craft fairs. AKA selling your soul.

[raitch]

DH and I made the rounds of a bunch of craft fairs today. I was hoping to see some really nice knitting, just to touch and drool. But I was shocked to find so much knitting being sold for so cheap! Adult size mittens. Granted, they were plain and they were acrylic but $3 per pair. $3???

Toddler size cabled cardis. These were SO cute. But they were rough so I asked the lady if they were wool. Nope, acrylic again. But still, obviously complicated and time consuming. $15.

A huge wool afghan. Really more like a blanket, mostly stockinette stitch squares with some embellishment. Worsted weight wool. $30.

I just don't GET it. I know how much time and effort goes into these things. Why sell your soul?!? It made me kinda sad. I guess there's not really a market for higher-end stuff at craft fairs. Tom said "honestly, what did you expect?" but I just felt bad for those knitters.

[chloesmom]

I think for some people, they knit just because they like to knit, not really to make money. So they sell their items for around the cost of the yarn, just so they can buy more yarn and keep knitting. I know a couple of ladies at my church are like that.

[pmcgary]

A few years back I went to a craft show and there was virtually no knitting - and what knitting was there (reasonably priced) was not selling.

I was told at that time - and it might have been that show- that the handcrafts - knit, crochet, cross stitch stuff wasn't selling....the stuff I saw moving were the holiday themed wooden lawn ornaments. (Most of which didn't look like much for the price they were fetching hee hee....)

[memiles]

At our local street fair this year, there were probably 5 or 6 booths with knit stuff. All of it was acrylic or fun fur type scarves, all was really underpriced for the time involved. One woman had probably 100 hats in stock, selling them for $7 each. I'm a pretty quick knitter, but nothing could make me sell an adult hat for $7, I would rather gift it.

Then, we got word a lys was opening. It is really just an outlet for selling hand knits made by a woman and her daughters, plus she sells basically the same yarn as Joanns. Her stuff is soooo underpriced it's not even funny, and it's not attractive to boot. I can only hope it's been the owner's lifelong dream to open this shop (she's about 70) and it's making her happy. I do doubt they can stay in business long.

[marnie]

well, around here i see things going for a good rate: crochet children's earflap hats from SUPER bulky yarn for $65 each... things like that. My hats ($35) and bunny ($45) were in a local magazine of hand made children's items available locally and were the cheapest in their categories.