How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love Craft Fairs

The first craft fair I ever took part in was a Stalls in the City in September 2011, I had very little in the way of staging, a stall buddy, a suitcase full of work and a box full of change.

I took the most money I've ever had outside of Christmas. Amazing! Not only that, it was fun; the customers were encouraging, the stall holders were friendly, the organisers were lovely and worked really hard to look after the artists and keep everyone safe when the marquee I was in looked like it was about to make a break for it in the tail end of a massive storm (yes, even with torrential rain I still made a profit).

Two weeks ago I took part in an event that had the best atmosphere of any market/fair/thing I've been to. There were brilliant makers and designers, vintage clothes, books, music, food, drink, pizzas, dj's. It was in a cool venue in an amazing part of town, it was brilliantly curated and advertised, the weather was glorious and I think the organisers achieved exactly what they set out to when they created the event.

My takings for that day came to a grand total of.....£3.50.

The obvious response in a situation like this is to go home and drown your sorrows in a bottle of red wine that you can't afford because you made no money. The more sensible response is to figure out exactly, or approximately, why you didn't make any money, and what, in the two years between these events, went wrong? 

Stalls in The City, Liverpool.

After going through all of my sales, item by item, for the past 12 months at fairs, on Etsy and in shops, it became very clear that turning up to a fair with none of my bestselling products may have had something to do with it. This isn't even a rookie error, this is just dumb, it's like (taking examples from previous jobs of mine) Thorntons stocking up for Easter with no eggs, or WH Smith getting their Christmas stock in without "Generic Boy Band Annual 2013". In my defence I've been skint, and I couldn't afford to buy more supplies in so I just had to make do with what I had, and that clearly wasn't enough.

At no point did it occur to me to blame anyone else. In every market I've been a part of the organisers have worked incredibly hard, promoting the event in the press, flyering outside the venue to get people in, tweeting and Facebooking like crazy in the weeks running up it, telling all their friends, blackmailing their family into helping out, being available all the time to deal with problems, help you with your loading in and out, providing hot drinks (sometimes cake) and just generally going out of their way to make the day a success for everyone involved, the exhibitors and the customers. The people organising these events love design and craft and art as much as we all do, if not more. They're providing us with a chance to get our work out to the wider public and showcase what we do, and it's not unreasonable that they are fairly rewarded and acknowledged for the work they put into it (we have early starts but they start even earlier and finish even later*). The feel of each event is unique, in all kinds of venues, targeting all kinds of people. Some are mixes of art and food and music, some are more like street markets, some offer workshops but in essence they are quite simply a room full of people with something to sell waiting for someone to buy it. And it works, we can add all the bells and whistles we like but it won't change the transaction at the heart of it. The quality of the work is what takes the event from just another market to something really special, carefully selected and beautifully presented. The Proms success endures because it is meticulously chosen music played by exceptional musicians in a beautiful space to a hundreds of people who love it, you might think it would be more exciting if they included a foam party but you'd be missing the point, and it's the same with fairs, product is key.

* really wanted to include the bit from the end of Waynes World 2 here, where the Weird Naked Indian Guy has to clean up after the concert, but I couldn't find a clip. :(

The other aspect of an arts event that can make or break it are customers, or in some cases spectators. Not everyone comes to a craft fair with the intention of buying, and in the 'current financial climate' I don't see that changing. We have to be honest with ourselves that, for the most part, we're not selling the essentials. If it's a choice between filling up your car and buying a handmade embroidered clutch bag there's not many people who would take the second option. Where we can hold our ground is special occasions, because as a nation we LOVE sending cards, for anything and everything, and missing a birthday or Christmas present is unthinkable. Our generosity with others will often persist even when times are hard, speaking for myself I will spend money on gifts for friends and family that I wouldn't dream of spending on myself. 

Money, or rather value for money is key, and very subjective. It's obvious to me now that my incredible take on that first ever fair I did was down in large part to my having very low prices. It's been a slow and scary process getting my products to a price I am comfortable with and that is not ripping off either myself or the customer. It's the trickiest aspect of being a designer-maker, and pages and pages of blogs and advice sites are taken up with foolproof pricing guides and equations. As it stands my prices ensure I am covered for materials, labour at a reasonable rate per hour (above min. wage but nowhere near the level it should be for skilled work), and overheads, as well as commission for the retail outlets I sell through. So I don't lose out in shops, and I make a bit extra when I sell online. At fairs that little extra goes to cover the stall fees and transport. This is the minimum I would expect, no one should have to sell their work for less than it is worth. The problem arises when you are faced with a public who do not understand all of this. Again, I am not blaming anyone else, but we still live in a culture where the vast majority of the things we buy are mass produced abroad by people working for ridiculously low wages in unsafe conditions, and where the act of making is being phased out of education so the average person has no experience of what it takes to create something themselves, by hand. 

The Summer Arts Market at St George's Hall.

Perhaps I should explain to them? Perhaps I should present them with a breakdown of all my costs and how long it took to make and how much I purchased the fabric for, but that's absurd. The best thing I can do in that situation is stick by my pricing, have faith in the quality and uniqueness of my work and hope that someone out there appreciates that and buys it, and that by having bought handmade and loved handmade they might tell someone else, or give something as a gift, and spread that appreciation, so that when they next go to a fair they will understand what they are looking at and what it is really worth. The worst thing I could do is reduce my prices to get a quick sale out of someone who neither understands nor cares about the value of the work because they just want to feel like they've got deal. A craft market is not a jumble sale and handmade is not a bargain. Handmade is  an investment; in the product and in the person making it and the community they are a part of and the local economy.

Capstans Grand Bazaar at Haus.

A craft market is, on the other hand, an important social event. Since losing my job in the cafe last year I have spent an increasing amount of time working on my own in the flat. When you have cats (stupid ones at that) for colleagues there's a tendency toward mild insanity if left unchecked. When I get out to a fair it's wonderful to see all the familiar faces, and meet lots of new ones. With a different person next to you each time there's always an interesting conversation to be had, and in a room full of creative people you can be sure of wise words and constructive criticism. As a community we're all dealing with the same pressures of job/day job, life/work, creating art/paying the rent, and just getting out of your house or studio for a day and talking to other people about it makes you feel less like your feline office mates are conspiring against you. This is not new, in the country cattle markets are a huge social occasion, and in the heydays of Victorian industry the Exchange Halls were awash with gossip. As the alternatives in Liverpool seem to be networking geared toward 'creatives' of a more digital less physical/material bent I value the chatter of the markets immensely and as I am in possession of basic manners I know when to stop talking and acknowledge customers so everybody wins!

A record fair at the Corn Exchange, Leeds.

As a 'route to market' it is not always the most reliable, you're up against the weather, the economy and rival events, but for no one I've met has it been the only route. Craft fairs work as part of a wider scheme, that includes online shops, bricks and mortar retailers and word of mouth. As an opportunity for customer feedback, product trialling, creative networking, having an excuse to buy yourself a fancy lunch, marketing and research they are unrivalled. 

That's why I love craft fairs.

The Mini-est of Collections

This weekend sees the inaugural Summer Arts Market at St George's Hall in Liverpool. A two day event like the successful Winter Arts Market with over 100 artists and makers, craft classes and kids activities, I'm really looking forward to it.
For the occasion I have put together a tiny collection of Liberty print work, using up some Tana Lawn I've had in for a while and buying a minimum of supplies in. The prints are Mia's Island in a pale yellow, Strawberry Thief in navy with flashes of almost neon colours, and also sleep masks in a black print I have never been able to find out the name of, so if anyone can help me there... In total there are two a-symmetric necklaces, two josephine pendants, 2 josephine cuffs, 2 little josephine bracelets and two sleep masks in each print. 

 

When they're gone they're gone!

Hello March!

Perhaps it's because my birthday sits right in the middle of the month,(and because it's a little on the short side anyway) but February has a habit of whistling right past me, and this year has been no different. But, on the plus side, March is shaping up very nicely indeed!

On  Saturday I'll be taking part in my first fair of the year, at the amazing Camp and Furnace.

The Baltic Arts and Craft Fair before Chrtistmas was a brilliant day, lots of wonderful sellers, brilliant live music, and just a really fantastic atmosphere. I'll be fully stocked with Mother's Day gifts, a basket of half price bargains, and I'll be debuting my new range of Liberty knot jewellery too.

And on Sunday the Made Here shop in the Metquarter are going to be celebrating their First Birthday!

 

A big milestone for this brilliant shop, there's live music,  half price framing on prints all day and there's even going to be cake! If you're in the Liverpool area I really recommend checking it out and supporting your local independents.

Still in Mother's Day mode, Thursday sees me working with Craft Creative again on my sailor tattoo inspired Cushion Workshop.

I'll be showing you how to create your own retro tattoo style design, and teaching you all the stitches you need to adorn your cushion cover, a night out and a gift idea in one! We'll be at Percy Gulliver's Printshop and Social, above the Shipping Forecast, 6:30 - 9:30. All materials and equipment are provided, you don't need any previous experience and you can have a glass of wine while you create! Book tickets by getting in touch with Craft Creative here.

 

And if that isn't enough fun for you there's still Threshold Festival to look forward to! 3 days of live music and events for just £20, from the 8th to the 10th. I can't tell you too much about my involvement in this but if you take a wander round Liverpool's Baltic Triangle next weekend there might be some new additions to the area....

And that's all for now! Do let me know if you get a chance to see any of it, and come and say hi if you're about! Hope you all have a lovely March!

New for 2013

In the months since Christmas I have been busily working away on a new collection of jewellery, with a little bit of help from YouTube and my trusty Good Housekeeping Encyclopeadia of Needlecraft.

 Whilst sitting at my desk for hours playing with string might not have looked like work it was an important part of the process.

 So far, not very impressive.

 Getting somewhere...

I think I'm onto something!

It was also my first foray into the frankly baffling world of jewellery components, which lead to hours trawling Ebay, Etsy and various other sites trying to find the things I thought I needed.

And once that was resolved I had to splash out on (another) new gadget for my machine, though that was much less confusing.

Is owning 3 different kinds of zipper foot excessive?

And you can see the new collection after the jump!

Prize Time!

I promised in my last post that I'd do a giveaway very soon to celebrate reaching 1000 views on my blog. It's getting on for a year since I started this blog, and this coming weekend will be one year since my first ever craft fair, so lots to celebrate. As it stands I'm only 6 likes away from 100 on my Facebook page too so if anyone wants to help me out with that we'll have even more to celebrate!
If that wasn't enough I'm also working on two very exciting new projects with some great small businesses, and the Made-Here pop up shop in Liverpool, through which I sell my work, is relocating to an exciting new location in the city and it's even bigger than before! Could things get any better?

To mark all my good fortune I will be giving away this stripey purse and rosette;

Made in soft cotton ticking in red, and with one of my trademark 'surprising linings' it has a zipper top and a wrist strap for safekeeping of valuables, money, phones, cameras, haberdashery... The rosette is made in red and ecru ticking and isjust the right size for attaching to the pouch, and has a 1" locking brooch pin so you can wear it on your coats, hats, cardis, dress up your pets...

 What do you need to do to win? Just say hello! Leave a comment below, you don't need to follow my blog (but if you'd like to I won't stop you!) Do you also have some good news to share? Share it here,  or just introduce yourself, it's nice to know who I'm talking at to. And I know the prize is a bit female oriented, but don't let that put you off chaps, just think of it as a mother/sister/daughter/girlfriend/wife present you don't need to buy!

In two weeks time I'll put all the commenters names in a hat and draw one out for the winner. Easy!

PS. This giveaway is open to anyone, no matter where in the world you are!

Hot Off The Press

When I was doing my A Level in Textile Product Design we all had a go at using some fabric that you could feed into an inkjet printer and print onto like paper. I think the technician had to cut the fabric to size and there was a solution you had to soak it in and leave to dry for it to work. Also, you had to feed it into the printer from the back. The results were reasonably successful, but I imagine it was a awful lot of faff and that's why we only ever did it once. Luckily some smart person has simplified the process greatly and you can now buy pre-cut, pre-treated sheets of A4 fabrics, both washable and non washable, and in cotton, linen and silk. Amazing!

I'd been planning to try some out for a while so I ordered a starter pack from this site, which inlcudes an A4 sheet each of cotton, cotton lawn, linen, silk and silk organza. One of the things I wanted to do was try and reproduce my hand embroidery on decorations and accessories. I love embroidering and how fluid it is compared to, say, sewing purses or folding books, but it takes a long time and that increases the final price considerably. I'm not at all against charging lots of money for things when it's justified by the work involved, but I don't want to sit at a stall for hours on end with lots of beautiful things that no one can afford. (sometimes it's hard enough with very reasonably priced work, but when people think a craft market is basically the same as a jumble sale there's not much you can do) Wouldn't it be nice, I thought, if you could have the look of a hand embroidered piece without spending a fortune on it?

As we are over the middle of the year 'hump' it is sadly acceptable for me to start thinking about (whisper it) Christmas. So, my first experiments are of a decidedly festive nature, and for that I apologise. Using some of the leftover linen from my vintage tablecloth and red stranded cotton (and 3 episodes of The Sopranos, and lots of cups of tea, and Poirot) I produced these:

Redwork heart on vintage linen. Lazy daisy, chain stitch, running stitch, french knots and back stitch.

The heart was first and quite restrained. The tree had a couple of false starts in green but the red seemed to make more impact on the white, and I didn't plan any of it out to start with, just added and filled in gaps as I went along. I've found Pinterest to be a great help when looking for embroidery inspiration, partifularly for less formal approaches than you'd find in books on the subject.

Redwork Christmas tree on vintage linen. Chain stitch paper chains, lazy daisy flowers, french knots and running stitch.

 With the embroideries complete I gave them a good iron and then scanned them and uploaded the images to the computer. After a little playing around in Photoshop this morning and a few test prints on paper I was ready to go with the fabric. I used the cotton lawn for these, a nice smooth weave and natural feel. The fabric comes backed with paper and goes straight in your ususal paper tray, paper side up. Set your print quality to Best and away you go! I find it easiest, once you've printed and left for 30mins or so, to mark your cutting lines on the paper and cut them out, then peel the backing off.

 With my printed designs ready I tested two ways of making hanging decorations. First up I used some gorgeous red 100% wool felt from Myriad and wundaweb-ed it to the printed lawn, finishing with a machine stitched edge, I prefer the zigzag, but think either would be better in a white or off white thread so as not to distract. The tree has an extra layer of medium interfacing between the layers too which makes it hang straighter. I like the simplicity of these, but I'm not sure if the tree has too much of the car air freshener about it, what do we think?

Next up I went for a tried and tested 'stitch and stuff' method, using red polka dot cotton for the back. I like the squishy-ness of these, and it's great to substitute the stuffing for lavender or other aromats. I'm currently on the lookout for festive smelling things if anyone has any tips on that? Perhaps steering clear of anything too pine-y as we'll be back in car freshener territory again.

As a start I'm quite pleased with how these have turned out, might have a couple more stabs at this idea and then settle on a final method. The other fabric sheets I have plans for too, there'll be more on those in future.

Today I realised I've also passed the 1000 mark on my blog views, woo hoo! I'll be doing a little giveaway to celebrate that in the next week or so, so stay tuned!

Just Cruisin'

Yesterday I took part in a new art fair at the Liverpool Cruise Terminal. The MASSIVE Queen Elizabeth cruise ship was docked at Liverpool for the day, sadly didn't get a photo but probably couldn't have fit it all in shot without standing on the other side of town. We set up shop with arts and crafts in the terminal building, and there was a little funfair outside too.

Hundreds of people came along to get a look at the ship, and I spent a lot of my time playing spot the cruiser (clues were big sunglasses and gold jewelry). I've had a few disappointing fairs recently, in terms of sales, so I had high hopes for this one and I wasn't disappointed. Hopefully todays fair in L1 will be just as successful!

Here's a video from Bay TV covering the day, spot my cameo at the start of the crafts section, looking shifty behind my stall!

Reinvention

A few weeks ago I shared some pictures with you of the beautiful things I found at a vintage fair in Liverpool. I've had a few weeks to play with them and now I thought I'd show you what they've become!

The pair of Liberty curtains and the Sanderson furnishing fabric have become simple shoppers (along with a pretty Ikea floral) It's the first time I've done this style of bag and overall I'm pretty pleased.

The hand embroidered table cloth has had a few reincarnations. Firsty, these lavender hearts, all with a different patterned cotton on the back and a ribbon and button detail on the front. The little motifs left behind from cutting these out have become covered buttons (and my old threads serve as great dressing for my product shots!) I've got four large panels cut out as well ready to become cushiosn, but more on those another time.

Lastly, one of the lace table runners has become a very delicate coin purse, I used pink cotton behind the lace for a hint of colour and echoed it inside with a pink polka dot lining.

There's plenty more pieces left as well so I'm sure I'll find lots of exciting things to use them for, especially with three big events coming up this summer. This Sunday I'll be at Stalls in the City, an arts market run by Open Culture in Liverpool One outside the Hilton. The first fair I ever took part in was one of these markets last September and it was a great day. I'll also be there on the 4th August and 2nd September, so it you're in the area why not pop down and say hi!

Easter Bunny

Didn't get much chocolate this Easter, but I did get a lot of fabric...

Which I have very swiftly put to good use:

All these things, and more, are going to be on sale at my stall at Capstans Bazaar tomorrow at Leaf on Bold Street. It's a fair I have never done before, so keep your fingers crossed for me!

A First Time for Everything

When I returned from Oxfordshire 2 weeks ago I was looking forward to an exciting new venture I was to be a part of, and was anticipating some late nights and frantic making to be ready in time. I fully expected to have to juggle this activity with my day job and, with trepidation, rang work on the Sunday for my hours. This is where the weirdness began, as I wasn't on the rota til the following Friday. Eventually I got a few shifts to cover, because as much as I like the thought of a week and half off I also like the idea of getting paid. After these few shifts in work I realised that all was not as it should be and, without going into details, I suspected the worse. Sure enough, the next Monday rolls around, still with no shifts secured for the following week, and I get a phone call from the owner saying he is closing both the cafe's and I no longer have a job.

That folks is the first time I have ever been made redundant. Hopefully it will also be the last. But as I got off the phone to my former boss I wasn't feeling sad, or scared, or even angry (yet). Instead I felt a little twinge of excitement, and as the day wore on and news spread (the first person to ask me about it being my friend in Bristol, who had heard about the closures via SevenStreets) and my colleagues and I exchanged texts and arranged a last get-together my feeling of excitement grew. For the first time in three years I would be able to focus solely on my creative work. Whether this is a financially viable situation remains to be seen and I still have numbers to crunch and phone calls to make, but for the next few weeks it is my only option and I'm pretty bloody excited!

The other First I have experienced this week is the first time I have had my work stocked in a retail outlet. This is the exciting venture I alluded to at the start, and the reason I think I'm feeling so positive about losing my job. The shop is of the pop-up variety, open initially for two months in a busy thoroughfare in Liverpool One, and is only selling locally made work. It's been organised by the team at Made-Here, who's arts markets I've taken part in before, and the shop is beautifully designed and all the work is fantastic. I'm so proud to be a part of it with so many other talented artists.

If you're in the Merseyside area I strongly recommend stopping by and having a look around, there's such great variety of products in there you're bound to find something you love, and you'll be helping independent makers, like myself, to make a living out of something they love.