Buying at a Market or Craft sale

 In my last blog, I wrote about selling at a market or craft sale.  This week I would like to give some ideas about being a customer of a market or craft sale.

If the craft sale is big and you will be doing a lot of walking, forget fashion.  Dress comfortably.  And if the sale is in the summer, dress cool.  Remember to wear shoes meant for walking. 

If you are going to be there a while especially in the summer, bring something to drink.  Make sure it has a cover on it, so it doesn’t spill on anyone.  And ask before you put a drink on a vendor table.  The last thing you want to do is have your sticky sweet drink spill all over a vendor’s product, especially product that cannot easily be cleaned like fiber or fabric. Remember this product is the livelihood of the artist.

Know that not all vendors will have credit card capacity, so if you are planning on buying something expensive or a lot of items, bring enough cash and maybe your checkbook (many vendors will accept checks if they cannot do credit or debit cards.). And remember to bring small bills.  Most vendors will have enough cash on hand to make change but if you hand them a $100 bill and you are purchasing something for $5 or $10 that could wipe out their available cash.

If you have children with you, watch out for little fingers.  Lots of things craft vendors sell are bright, shiny and colorful; so tempting for little eyes to see and little fingers to grab.  And this is too where you want to watch for sticky fingers.  One little boy at my craft booth thought the fleece fish toys (for cats) were nice.  So nice, he took every one of them out of the basket they were displayed in.  When his mother asked what he was doing, his answer: “Going fishing”.  His response was cute, even to me the vendor,  but not if he had chocolate ice cream all over his fishing fingers.

The same idea goes if you bring your dog to the market, watch them as well.  Small shiny colorful items can look like food to them.  One gulp and you are on your way to the emergency vet. And don’t blame the vendor; it is not their fault they are selling something attractive to your pet.  Also remember that not everyone loves your pet as much as you do.  You will find people, including vendors, who will avoid your dog’s friendliness.  Maybe they have had a bad encounter with a dog so they are afraid or maybe, and most importantly, they are allergic.  I like dogs and cats but get me near one and I start sneezing and wheezing.

Remember if buying at a craft market that you are not just buying the material in the craft or art work but the labor as well.  Yes, artists and craftspeople enjoy, even love, what they do but they are also trying to pay the bills.  You might be able to buy a similar item in a store but it will be machine manufactured not hand crafted.  I will admit I am biased when I say; hand crafted is much more valuable.

If you know how to do a particular craft, know that not all people do things the same way. Don’t consider a knitted shawl, for example, is inferior just because an artist uses a different stitch or yarn than what you would use. So in other words, don’t criticize the artist’s work.

Selling at a market isn’t easy for the vendor but it makes it worth it when you, the buyer, want something hand crafted and one of a kind. So if you get a chance, go shop at a market. And thank them for the work they do.

 

©2017, 2022 Cheryl Fillion

 

Buying at a Market or Craft sale - Revisited

I am getting ready to sell at a local Crafter’s/Artisan Fair so I thought I would repost my blog on being a customer at a market or craft sale.   If similar fairs or sales are around you, make sure you check them out for gifts you might need this year.  It is never too early to go gift shopping.

If the craft sale is big and you will be doing a lot of walking, forget fashion.  Dress comfortably.  And if the sale is in the summer, dress cool.  Remember to wear shoes meant for walking.

If you are going to be there a while especially in the summer, bring something to drink.  Make sure it has a cover on it, so it doesn’t spill on anyone.  And ask before you put a drink on a vendor table.  The last thing you want to do is have your sticky sweet drink spill all over a vendor’s product, especially product that cannot easily be cleaned like fiber or fabric. Remember this product is the livelihood of the artist.

Know that not all vendors will have credit card capacity, so if you are planning on buying something expensive or a lot of items, bring enough cash and maybe your checkbook (many vendors will accept checks if they cannot do credit or debit cards.). And remember to bring small bills.  Most vendors will have enough cash on hand to make change but if you hand them a $100 bill and you are purchasing something for $5 or $10 that could wipe out their available cash.

If you have children with you, watch out for little fingers.  Lots of things craft vendors sell are bright, shiny and colorful; so tempting for little eyes to see and little fingers to grab.  And this is too where you want to watch for sticky fingers.  One little boy at my craft booth thought the fleece fish toys (for cats) were nice.  So nice, he took every one of them out of the basket they were displayed in.  When his mother asked what he was doing, his answer: “Going fishing”.  His response was cute, even to me the vendor, but not if he had chocolate ice cream all over his fishing fingers.

The same idea goes if you bring your dog to the market, watch them as well.  Small shiny colorful items can look like food to them.  One gulp and you are on your way to the emergency vet. And don’t blame the vendor; it is not their fault they are selling something attractive to your pet.  Also remember that not everyone loves your pet as much as you do.  You will find people, including vendors, who will avoid your dog’s friendliness.  Maybe they have had a bad encounter with a dog so they are afraid or maybe, and most importantly, they are allergic.  I like dogs and cats but get me near one and I start sneezing and wheezing.

Remember if buying at a craft market that you are not just buying the material in the craft or art work but the labor as well.  Yes, artists and craftspeople enjoy, even love, what they do but they are also trying to pay the bills.  You might be able to buy a similar item in a store but it will be machine manufactured not hand crafted.  I will admit I am biased when I say; hand crafted is much more valuable.

If you know how to do a particular craft, know that not all people do things the same way. Don’t consider a knitted shawl, for example, is inferior just because an artist uses a different stitch or yarn than what you would use. So in other words, don’t criticize the artist’s work.

Selling at a market isn’t easy for the vendor but it makes it worth it when you, the buyer, want something hand crafted and one of a kind. So if you get a chance, go shop at a market. And thank the artist for the work they do.

©2017, 2019  Cheryl Fillion

I Went to the Houston Quilt Show

Last week a group of quilters from our local quilt guild rented a bus and went to the International Quilt Show in Houston, Texas.  I hadn’t been in years and even went into training to prepare myself.  (Training?  - yeah, I did more walking to get ready for the walking I would do at the Convention Center. hahaha).

I am so glad I did.  There were over 1000 quilts and hundreds of vendors.  All of it was inspiring and overwhelming.  The quilts were magnificent; definitely the best of the best of quilting. (for copyright reasons I can’t post any pictures.)  They came from all over the world.  I saw quilts from Japan, China, and South Africa as well as quilts from my state of Texas.  You could just be walking along and hear languages from all over the world.   It is truly an international event.

I was inspired by what I saw.  The use of color and imagery was amazing.  There were a lot of special theme exhibits.  One was having to do with Mother Earth, another with Elvis Presley and a group of wall hangings from South Africa.    The different interpretations of each theme were astonishing.  It just shows how diverse people are in their thinking and quilting. 

There were a lot of traditional quilts that made you say Wow when you saw them (I said wow a lot).  And lots of abstract art quilts and pictorial quilts.  Some of the picture quilts looked like photographs until you got up close and saw that they were fabric and thread.  There was a group of thread painted quilts that really did look like photos.  In fact friends I have shown my pictures to can’t believe they are not photos. Look up thread painting on the internet and you will see what I mean.

At times I would think “Just hang up your needle and thread, Cheryl.  You will never be that good.”  But when I would see another different design or color scheme, I realized all quilts are wonderful and all quilts need to be included even my own.

I am new at the craft of art quilts.  I told my brother after seeing these quilts, I now want to try and see what I can do. And that is what quilt shows are all about.  Not just to put a quilter’s work on display but to inspire other quilters to keep on quilting and strive to be the best. 

If you go to a big quilt show like this, go with a friend or friends.  It is much more fun to share the experience.  You don’t have to look at the quilts together; everyone looks at art at a different pace.  But generally sharing the experience together makes it more memorable.  I will remember the bus trip there and back as much as the show itself.

And dress for comfort not fashion.  You will be standing and walking a lot so you might as well be comfortable.  If you want to buy food there and not carry a lunch, go for it.  But I had a feeling there was going to be long lines at any food area so I brought my own water and sandwich.  I didn’t want to waste any time waiting in a line when I could be looking at quilts.

I am trying to use the supplies I have so I didn't buy much but I have to say the vendors were amazing.  If that is what you like to do the most at the quilts shows, bring a totebag to put your purchase bags in.  You don’t want to be worrying about dropping or leaving behind some purchase because you can’t hold on to all the bags holding your treasures. 

And most definitely watch your money.  This is just the place for those who can slip their hand in a purse and walk away with your wallet without you knowing.  I brought a purse with a flap that covered up the opening and kept that flap toward my body when it was on my shoulder.  One friend wore a jacket with breast pockets and that is where she kept her money and credit cards.  She said it did get warm with the jacket on but she didn’t mind as long as her money was safe.

And I joked at the start of this blog that I went into training but I have to tell you, I am so glad I increased my walking time before the quilt show.  I started off with short walks in August and gradually increase the time and distance.  I have done quilts shows before and have come home so sore I could barely get out of bed the next day.  But not this time.  Oh my feet were sore but not hurting.  And my back has felt better since I have been walking more.  (Now just don’t tell my doctor it was the quilt show and not her medical advice that got me walking more.)

My advice to you is if you have a chance to go to a big quilt show and especially if someone else is driving, GO!  It is well worth the time, the money and you will be so inspired to do some more quilting.

©2018  Cheryl Fillion

Buying at a Market or Craft sale

 As I get ready to sell some of my creations at a local craft show, I thought about this post I published last year.  I thought I’d post it again for those of you getting ready to shop at local craft or holiday sales.

If the craft sale is big and you will be doing a lot of walking, forget fashion.  Dress comfortably.  And if the sale is in the summer, dress cool.  Remember to wear shoes meant for walking.

If you are going to be there a while especially in the summer, bring something to drink.  Make sure it has a cover on it, so it doesn’t spill on anyone.  And ask before you put a drink on a vendor table.  The last thing you want to do is have your sticky sweet drink spill all over a vendor’s product, especially product that cannot easily be cleaned like fiber or fabric. Remember this product is the livelihood of the artist.

Know that not all vendors will have credit card capacity, so if you are planning on buying something expensive or a lot of items, bring enough cash and maybe your checkbook (many vendors will accept checks if they cannot do credit or debit cards.). And remember to bring small bills.  Most vendors will have enough cash on hand to make change but if you hand them a $100 bill and you are purchasing something for $5 or $10 that could wipe out their available cash.

If you have children with you, watch out for little fingers.  Lots of things craft vendors sell are bright, shiny and colorful; so tempting for little eyes to see and little fingers to grab.  And this is too where you want to watch for sticky fingers.  One little boy at my craft booth thought the fleece fish toys (for cats) were nice.  So nice, he took every one of them out of the basket they were displayed in.  When his mother asked what he was doing, his answer: “Going fishing”.  His response was cute, even to me the vendor,  but not if he had chocolate ice cream all over his fishing fingers.

The same idea goes if you bring your dog to the market, watch them as well.  Small shiny colorful items can look like food to them.  One gulp and you are on your way to the emergency vet. And don’t blame the vendor; it is not their fault they are selling something attractive to your pet.  Also remember that not everyone loves your pet as much as you do.  You will find people, including vendors, who will avoid your dog’s friendliness.  Maybe they have had a bad encounter with a dog so they are afraid or maybe, and most importantly, they are allergic.  I like dogs and cats but get me near one and I start sneezing and wheezing.

Remember if buying at a craft market that you are not just buying the material in the craft or art work but the labor as well.  Yes, artists and craftspeople enjoy, even love, what they do but they are also trying to pay the bills.  You might be able to buy a similar item in a store but it will be machine manufactured not hand crafted.  I will admit I am biased when I say; hand crafted is much more valuable.

If you know how to do a particular craft, know that not all people do things the same way. Don’t consider a knitted shawl, for example, is inferior just because an artist uses a different stitch or yarn than what you would use. So in other words, don’t criticize the artist’s work.

Selling at a market isn’t easy for the vendor but it makes it worth it when you, the buyer, want something hand crafted and one of a kind. So if you get a chance, go shop at a market. And thank them for the work they do.

 

©2017 , 2018 Cheryl Fillion