My Crochet Market Was A DISASTER - Learn From My Mistakes | Crochet And Chat 

I forgot to say that I actually crocheted some plushies while I was there and so I ended up coming home with more things than I came with 🙈

Don’t give up from the one bad experience. Every market is different. I just started doing a farmers market and so far have done great. Who would have thought I would? I didn’t! But just gotta try different places until you feel comfortable somewhere.

Thank you for sharing your story! I know it’s not easy to make ourselves vulnerable. I see a lot of successes… your booth looked SO adorable. It was so cozy and inviting. You did talk a good bit with the vendor next to you, so that’s a good win, too! You learned lessons, which will help you in the future with whatever you decide to do with markets going forward. All that said, I totally relate to what you’re saying about social anxiety. I have such a hard time approaching people, making small talk, etc, and I am constantly feeling like an adult imposter. lol Everyone else has their crap together, and I just try to pretend like I have 20% of my crap together. We are definitely our own worst critics a lot of the time. I’m proud of you for putting yourself out there (with the market and even your RU-vid)! From where I sit, you are a natural. 💕

I just stumbled across your page, and this is the first video I watched. I love how vulnerable you are in sharing, as well as being real. It's hard to find people these days who are willing to share things other than "perfection." Can't wait to watch more videos! While I watched, I was working on hand sewing a liner for a cross body bag I just crocheted 😊

What a bummer! I’m so sorry you were disappointed, you’re such a talented artist, it’s really a shame more people weren’t there to get to see and appreciate your work. I know you listed off the things you wish you did, like talk to other vendors but please don’t beat yourself up! It’s so brave to put yourself out there and I think this story is helpful for other people interested in doing markets. I hope you do more markets in the future. I guess my biggest piece of advice is to have a go bin of your supplies, like not inventory, but things you need - water bottle, price tags, signage, business cards, a project to work on, and to pack everything the night before so the morning of you can do one last check to make sure you’re not missing anything lol I’ve forgotten something at literally every show I’ve done, so I need to take my own advice, And to remember to get change from the bank! Which I have also forgotten to do before 😅

I did my first market ever a while ago and it didn't go well at all. Thanks for sharing your story, it's super relatable!!!

Its been my experience if an event is open to MLM's they are having trouble getting vendors. I know some places will only open spots to MLMs if there are spots open a week before the event. I went to an event a couple of years ago on advice I'd gotten from another person holding an event. I joined the facebook group and this next sale in November will be my 4th sale, their 5th sale (I missed the first spring sale).

Im sorry that your experience wasn't a good one. I've done many a craft fair. Lol. My best advice to you is to make tons of items that are $3-$5. I make barefoot sandals, flower headbands for festival wear, and towel toppers. I also bring some of my more expensive items just in case someone might like those. But i overwhelmingly sell smaller items. I make around $400 usually.

Thank you for sharing! I appreciate you sharing the reality that some events just aren't a good fit. I've definitely had a few events that were disappointing. It happens. 💕Also, I love a good stitch and chat session! Glad I stumbled across your channel. 🙌

I hope it gets better the next time. I am making a baseball cap organizer while watching you!

So sorry to hear about your first craft fair. Look at it as a learning experience. The one thing you might consider is tailoring your items to the fair. What about adding a few scented items that could be heated in the microwave and used for soothing purposes or even rice filled items that could also be microwaved. Best wishes for future success!

I’m so sorry that was your experience!!! I appreciate you sharing this info, tho. I think it’s super helpful

Thank you so much for sharing your experience, I truly appreciate how honest and real you are. Your booth was so cute and inviting and I'm sure under better circumstances you would have sold much more. ❤ Love your videos and all the creations you share with us! Keep at it!! 👏

Thank you so much for sharing. I'm so sorry the event, especially cause it's your first one in a while, went far less than ideal. And it double sucks because it's all stuff outside your control/things the event coordinator should have though through. This video is encouraging to me because my last market I made very few sales and it makes me not want to crochet. Watching this helped to inspire me. Good luck for your next ventures and I look for to watching more videos! P.S my current favorite video was the Mainstays Velvet Yarn one, I bought it from your video and make scrunchies!

Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I'm sorry that it was such a disappointment. I have my very first markets (2) coming up at the end of July and I worked on a crocodile while watching. I will be scouring these comments for helpful tips. Note to self: bring a fan!

It's too bad your market didn't turn out the way you had hoped. But it sounds like it was a good learning experience for you. As for the guy with the phone, definitely report him. He shouldn't be doing that sort of thing in public at all. There could have been kids there who would have seen things they shouldn't. Anyhow, I hope you at least try another, better show later on. Thanks for sharing your experience!

Thats such a bummer! You are so talented and I have only done 1 because they intimate me. I have one in the Fall and hoping it won't disappoint. That Goblin..... perfect for the Fall Markets.

Thank you for sharing your experience. It does help you have nothing to be ashamed of I would definitely try fall or winter craft fairs, especially before, like the holidays like for Halloween. You could have that for Halloween and Thanksgiving. And then for Christmas and have your stuff priced, have signs. Give people ideas. Do you need a gift? Yes, people like the cheaper stuff. But then there are those people that will pay money for your items. Because they know how well that they're made. And there will be people that won't pay it. And that's okay, because there will be somebody that will

Just watching you for the first time so you may have covered this in others but does the boppy pillow help with shoulder/arm pain/strain? Seems like an ingenious idea.

I rlly hope this didnt completely turn u away from markets! I scoped out a market on fathers day (they have a market for a few sundays in the summer so i visited the first one to see if i want to spend the money to sell there) and it was VERY empty too. But i definitely think it was bc of fathers day

I’m sorry that your market was not to you expectations! It’s always so hard when you believe it will go one way and it doesn’t. Don’t be afraid to go out there again - maybe look for more arts and crafts markets or markets that call themselves family friendly?

You could bring a fan hand held or (if theres outlets near by )electric fans with you. Bring a project to crochet. I would have set up outside away from the neighbor vender as soon as you noticed and it probably would have helped with the heat issue and foot traffic. ❤ loved you video. Hope to see another market vlog and good luck to the next one you go to.

Not so much of it was your fault... Much fell on the organizer, cramming the vendors in like sardines, scheduling on a day when people are usually together as a family. I've had loads of shows where I didn't sell enough to pay my booth fee. If there is a Facebook group for craft shows in your area, maybe you can find some good fall shows. Some high schools have well-established craft-only shows.

Wow! Except for the accent, you sound so much like me. I print t-shirts and do embroidery, as well as crocheting. I was lucky enough to have a brick-and-mortar store for several years but now work from home. When I had the storefront, I did try a couple of markets. I also tried making shirts themed to local schools and setting up "spirit" racks in the store. Aside from the base business of custom printing and embroidery, the side efforts were all just distractions and kind of a waste of money. I hear all of the stories of people showing up to markets with one or two designs and selling out in a flash. That just never happened for me. Also, I'm an introvert so the whole setting up and doing a market was just exhausting. When I get a big enough break, I plan to setup an independent website and see if that works any better. In the meantime, I stay busy enough with custom orders from the clientele I built up when I had the storefront. In my spare time, I crochet whatever I decide from one project to the next. I am, however, toying with the idea of sending beanies and scarves to a fall/winter market with a friend who goes to farmers markets. I still like the idea of markets. I just want to outsource that activity! 😄

At least everyone had fun. :D

I have done summer craft shows and never done very well. I use to sell mainly gnomes and other crafts. I normally do fall craft shows, up north in Minnesota they are still called craft shows or craft fairs. I like the word market Instead. Saturday shows are the best for me. I would report the guy on his phone looking good at Inappropriate content. I try to have Inexpensive items to higher priced items. I have had customers that have come to my craft shows and they know where they are going to be. There and some of them like the cheaper stuff for Christmas presents stocking stuffers. I make signs that's say. Need a gift and I list all the people and give my customers. The people that are walking by an idea. Oh I could give a gift for my hairdresser. I could give a gift for my mail carrier. My son's teacher. Etc. Unlock. And then, when people see those signs, then that gives them the idea and they buy. I wish the craft fairs that I did and all of the years that I've done craft fairs, which is over 20 years taking a few breaks and there would send us where you were going to be a map of where you were going to be at that craft show in all the years. I've done crackers. I've had probably 2. Craffairs that have sent out a map so that you know How you can set up your table ahead of time.

I've never done a market so wouldn't know what to suggest :/ As I'm listening I'm working on my first pattern ^_^ I generally freehand work so I thought I'd give writing a pattern a try. So far I am not a fan, lol

What are you making in this video?

Thank you for sharing. Bless your heart, I’m sorry this was your experience. Your items look great. My last market I sold my stuffed animals to the other vendors children. No one else came to the market. I made 40 small amigurumi whales and octopus babies. So I donated them our church vbs the theme was under the sea.

what is MLM?

I’ll probably feel stupid for asking, but what is MLM? Well, at least here’s a comment for the you tubes gods…

Was he watching how 🌽 is grown? 😅

What does lmn’s mean ? X

Talking to other vendors at the craft fairs and ask them. What other craft shows that they do and how good they have done at those craft shows. Going to a craft show first before you decide to be in. It is a good idea because then you have Some idea of the people that are there, the vendors that are there where it is if the traffic is good that sort of thing I have talked to other vendors at a craft fair. I did last november 2023, And I found out there Another craft fair that he did even better. At then this one this was my first time and I do have to say I had not been there before, but I had talked to many people. That said you need to do this, craft fair. And when I got the information, it is the biggest market or craft fair in northern Minnesota. There was a hundred and sixty vendors, and it was in a school in a small town of foston, minnesota. I made $1100, which for me was awesome. That is probably over double. What I usually make so talking to your other vendors? And for your friends, if they know about craft fairs is one of the best things you can do is to get to know the vendors and the people that are doing the craft fair also.