Handmade: help with price and where to sell

[demoermina]

Hello everybody!

 

I am new here. I have some handmade(homemade) products about crochet.

Please, help with price, and where to find buyer

[redrosesdz]

Wow!  Your work is stunning!

 

It's funny that you asked about price, because that was a topic of discussion in my last yarn group get together.  The answers varied from 1.5 to 3 x the cost of materials.  2x the cost seems about right to me.  However, your work is better than average, so I'd price it at 3x the cost of materials.

 

Do you want to sell online or in real life or both?  I've seen people open a store on Etsy, but I don't know about their success.  You'll definitely want your pics on pinterest with links to your online store.  In real life, there are always fairs and flea markets where you can set up a booth.  Since yours are in white with gold trim, you could approach a wedding or flower shop (as long as they aren't a chain) and ask about selling them on consignment.  There are other threads in crochetville about where to sell items.  Look in the shopping strip section.

 

My question for you is how did you get your big items stiff?  I spent months trying to stiffen a basket with no success.  Is it a combination of the yarn/thread and a stiffening product or can the stiffening product be used with any fiber?  Also, how do you shape the flowers on the vase and the top of the basket?

[demoermina]

Thanks for positive comments!

The starch shaped flowers , and rigidity in these matters is of starch.

 

So you reccomend me to find flower and wedding stores, and try there to sell?

[redrosesdz]

It doesn't hurt to ask them!  The worst thing that could happen is they say no.  I'd be prepared with your prices and the percentage you're willing to share with them when they get sold.  They'll want to negotiate both, but you're better off if you know your limits beforehand.  If you're not sure, contact a local consignment shop and ask them what percentage they take.

 

What fiber did you use for your crocheting?  Do you use spray starch or liquid?  (I tried the spray and failed, but not the liquid.)

[demoermina]

Dear,

 

Thanks for your advices, I really appreciate!

 

As for my work, I used liquid starch. And about fiber I use thread for crocheting, not for sewing.

 

I really don't know how much this works can cost.. I am from Montenegro, and here is very bad market for products like this.

[magiccrochetfan]

Hi Demoermina, welcome to the ville

 

You may want to look in a different section of the forums:  if you go to the main forums page http://www.crochetville.com/community/ and scroll down, you will see Crochet Business Center, and under that a heading Selling Crochet.  You can read previous discussion about selling things you've made.  Also there is good information under the Resources for Starting a Crochet Business.  This site is based in the US so a lot of the information will refer to conditions in the US, I believe.  

 

I know some people sell things on Etsy, an online site, but I really do not know much about it as I have never bought anything there and I do not sell at all.

 

Unfortunately it can be hard to sell crocheted things anywhere, from what I have read.  I don't think there is a very good market anywhere really.  Perhaps in areas where there is a historic tradition of crocheting, and a lot of tourists who are informed about the craft.  

[Granny Square]

I agree with Magiccrochetfan about selling crocheted items not being profitable, especially thread things like yours (which are beautiful!)

 

You might get more money if you lived near a high-end tourist spot and consign them in a shop, but sadly where I am I see doilies for sale at $1-2,  maybe up to $5 for the larger items.  Even astonishingly fine similar antique items aren't priced any higher.

 

 

Perhaps if you contact a wedding shop, you could get a better price on wedding garters (are you in the USA?  I'm not sure if this is a custom in other places).

[demoermina]

@Granny Square

Well, I am from Montenegro (Europe), but I should come in NY in upcoming months, and I was wondering where I can sell these works, and especially about price.

How did I understand the best is to try in wedding shops and souvenir or pawn shops. I am sure that there must be people who will like this work, and would like to have some of this products in their homes, it is beautiful decoration, to be honest..

Women and housewifes would be interested in this 100%. But if prices are like the one you mentioned, it is disaster. Pretty unfair, because you spend a lot of time on this work, and especially your eyesight.

[Granny Square]

I agree, threadwork items are works of art, really, and don't seem to be much appreciated as much today, even by crafters.  So many patterns now emphasize "fast", "easy", and are for larger yarns/multi strands, and huge hooks.  Even arm knitting!!.

 

I am guessing that it might be more appreciated in Europe; there are pattern magazines devoted to crocheted lace there; there are none at present in the USA, that I'm aware of (usually 1 doily pattern, and the rest are blankets, clothes, larger items).

 

So sad!