weekend. Pity I hadn't had chance to make more - or photograph it once it was finished!

It is knitted in the same shape as my Fabulous Fingerless Mitts but with a moss stitch edging instead of reverse stocking stitch. I used Drops Nepal yarn which is a great wool/alpaca blend - soft and cosy.

I then played around with some Rowan Kidsilk Haze from my stash and knitted up a couple of simple short-row garter stitch rosees which I sewed on the back of each hand.

The roses were finished off with 7 tiny plum glass seed beads sewn in the centre.

You'll have to take my word that made up they are beautiful. There will be more of these in future!

Grabbed by the Galaxy

I seem to have craft fair fever. I have booked a couple of craft fairs in November and turned down a couple more - trying not to overdo it leading up to Christmas!

I am quite taken with my latest Galaxy crochet beaded brooch and have been making lots of different colourways of them.

I've worked on a backing card for them which is great for online sales. The next mission is to create the perfect box for the brooches to display and package them at the craft fairs!

Crantock Summer Craft Fair

Just wanted to post a quick note about an event I'll be attending tomorrow: it's the Summer Craft Fair being held in the Village Hall at Crantock near Newquay, Cornwall from 10am to 4pm.

If you're in the area, drop in - it'd be great to see you!