Selling at craft fairs can be a blast! It can also be pricey. Paying for your spot at the fair, traveling costs, buying food to eat, and potentially buying other peoples’ crafty wares – it can be a pretty penny if you aren’t careful about it. What else do you find drains your money while selling at a craft fair? I’d love to hear your experience!
Anyway, why add to the cost of setting up your booth when you can just make your booth better by being craftier? Skip the fancy tables and pre-made displays. These DIY craft fair displays are the perfect solution for your booth without breaking the bank. Plus, many of these displays are pieces of art on their own which will make your booth look even craftier. Say goodbye to boring booths and hello to cheap and cute DIY booths!
Maximize Vertical Spaces
I see many booths that are great at using the walls to help display their items. If you could use a little improvement in this department, these four projects will help you create an inviting space by drawing your consumer’s eye upwards to look at more than just what’s on the table.
Drab Tables No More
Say hello to Fab tables that add just the right “pop” to your booth.
- Craft Fair Table Cover
- DIY Ombre Tablecloth
- Restyled Sewing Table
- Perfect Fit Tablecloth
- Bandana Quilt Tablecloth
Chalk it Up to Chalkboard Signage
Trendy? Sure. Cute? Definitely.
- Beaded Chalk and Bulletin Board
- Personalized Chalkboard Sign
- No Sweat Homemade Chalk Paint
- Celebrate Spring Chalkboard Banner
- Upcycled Chalkboard Plaque
- Country Christmas Chalkboard
- Denim Back to School Chalkboard
- Fabric Scrap Chalkboard
Strut Your Stuff with Crafty Business Card Holders
Seal the deal with a business card holder that matches your crafty personality and style.
- Cute Business Card Case
- Business Card Holder Pattern
- Colorful Card Holder
- Business Card Portfolio
- Fuzzy Felt Wallet Card Holder
How do you display your items at a craft fair?
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I need advice,,,, I’m make dish towels with crochet toppers. I would like sell them in fairs. Can you tell me if they will sale in craft shows
Kitchen towels with crocheted tops are still one of my best selling items at craft fairs. I have found that it is very important to match your yarn colors to the towel. If the towel is a plain color, use some variegated yarn to make it more attractive. I normally cut my towels in half and make both halves of the towel the same but this is not totally necessary. Some customers will want to purchase the matching pair but other customers will look for a variety or a theme, for example, shades of blue or fall-themed designs. I always match my buttons to the yarn color. I am often complimented by customers on my use of color – matching the yarn and buttons to the towel color/design. I also use more than one crochet top pattern for more variety. These techniques add to the value of the towel.
You must watch the cost of your towels. It is getting more difficult to find good quality towels at reasonable prices. If you are cutting the towel in half, you can’t sell your towels for a price that is less than the cost of the supplies you are using to make the item. If the original cost of your towel is $7.00 and you cut the towel in half, you are already at $3.50 worth of towel invested in your craft without adding on the cost of the yarn, a button, and a small profit to final selling price. Many customers are also asking for double towels (a kitchen-sized towel folded in half with a crocheted top). You have to decide what you are going to do because it means you have to keep a finished inventory of both styles. Also, if you purchased the towel for $7.00 and make it into a double towel, it will be difficult to sell it for $10.00 or more with a little bit of yarn and a button attached to it.
Probably my last piece of advice is to purchase holiday-themed towels (Christmas, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, and Easter) far in advance. Holiday towels make great gifts but you can’t wait for the holiday to arrive to purchase these towels or you will miss the opportunity to sell them at craft fairs for that season. I often purchase holiday towels a year ahead to have them on hand. Then I can make enough holiday towels to have in my finished inventory to replenish what I sold the previous year.
I hope this answers your question. There is a lot to consider when you decide on your product mix to sell at craft fairs.
Thank you for all the information! I don’t do the crocheted tops but fabric tops! Velcro closings or buttons. I am thinking about applying to do some fall shows this year but i notice that where I used to a lot of business at “school” and “church” shows, they don’t seem to be as prevalent any more. Any ideas on how to find them?
Do you know of any dish towels hangers to display the sample towels for crafts fairs
The best display I’ve seen at shows, is the old fashioned wooden air dry rack. Easy to get product, even easier to toe around as a Vendor!
Whether or not any item will “sell”, is highly dependent on local demographics and the specific crafts fair– you’ll need to do local research to see if they’ll sell in YOUR area/at a given craft fair. A fair that has a “country” or “homey” theme/feel to it– they would “fit” in; a craft fair featuring “fine crafts” probably would not be a “fit” for them, unless you are doing “artsy” versions.
Towels with toppers here– maybe they sell, if priced at the cost of materials. Maybe. Because grandma used to make those all the time, and sell them for $1, and 3 for $2, so why are those so expensive?
I sale these at all my craft shows like hot cakes. I go to the dollar store and pick up the towels for a dollar. When the sale on Christmas, fall, or any other holiday comes up. I can pick them up for .50 cents. So, you have to go where the sale is. The buttons, will I got buttons off of old shirts, coats and yard sales. You just got to look for a way to make it with out killing your bank book.
That is in any craft you can do. My husband was given old shelving. He is making bird houses out of. So, just keep your eyes open for the good things to make out of old things.
I need advice,,,, I’m make dish towels with crochet toppers. I would like sell them in fairs. Can you tell me if they will sale in craft show.
Thank you, Nancy.
If they are well made, color-coordinated popular designs, priced right & displayed well — they will sell ! I have proved it.
yes they will
I want to sell beaded ornaments at a craft show but stuck on my prices to sell. Some have a lot of detail n beads and some r simple but yet elegant. They range from 3″ diameter to 5″ diameter.
I’m making mini crocheted penguins, fingerless gloves, and cowls for the holiday season, do you think they will sell?
I have been selling at craft shows my plastic canvas items but I can’t seem to draw enough attention to my booths can some someone give me some advise on how to just get people to stop and se that it isn’t the stuff their grandmother did? I make phone cases, journal covers and some other new techy stuff.
I am wanting to start a craft business out of my home. My husband teaches dog obedient training and they have shows that I could set up at. I am disabled so, I will have to depend on my husband support. A lot of my items will have to be dog oriented , but, I want to do incorporate all types of items. I do a lot of machine embroidery and I am starting out by buying retail…..Can you help me with any thoughts on pricing and where to find wholesale prices for persons just starting out…Janice
I can’t help a whole lot with wholesale. You can try sites like Listia (you put up things you don’t need for credits & use those credits to bid on things you do want off that site).
What I would recommend, as I am disabled too, it that you learn how to use Etsy. Take pictures of your products, set up a PayPal account & sell your things on line. When you are big enough to be a business, get a tax id number & then USPS will deliver shipping boxes to you for free (in bulk) so you can ship. You will end up paying Priority shipping, but you can print the labels at home & that always saves you money over taking them into the Post Office & letting them put the Priority shipping on.
I hope this helps.
Good luck!
I also am disabled so I wish you all the best. I have been selling for too many years to count. I sell hand sewn items — kitchen items, infant and toddler’s clothes, doll clothes (big seller), beaded dog collars, embroidered dog bandanas (try making some that slide over a dog’
s collar rather than tying around their neck) and my BIG SELLER — home made dog treats. I took some to a fair one day to give away to the furry customers and they were a hit. People come every week to see what flavors I have that week. I have 4 different kinds every week and I never repeat a flavor from week to week with the exception of peanut butter bones. I sell them every week and I sell out. Don’t make too many packages of each flavor to avoid excessive leftovers. The Humane Society has a booth at my Farmer’s Market so at the end of the day I give them anything I have that did not sell. I feel good and the dogs feel loved. And I get kisses, what could be better???
I just saw your post about the dog treats. I had thought about making and selling those since I make homemade treats for my own dog and cats, but the legal requirements of lab testing for a guaranteed analysis for each flavor and labeling have put me off the idea. Are there any ways to make that all easier? Any labs that don’t charge a fortune for the testing?
If you shop eBay, you can locate nylon strapping by the yard , more even less, mostly from a foreign country. They are strong and make great doggy leads or collars. The hardware is also found on eBay. Very economical, triple your income quickly
I’m thinking of trying to sell online. Sewing, crochet, embroidery, monogramming. Do you have to have a business license to sell on line
Trying to get a small business going, making custom crafts. My husband and I prefer to make items that have been specifically requested by customers. I.e. colors, theme, etc. We make and refurbish many different items. This has been extremely hard to get going. I have done approximately 7 Craft Shows and some wre successful, while a couple were very disappointing. Would really like to take orders online. Working on taking pictures of some of our items. I work 2 jobs, so this has not moved as quickly as I had wished. Any suggestions on how to start? We really need for this business to work and I know with a little advice/some suggestions and help, we can make this work. We definitely have the determination, confidence, and are very hard workers…not so savy with the internet/online store part.
You might start with the U.S. Small Business Administration (www.sba.gov). You would then click on Business Licenses & Permits (on the left side of the screen). Then click the link for your state for more information. I learned that I do not need a license to start a crochet business in my state (MD) Good luck!