Showing posts with label selling crochet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label selling crochet. Show all posts
Sunday, November 26, 2017
moving to my own domain
I have finally launched my own website - I am so excited! I will continue to blog there - please come visit me at dmcogger.com !!
Monday, November 18, 2013
Open Studio Weekend
The first weekend of October was the Vermont Craft Council's Open Studio Weekend. After weeks of planning, building sign holders, hanging posters, and dropping off event maps at every location I could think of, the weekend arrived.
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All of the things I have up on Etsy were displayed in the tent to the right, thus opening up the "production" part of my studio for visitors to walk through.
Saturday was a nice, sunny day. We had a total of 8 people arrive and look around. All but one found me by following the signs; the one had picked up a map all the way down in White River Junction and drove up to find me. I met and chatted with some wonderful people.
Sunday was chilly, damp, and dreary. Two people stopped by after the church across the street let out, and two more came through around 3pm - that was it for the day. Very disappointing.
But, as there can be a silver lining to most everything, I met a woman who fell in love with a pair of gloves I had made. She did not have the cash for them, so we worked out a barter instead. She had a large rabbit cage, which is something I was looking for. My Angora rabbits are now happily in their winter (inside) home, while her hands are toasty warm!
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Saturday was a nice, sunny day. We had a total of 8 people arrive and look around. All but one found me by following the signs; the one had picked up a map all the way down in White River Junction and drove up to find me. I met and chatted with some wonderful people.
Sunday was chilly, damp, and dreary. Two people stopped by after the church across the street let out, and two more came through around 3pm - that was it for the day. Very disappointing.
But, as there can be a silver lining to most everything, I met a woman who fell in love with a pair of gloves I had made. She did not have the cash for them, so we worked out a barter instead. She had a large rabbit cage, which is something I was looking for. My Angora rabbits are now happily in their winter (inside) home, while her hands are toasty warm!
Monday, February 20, 2012
Something Strange Is Going On....
February in northeastern Vermont usually means several feet of snow on the ground with icy cold nights and cold and snowy days. Not this year. We have maybe 6 inches of ice crusted snow on the ground, with daytime temperatures in the 30s and 40s.
Maple sugar season usually starts around the last week of February, first week of March. This year it started last week. Most disturbing of all is the wildlife. Skunks and raccoon usually sleep through February. This year they are out and about, starting their mating season very early.
This 'easy' winter has national broadcasters proclaiming how homeowners are saving 10% of their heating costs, not due to fuel prices going down (they've actually risen), but rather due to less heating being required. This mild winter is not unique to Vermont - it appears to be the same across the continental US.
What does any of this have to do with crochet? Slow sales of wool products. Hats, mittens, gloves, and scarves are generally all good sellers during the winter months, but not this year. I suppose some of it can be due to a poor economy, but mostly I blame the weather.
The bright side of all of this is that the warmer temperatures make it easier to focus on spring and summer products, and to work with lighter yarns, such as cotton, bamboo, and rayon. By starting now, more time will be available to complete entries for the summer fairs. I wonder if fall will come early this year, too?
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| This is February??? |
This 'easy' winter has national broadcasters proclaiming how homeowners are saving 10% of their heating costs, not due to fuel prices going down (they've actually risen), but rather due to less heating being required. This mild winter is not unique to Vermont - it appears to be the same across the continental US.
What does any of this have to do with crochet? Slow sales of wool products. Hats, mittens, gloves, and scarves are generally all good sellers during the winter months, but not this year. I suppose some of it can be due to a poor economy, but mostly I blame the weather.
The bright side of all of this is that the warmer temperatures make it easier to focus on spring and summer products, and to work with lighter yarns, such as cotton, bamboo, and rayon. By starting now, more time will be available to complete entries for the summer fairs. I wonder if fall will come early this year, too?
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Craft Fair Crochet Prices
Even though I opted out of vending at the craft fair circuit this year, I still like to visit them to see who is there and what is selling. This year brought a few surprises.
The Good
There are some very talented crocheters out there. Nice even stitches and tight seams. American Girl sweaters, in a variety of styles, all $25 each. American Girl afghans, $40 each. Each sweater was displayed on its own hanger with a couple of inches of space between so they were easy to view. Because of the popularity of American Girl dolls, as well as the well-made product, and an excellent display, this booth was making a whole lot of sales.
The Bad
Underselling your work is bad for everyone. One woman had a table so stuffed with merchandise, it was pretty hard to see exactly what she had. Mittens were marked $2.50, made from acrylic. Baby afghans, $8. Layette sets, $10. I know acrylic is not very expensive, but really? Is the crafter's time worth nothing? The table itself did not showcase, nor show very much pride in her work. From a distance, it looked more like a table at a rummage sale rather than at a craft fair. She did make a couple of sales, but I'm sure it wasn't enough to pay for the $45 table and a whole day of time. This is incredibly sad, as her stitches were even and the finishing was spot on.
The Ugly
Another booth by someone who both knit and crocheted had baby sweaters for $18. That's more reasonable, even though they were made from acrylic. This crafter showed her pride by having a neat, well laid out table, and displaying the ribbons she won at the country fair. Hats of various styles were $10. Okay, the pricing is reasonable. What made me cringe was a close up view of the work: specifically, the seams. There were gaping holes where the sleeves had been set into the sweater. Granted, this screams hand-made, but it also screams poorly made. What's to stop it from falling apart the very first washing? I obviously was not the only one to notice this, as many people would take a close look then walk away without saying a word.
The Overpriced
One table was overladen with afghans of all shapes and colors. I realize a whole lot of work goes into an afghan, but how many people are really going to shell out $250 for one? Or even $100 for a crib size? I don't think she made any sales at all. The table was not very approachable, as it was literally piled with afghans, so high you could not see her sitting in a chair behind it. There were no signs, no smiles, no friendly chatter. If you are going to charge prices like that, you need to be extremely engaging to every customer that walks by.
What was selling? Doll sweaters, doll bedding, and hats. Baby items usually would get comments about how cute it was, usually followed by "I wonder if so-and-so could make something like that..." Products made from natural fibers, such as wool and alpaca, sell much better than acrylic and for higher prices. Alpaca socks were selling for $40 a pair from a very energetic and friendly elderly man. He would happily tell people how he cared for the alpaca and his wife knit the socks from their wool. He left at the end of the day with less than half the inventory he arrived with.
That seems to be the key to generating profit from craft fair sales: sell something that cannot be purchased or even found at one of the big box stores. Have customers experience the item - the alpaca gentleman would insist that everyone 'just touch it' to feel the softness, and to imagine how comfortable and warm that would keep feet. People go to craft fairs to find something unique, that perfect gift for the person who has everything.
I would sell out of wool mittens every year, to people who would comment "these are like my grandmother used to make!" and "you can't find wool mittens anywhere anymore!" They would happily pay the $10 (child) or $12 (adult) per pair, walk away with a smile on their face and go show their friends, who would have to purchase some themselves.
The Good
There are some very talented crocheters out there. Nice even stitches and tight seams. American Girl sweaters, in a variety of styles, all $25 each. American Girl afghans, $40 each. Each sweater was displayed on its own hanger with a couple of inches of space between so they were easy to view. Because of the popularity of American Girl dolls, as well as the well-made product, and an excellent display, this booth was making a whole lot of sales.
The Bad
Underselling your work is bad for everyone. One woman had a table so stuffed with merchandise, it was pretty hard to see exactly what she had. Mittens were marked $2.50, made from acrylic. Baby afghans, $8. Layette sets, $10. I know acrylic is not very expensive, but really? Is the crafter's time worth nothing? The table itself did not showcase, nor show very much pride in her work. From a distance, it looked more like a table at a rummage sale rather than at a craft fair. She did make a couple of sales, but I'm sure it wasn't enough to pay for the $45 table and a whole day of time. This is incredibly sad, as her stitches were even and the finishing was spot on.
The Ugly
Another booth by someone who both knit and crocheted had baby sweaters for $18. That's more reasonable, even though they were made from acrylic. This crafter showed her pride by having a neat, well laid out table, and displaying the ribbons she won at the country fair. Hats of various styles were $10. Okay, the pricing is reasonable. What made me cringe was a close up view of the work: specifically, the seams. There were gaping holes where the sleeves had been set into the sweater. Granted, this screams hand-made, but it also screams poorly made. What's to stop it from falling apart the very first washing? I obviously was not the only one to notice this, as many people would take a close look then walk away without saying a word.
The Overpriced
One table was overladen with afghans of all shapes and colors. I realize a whole lot of work goes into an afghan, but how many people are really going to shell out $250 for one? Or even $100 for a crib size? I don't think she made any sales at all. The table was not very approachable, as it was literally piled with afghans, so high you could not see her sitting in a chair behind it. There were no signs, no smiles, no friendly chatter. If you are going to charge prices like that, you need to be extremely engaging to every customer that walks by.
What was selling? Doll sweaters, doll bedding, and hats. Baby items usually would get comments about how cute it was, usually followed by "I wonder if so-and-so could make something like that..." Products made from natural fibers, such as wool and alpaca, sell much better than acrylic and for higher prices. Alpaca socks were selling for $40 a pair from a very energetic and friendly elderly man. He would happily tell people how he cared for the alpaca and his wife knit the socks from their wool. He left at the end of the day with less than half the inventory he arrived with.
That seems to be the key to generating profit from craft fair sales: sell something that cannot be purchased or even found at one of the big box stores. Have customers experience the item - the alpaca gentleman would insist that everyone 'just touch it' to feel the softness, and to imagine how comfortable and warm that would keep feet. People go to craft fairs to find something unique, that perfect gift for the person who has everything.
I would sell out of wool mittens every year, to people who would comment "these are like my grandmother used to make!" and "you can't find wool mittens anywhere anymore!" They would happily pay the $10 (child) or $12 (adult) per pair, walk away with a smile on their face and go show their friends, who would have to purchase some themselves.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Vermont Crochet Designer Creations Is Now Open!
I have finally finished enough of the setup of my Etsy store to officially open!
I took my time with this, trying to get everything right. I found a new book at the library, "How to Sell Your Crafts Online: A Step-by-Step Guide to Successful Sales on Etsy and Beyond" by Derrick Sutton. The first few chapters focus on how to get your Etsy shop up and running, advice on keywords and listings, as well as photography (my major weak point!) I do not have an avatar yet, even though the book promotes and tells you how to make one. I simply can't decide on what I want it to be!
I'm still going through the second half of the book: chapters on Google Analytics, various marketing and tracking techniques, shop promotion, etc. It's taking a while, as after a read a chapter, I try to implement it with my online endeavors. It seems to be working, too! One of my other blogs had traffic increased by 300 percent in a single day!
Therefore, I am viewing my Etsy shop as a work in progress. The items currently listed for sale are items that were made for the craft fairs I opted to skip this year. They were priced the same as they would have been at the fair. I plan to add more items as I make them; a much better prospect than throwing them into a bin to store until the next craft fair season. I may decide to list patterns for sale as well, although I have read warnings from other designers about patterns being "stolen".
One thing is for certain - there is a LOT of work involved diversifying crochet projects and design to earn money with it. More web presence means more exposure, which will hopefully mean more paid projects.
That being said, I'm off to crochet something!
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| visit me! |
I'm still going through the second half of the book: chapters on Google Analytics, various marketing and tracking techniques, shop promotion, etc. It's taking a while, as after a read a chapter, I try to implement it with my online endeavors. It seems to be working, too! One of my other blogs had traffic increased by 300 percent in a single day!
Therefore, I am viewing my Etsy shop as a work in progress. The items currently listed for sale are items that were made for the craft fairs I opted to skip this year. They were priced the same as they would have been at the fair. I plan to add more items as I make them; a much better prospect than throwing them into a bin to store until the next craft fair season. I may decide to list patterns for sale as well, although I have read warnings from other designers about patterns being "stolen".
One thing is for certain - there is a LOT of work involved diversifying crochet projects and design to earn money with it. More web presence means more exposure, which will hopefully mean more paid projects.
That being said, I'm off to crochet something!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
What a Project!
I had an idea for a booklet with about 10 patterns in it. I pitched it to a publisher, who 5 weeks later sent the dreaded "thanks but no thanks" letter. I then sent it to my CGOA mentor, who encouraged me to self publish it.
What a wonderful idea! I thought. I was clueless about the amount of work I was putting on myself for this. I didn't know the first thing about self publishing. This began a great deal of research, which I am still doing.
It turns out that you can sell crochet patterns on Ravelry, Amazon, and Kindle. Apparently there is a market out there for various ebooks. You can also sell on Etsy and your own website. This has opened up an entirely new world for me to explore!
As I have written and sold patterns before, I think I have that part of the process down. It takes time - a LOT of time. I have to jot down pattern notes while I crochet what's in my head. Then, once the item is complete, I have to translate those notes into a readable pattern. Then comes the dreaded photo session. If a good picture is worth a thousand words, then my photos are worth about 3. Usually someone in my family will take pity on me and get a few good shots of the item for me.
Formatting is taking me a little bit of time to learn. As is setting up my own website and Etsy store. The process is slow, but once done, I won't have to do it again. This is keeping me motivated, even when frustrated!
Each of the 10 patterns needs to be completed, not just a sketch. Each pattern needs to be written, each item photographed, introduction text needs to be written, table of contents and cover pages need to be decided upon, online shops need to be set up, formatting needs to be done, and then, once the booklet is finished, it needs to be marketed. Sheesh!
My goal is to have it all done by March 2012. I still have to make time to work on Christmas presents!
What a wonderful idea! I thought. I was clueless about the amount of work I was putting on myself for this. I didn't know the first thing about self publishing. This began a great deal of research, which I am still doing.
It turns out that you can sell crochet patterns on Ravelry, Amazon, and Kindle. Apparently there is a market out there for various ebooks. You can also sell on Etsy and your own website. This has opened up an entirely new world for me to explore!
As I have written and sold patterns before, I think I have that part of the process down. It takes time - a LOT of time. I have to jot down pattern notes while I crochet what's in my head. Then, once the item is complete, I have to translate those notes into a readable pattern. Then comes the dreaded photo session. If a good picture is worth a thousand words, then my photos are worth about 3. Usually someone in my family will take pity on me and get a few good shots of the item for me.
Formatting is taking me a little bit of time to learn. As is setting up my own website and Etsy store. The process is slow, but once done, I won't have to do it again. This is keeping me motivated, even when frustrated!
Each of the 10 patterns needs to be completed, not just a sketch. Each pattern needs to be written, each item photographed, introduction text needs to be written, table of contents and cover pages need to be decided upon, online shops need to be set up, formatting needs to be done, and then, once the booklet is finished, it needs to be marketed. Sheesh!
My goal is to have it all done by March 2012. I still have to make time to work on Christmas presents!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
A Fresh Crochet Marketing Idea
While walking through another gift shop in Port Clyde, Maine, I came across a display of crocheted kids hats. I was astonished to find that they were all hand made by someone in California! This prompted me to investigate a little further.
The display itself was a hand painted hat stand that stood about 3 1/2 feet tall, perfect for both kids and adults to see. It had space for perhaps a dozen hats, but there were only about half that there. The proprietor told me the hats were good sellers, as they appealed to the kids.
And why not? They were nicely made sun hats, each with a unique animal somehow attached to it. One had a stuffed octopus off center on top, another had a surface crocheted dolphin. They were 100% acrylic, therefore washable, although the tag cautioned against machine wash and dry due to the adornments.
What was incredible to me is that this shop was NOT a craft shop by any stretch of the imagination! It carried cards, books, gifts, stuffed animals - the usual array. It was also more on the upscale side of things with sterling silver, glass, and antiques. Therefore I had to ask exactly how does a hand crocheted hat display from California find its way over 3000 miles to a gift shop in Maine?
I was answered with a shrug and "It was in the distributor's catalog. I thought it was cute and would sell." Wow. It was pretty obvious she was right, even marked at $21 each. What a terrific marketing idea!
The display itself was a hand painted hat stand that stood about 3 1/2 feet tall, perfect for both kids and adults to see. It had space for perhaps a dozen hats, but there were only about half that there. The proprietor told me the hats were good sellers, as they appealed to the kids.
And why not? They were nicely made sun hats, each with a unique animal somehow attached to it. One had a stuffed octopus off center on top, another had a surface crocheted dolphin. They were 100% acrylic, therefore washable, although the tag cautioned against machine wash and dry due to the adornments.
What was incredible to me is that this shop was NOT a craft shop by any stretch of the imagination! It carried cards, books, gifts, stuffed animals - the usual array. It was also more on the upscale side of things with sterling silver, glass, and antiques. Therefore I had to ask exactly how does a hand crocheted hat display from California find its way over 3000 miles to a gift shop in Maine?
I was answered with a shrug and "It was in the distributor's catalog. I thought it was cute and would sell." Wow. It was pretty obvious she was right, even marked at $21 each. What a terrific marketing idea!
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