Do you like to make crafts? I do. I always have. I grew up in a home where making things was a part of life–whether it was my Mom sewing and knitting or my Dad crafting things out of wood or my many Aunts and Uncles using all of their creative talents to make gifts for us every Christmas. Every year Super Rockstar’s work place has a craft fair. I always like to participate because it gives us a little extra Christmas cash. Plus, I have a huge fabric addiction and need to find some way to purge the growing pile I have collected. A couple years ago I participated, but it was NOT pretty (you can read about that fun adventure here).
If you’ve ever thought this is something you would like to try, I can tell you from experience that it’s not that hard to do. It just takes a little time and effort, but the reward can be a few extra coins jingling in your pocket. If you enjoyed arts and crafts time in elementary school–this is definitely for you. Here are the steps I follow for creating something to sell in a craft fair:
1.The idea. For me it all starts with an idea–be it from Pinterest, a picture in a magazine or something I see in a store. I have friends that make wonderful creations out of pallet wood, knitting, crocheting, and even homemade jams and jellies. Whatever your interest is–you can probably find something that you will enjoy making. Last week, we were at an antique store and came across a cute pillow. Instantly, I knew this is the idea I would use for my craft fair project.
2. Material selection. Since I work with fabrics, I peruse my vault of fabrics that I have been collecting to see if I can find a good combination. Depending on what you decide to make it might mean trip to the local Hobby Lobby or Michaels to pick up supplies.
3. The Pattern. A lot of times, I’ll come up with my own pattern (or have Super Rockstar make one for me, since I have absolutely NO drawing skills), but this time I decided to follow the one I saw on the pillow at the antique store.
4. Choosing the layout of materials. This is sometimes one of the hardest steps for me–trying to decide which fabric should go where. I can always tell it works when I step back and see the “pop”.
5. Cutting out the pattern. Anyone who has ever done any sewing knows that this is one of the most tedious steps–getting the size right and cutting out all the pieces. It’s so helpful if you have a pattern to use along with instructions–but, if you’re me, you go rogue and end up with a lot of trial and error. Haha! Depending on what you choose to make the “getting the thing ready to make” is often the most time consuming step.
6. Putting it together. Since the pillow I’m making is a layered type design, I have to just do one step at a time–stitching one piece at a time. Whatever it is you’re making, just start at the beginning and keep going step by step. You’ll find–as I have–it’s often not hard, it just takes time.
7. Completion and Pricing. Once it’s finished, it’s time to decide on a price. This can be tricky–you want to get maximum dollar for your hard work. I usually double my materials cost and then do a little comparison with like items to make sure I’m in the right ballpark.
I decided to make some stockings as kind of an afterthought. I had plenty of the fabric on hand and a pattern and templates already made from projects long ago.
One of the most important pieces of advice I would pass along, is to make something you would enjoy owning. These pillows and stockings are definitely something I would put in our home. In fact, Super Rockstar really doesn’t want me to sell them. The point is if you like it– chances are– others will too.
Also, this is the first year that Super Rockstar is selling some of his creations in the fair. He started painting about a year ago and it turns out he has been hiding this tremendous gift all these years. I’m so glad he found that he has this talent–it’s like having my own commissioned artist in my home. He’ll ask “What should I paint next?” and I’m always ready with an answer and a plan of where it will go.
If you’ve ever thought of trying out your own crafting side and selling them in a local craft fair–I HIGHLY encourage you to. The cost of renting a table is usually pretty minimal and some places even will have folks on hand to work the sale so you don’t have to. The most important thing is to have fun. Making things and being creative brings out a side of me that sometimes feels so lost and hidden. I think you’ll find that it feels good to make something with your own two hands and then find appreciation from others when they purchase your creation.