Tales from the Craft Fair (long)

[georgie]

Wow, thank you all for the nice comments! I love making quilts and that's why I keep doing these shows.

This year I've been invited to more of an "art" show, so I'm hoping for slighty more sophisticated clientele.

This show always has the "I want something awesome and I want it for free" people, and it can get a little frustrating.

Those worried about my family, this is the only time of year I actually spend any time with them. I've been "kicked out" of the family, so to speak, so I'm not welcome for thanksgiving, christmas etc. But they'll gladly have me pay for their craft show booth so thay can have 4 days to harass me. All my other shows, I fly solo, or my husband's with me.

so they dont want you around when it comes time to just being with family but they want you around to help sell items and abuse you.

tell em straight to go multiply with themselves. what a bunch of users.

[Dreamstalker]

Your quilts are LOVELY. Don't listen to the jerks in the family; they probably wish they had your skills. Sorry to hear about the stolen one. Some people think that because it's handmade it didn't cost you anything.

Sunday was of course, cheap people and hagglers day.

Isn't it always...

I had people who thought I was a reseller.

A friend stopped selling at one local craft show due to a lot of the vendors there were resellers...so she and the other crafters would get the hagglers/people that thought she had to be a reseller because crafting takes too much work (I believe one gem actually wanted to know why every X wasn't the same...cuz they're handmade you jerk!).

The majority of my designs are one-offs unless I really like it/have enough beads to make multiples (I rarely plot designs out beforehand)...my cell phone straps especially are mainly using up odd beads. You may ask if I can make more of Y, just be prepared if I say no.

Lady: Is that the price for all of them? *gestures to the rack*
Me: No each quilt is priced individually.
Lady: So this one is $45?
Me: Yes ma'am.
Lady: And this one is $45? *gestures to another*
Me: No that one is $55.
Lady: But all of them are $45?

Yup, sounds like a scam I've dealt with.

[Mishi]

They're gorgeous quilts! You're amazingly talented and I really, really love the beautiful purple quilt and the whale quilt.

[Mikkel]

Those are really beautiful quilts. I hope you don't mind if I show them to my mother. She quilt a bit and is always looking for inspiration.
I wonder why you go to the fair with your mother and aunt, it sounds as if it's more hassle and abuse than help. Couldn't you get your own booth?

[Kanalah]

Please feel free to show them to your mom. If she's interested I still have the books and can look up the pattern names for her.

I am actually in the process of "taking over" thier booth. This year I had 3/4 of the booth space. I am also on the waiting list to get into this show myself, but there's a 10 year wait, since it's such a huge show. I'm hoping to just kinda run thier booth, since it's big and in a good spot.

[NateTheChops]

Lady: You're not making any sense.
Me: *sigh* I'm sorry that you're confused ma'am. It's actually a very simple concept.

Priceless response. A great example of Irish Diplomacy in action.

Sorry about having your quilt stolen.

[Andara Bledin]

I really like that complex crazy quilt. Now I want one.

I think the trouble is with people who don't do that kind of thing themselves, they have no idea of the time and work - to say nothing of the cost of materials - that go into it.

One of the huge problems that causes unrealistic expectations in the crafting circuit, especially for things like quilts and knitted or crocheted or macramed goods is that there are a lot of seniors who make things just to be doing things, and then they massively underprice their goods because they don't need the money and don't really consider what kind of effect that can have on their fellow artisans.

The big quilt would be nice, too. Cali King stuff is so hard to find, even in the specialty shops.

No kidding. Try finding stuff for a Cali king waterbed.

^-.-^

[MoonCat]

Your quilts are beautiful!!

I know how much work goes into those, a friend of mine used to do that, and after seeing how much time, effort and skill it takes, I can only say you are very talented. Don't let your family get under your skin.

$45, even $55 is not in any way over priced...I don't think I've ever seen a quilt priced at less than $80-$100. Good luck with your next show! Hope you get some shoppers who know good stuff and great prices when they see them.

[zombiequeen]

The whale quilt! The whale quilt!
Considering my dragon pillows are priced at $50, your quilts are perfectly reasonable.
If you ever want to do a trade for a queen-sized quilt, please let me know.

[protege]

$45, even $55 is not in any way over priced...I don't think I've ever seen a quilt priced at less than $80-$100. Good luck with your next show! Hope you get some shoppers who know good stuff and great prices when they see them.

I was going to say that too. My grandmother once did quite a few quilts. She stopped, when people bitched about how much she wanted for them. At least I got mine for free

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

Of course after I show up, my mom and sister began harassing me and insulting everything. The bulk of it was "Why do you bother to get your hair done/wear nice clothes? You're ugly and you'll always be ugly and everyone hates you!" Yeah we're such a fun and positive bunch. I just buckle down and get to work, because throwing a tantrum isn't going to fix anything.

I'm sorry...If that ever happened to me, I'd drop whatever I was doing, go home, change my phone number and door locks and start telling the world that I was an orphan.

[Nayeli_Sabia]

It's amazing how low people will stoop when they don't want to pay for something, especially something handmade. It's why I no longer work as a seamstress - people refused to pay for the work I would do. Only other quilters/crafters/seamstresses have any idea just how much goes into anything they do...and of course, people always try to haggle them down below even material costs.

This is why my mom only sews for family, and that is a labor of love type(ie, pay for matterials and coffee ^_^). We own a few quilts, and they were $250-800(the expensive being a custom hand sewn Amish wedding quilt). So $45-55 is jaw droppingly low, imho.

On the craft show side... there is one big show here, which after this year my mother and I reffuse to go to again, because most people there were Retailers and Resellers, not crafters. We've found a craft fair that is just crafters, and we'll be going there from now on. Quality is worth the cost.

[lupo pazzesco]

Kanalah, you do some beautiful work, I especially love the blue one.

I'm sorry your family isn't supportive and I'm especially sorry you were robbed!! Some people. Buh.

Best of luck with future ventures, the pictures you posted show some excellent talent!!

[Treasure]

Kanalah,
I loved the "twist" one!

My mom is a seamstress and makes Renaissance costumes - all her work is custom fitted, her policy is 1/2 down, and the rest at pick up. She uses a simple invoice template on word to track the pieces she has to make and payments.

One year I made a half - cape, out of rabbit fur - now bunny fuzz cannot be sewn on home machines, the fur will clog the gears, mom is allergic to bunny fuzz so i had to HAND stitch my cape. I made it from 13 skins, and spent 6 weeks working on it - no not every night, and sometimes only for an hour or so... but some days as much as 8 or 10 hours ( i was a night receptionist at a car dealership, and going to school - i had a LOT of time to put my hands to work) it is custom fit to my shoulders and yet i have had MEN ask me where i got it, and how much would i sell it for when they find out i made it. 1: Not for sale, 2: Not to you, 3: if i were to reconsider selling it, no less than $350.00 but i don't know that i could let it go....

and as to would i ever consider making another one - Yes, i want to make one out of all black skins, b/c the 1st one is out of brown and whites.

[XCashier]

I'm sorry...If that ever happened to me, I'd drop whatever I was doing, go home, change my phone number and door locks and start telling the world that I was an orphan.

Agreed. Just because you're blood related doesn't mean they get to treat you like a doormat, and you have to take it. To hell with them. You deserve much better than that.