Hello blogging friends. I hope you are all having a nice week.
Many of you know that I am a member of our knit and crochet group at my church. All throughout the year and for many years I have made crochet and knit items that I donate to our fall knit and crochet sale. In years past I have even had my mom knit a few items to be sold at this event.
I made most of the items seen on the table above for our annual sale. I enjoy keeping myself busy making scarves, neck warmers, pot holders, cup cozies, and coasters for this sale.
Each year we always have our fall/holiday sale the weekend before Thanksgiving. We have many other tables in a small room filled with homemade items just like my table. The other tables even include baby items such as sweater sets, and baby blankets. We even had a table this year filled with items such as Christmas stockings that one of the ladies in the group made.
I thought we did a great job selling these items considering that we were practically giving everything away for a great bargain. The person in charge thought differently and was not as happy with our sale.
I unfortunately don't think that people want homemade items like this anymore or maybe it's held at the wrong time of year?
I would love to see all of the tables decorated with a tablecloth and the room decorated maybe a little more festive but we always leave the tables bare like above.
We try to get new members to join our group but not everyone wants to work on these kinds of projects throughout the year and donate for them to our sale. We have even taught some new members how to knit and crochet and then once they learn this craft they leave the group.
We have made suggestions to the person in charge to maybe change the sale to a different time of year and date.
** There is an update since I wrote this post that we will have another sale in June. I think that we will do ok if we sell baby items like blankets, baby sweaters, and hats. I really don't think anyone is going to want to buy a scarf at that time of year when the weather is warm. LOL. I will have to crochet a baby blanket for this and that will be a new crochet project for me to work on.
So that is the situation on this knit and crochet sale and our group. I'll see what happens with this in the future.
I now have about a half a bag full of items that I did not sell. I will hold to these items and save them for next fall. Until then I will still continue to make and create knit and crochet items. Perhaps in the future I will make more items for myself?
Do you have any suggestions? I'd love to know, so please let me know in the comments section.
Click HERE to see the great parties I will be linking up to!
Julie
Your work is beautiful. I don't have any suggestions but I'll think about it!
ReplyDeleteIt's too bad but I don't think there is a lot of appreciation for the handmade items like we made 20 years ago. Just kind of sad. Not sure what you can do to add to it. My daughter took over the 'craft' sale at their school a few years ago and made a lot of changes. They added a bake sale and a sale of 'collectibles' that people donated. They also did raffles and added some new products...and they let people come in that had product to sell (like a place that sold kitchen items, etc.). The people that were selling paid a small fee for their table and then donated a % of their profit to the school. It worked out really well. Good luck. It is sad to train people and then have them drop out of the group. xoDiana
ReplyDeleteThose are so beautiful.. love them..
ReplyDeleteI think your items are really nice and a good variety of yarns and colors. I like your suggestion of tablecloths and decorations. Most shoppers are women and we women like some prettiness around, even when we are shopping! Maybe add in a table for coffee and sweets if you don't already do that.
ReplyDeleteI love all your beautiful things you have made Julie. Not sure what more you could do to make this a better sale. Maybe moving the time of year is a good suggestion. Good luck with the sale in June. You all are very talented with being able to knit and crochet. That is really becoming a lost art. Have a good weekend.
ReplyDeleteKris
After reading your post I thought I'd share my experience with the little market we hold at our church in February. The focus of the market is a cake & pastry table (some homemade and some donated by a neighbour baker), where visitors can have tea or coffee for a small fee. It's held in the afternoon after school hours for a week so Cathecism students and mums can stop by.
ReplyDeleteBesides some second hand goodies and donations from nearby shops we have a table of handmade items, like yours. There are also handstitched napkins, kitchen cloths and aprons. Since not everybody is fond of the same type of crafted item, we make sure there's variety to please as many people as possible.
I wish you all the best with your June sale as well as keeping the group together and having more people join it —your hats and scarves deserve it!
xo
Lovely items Julie and all beautifully displayed, I have become very disheartened when trying to sell things, it seems that people want things for nothing they don't take into consideration the materials and time involved when making them, even when any money that's made is for a charity. That's why I just send my makes directly to charities where I know they are needed and will be appreciated. x
ReplyDeleteLovely items Julie! I hear what you're saying and wish I had a good suggestion but I'm afraid I have to agree with some of the others. Charity work can be a hard sell. Just keep doing what you love.
ReplyDeletecxx
Julie, I am always impressed with your pieces. It's sad that it's not appreciated and I am sure you are pricing your items well below their actual value for the church. I don't think it has anything to do with your beautiful work, I just think that times have changed and less and less people attend and buy at fairs...and people want something for nothing. I say whatever doesn't sell, gets sold on your blog! I would buy your beautiful items if offered and I am sure lots of your readers would as well. :)
ReplyDeleteEchoing the other comments here. Since I have started knitting, I never feel like the prices charged are ever too much! There's so much work that goes into handmade gifts. Yes, I would pretty up the tables and add a variety of other items as well, such as baked goods. Wish you the best. xo
ReplyDeleteYour crochet and knit pieces are beautiful Julie! I'm sorry your sale was disappointing, I am surprised people weren't scooping these things up! I think your idea of baby blankets is a very good one, I know those will sell. I have a small afghan I made out of leftover yarn that I use as a lap, or leg blanket. It's just the right size without being too big and bulky. It's about 30" x 60". I love to needlepoint too, but these old fashioned crafts seem to be loosing favor, but I still enjoy them!
ReplyDeleteJenna