Craft Fair Success

A fantastic craft fair, lots of fun to do and many people through the door meant never a dull moment.  I learned a few things and was really pleased to be there.  There was a huge turnout of local people so we all felt busy through the day.  I sold quite a few little things which made it worth while.  It was a success, definitely.

The things that I sold a lot of were the coin purses and smaller makeup bags and a few little bags.  My gorgeous cushion covers are still with me so I have been able to add them to my ‘Etsy shop‘ and hopefully they will find a happy home.

The upholstery fabric I made them with is something that I was a little worried about when coming to quilting something big.  Now that I have got these cushion covers finished and they look so lovely, I feel much more inspired to try something larger with it.  I tried doing triangular shapes in squares with this fabric here and because it is so thick the seams were close together and very bulky.  But I think I can probably get away with rectangular strips and squares – the log cabin cushions as an example.

Next up – a quilt in upholstery fabric, I just need to choose my colours.

Halloween Over and not Panicking…yet

Halloween over with a party bag as as a reminder. The boys had lots of fun decorating the bags and trick or treating was very noisy down our street, even though the noise came mainly from our boys and one teeny girl, the road seemed pretty quiet, not many others were out at 5pm.

Here is one of the decorated bags, credit to my son for the art work – the pens are fabric pens and you can get them on the high street pretty easily.  They can be washed and I think the instructions say just use a hot iron to set the ink:)  If you want the tutorial and pattern I used go here.

Next up a craft fair at the weekend…am I ready?  I think so, just a bit of sewing to do.   Time goes so fast and now that my little – or not so little toddler has stopped her sleep in the middle of the day er hum, I no longer have my two hours of sewing time any more – do I hear a violin playing;)

Never Mind, I still manage to fit some sewing in, in a slightly different format and will have a few new things on my stall.  The bits I am most excited about are these cushion covers made from upholstery fabric.  The colours are so gorgeous I almost want to keep them myself.

Thanks for popping over,

Dianna

Craft Fair Update

Yesterday came and went – thank you all the people who wished me well for the event, I would love to say that it was a success.

Brick Lane, a perfect place one would think – a long tradition of street markets many staking out a piece of pavement or small stall to sell their things, from dusty old books to rusty tools.

Our market was slightly off the main drag – in fact it seemed to far a step for the majority of footfall upon the pavements of Brick Lane itself.  So there were not many that passed through the doors.  Fortunately we were dry inside – the sun shone – the wind blew – the thunder cracked – the rain came and went all the way through the day, but we were dry.  Quiet, Quiet, Quiet.

So, I feel a bit disappointed.  The works that all craft stall holders put into their stalls and all the time before, during and after was lost.  There were a few that made some sales, I can’t say I did.

Will I do another?  Once bitten….I do feel very shy now.

Fortunately the stall holders got to know each other a bit, and we exchanged thoughts, ideas and cards and a few showed interest in my items and took some cards.  Maybe something will come of it – here is to hoping.

This is what my stall looked like – before and after shot in one.

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Three Days to Go

I am getting ready and thankfully today was much more productive on my sewing machine.  I have been busy making little cosmetic cases and coin cases.  Tomorrow I hope to do more.  I would also like to make a few Ipod, Ipad and Kindle Covers. Then on Friday I will need to go over all my work to check it is properly finished – no threads still uncut an’ all.

Here are today’s little additions

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Patchworked Themed Of Course.

FiFi’s Next Market

Here is the link to FiFi’s Next Market on Sunday 17th July 2011 – doesn’t it look grand?!

There is a flyer too, but I am struggling to upload it into this post.

I hope that if you live near by and fancy a little look, that you will come along:)

In between all the excitement and anticipation for Sunday today I mostly played another rather delicate game of patience with my sewing – seems like the closer I get to a market the more I want to do and inevitably I do less…

My day was spent on tidying up and ironing little bits of oilcloth for some smaller oilcloth pieces – she says

Hopefully tomorrow this day of organising procrastination will bear some fruit on my machine

CROSS THOSE FINGERS!!!

Worth the Wait and One Week to Go

I have a week to go before ‘FiFi’s Market’.  It is just off Brick Lane, London in the Rag Factory.  Sunday is a good market day in and around Brick Lane, where there are lots of street markets too, so hopefully it will be busy.  I have made a few bags now and think the next week I need to concentrate on some smaller pieces.

I finished off this bag with patience today and I think it has turned out really well.  I have changed the style of handles for a bit of difference and like the way they look.

I also managed to make a few of these little lipstick cases…do you think they might sell at the market?

Finished Patchwork Bags For the Market

I am getting a bit more stock for my market on the 17th of July.  The two bag’s ‘patchworked’ fabric was finished in January and over the past few days I have fashioned two new bags out of the pieces.  I feel quite pleased that I will have a bit of a collection of patchwork styled bags for the market.

It will be good to get some feedback on my work, I am never sure how it will be received or if things will sell.  Here is to hoping there will be people that like the bags and bits enough to buy something.

Oilcloth Place Mats and Wallet Craft Kits To Go

Our place mats for the table are so well-worn they are finally in the bin to be replaced by these fun double-sided mats.

Also I need some help…when you go to a fair or market what types of things catch your eye?  Market day is coming for me and I am once again scratching my head as to what to make.  I had some brilliant suggestions for the last craft fair I did – bags, aprons, pin cushions and pot holders.  But – what would you buy?  Something big or small, should I focus on all made or some kits too?  Which of my products do you like?  All suggestions welcome.

I finally got round to making a wallet kit – would any one like a go at making one of these?  Email me and I will send you a kit for a starter price of £7.00 including P&P .  Another thought, what about a mobile phone cover kit?  A good easy project to get you started on oilcloth without having to buy reams of it.

Here are two kits ready to go, I would be happy to make others in different prints, just let me know – the kit will come with all instructions, cut pieces needed for the project as well as the zipper and magnetic clasp.

Enjoy what you are doing where ever you are:)

Makes for a Market

I am doing an indoor market this July, so I have been busy making.  I thought I would start with a few of my favourite wallets to get me going.  I love these wallets, I have been using mine for just under a year and it is so practical, lots of space for all your coins, paper money and slips, and if you are a bit of a collector like me it is very useful.  Over the next few weeks I would like to do quite a few different items for the market.  I am also thinking my way through a wallet making kit with my pattern and an oilcloth of choice – what do you think?

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Rain Forecast and now Stops Play at Craft Fair

After deliberating as to whether or not to do the Sunday Craft Fair at Syon Park I decided and cancelled my place on Friday.  I woke this morning to sunshine and couldn’t believe it, but now it has started to drizzle so feel my decision was the right one.  I wanted to do it and have been frantically sewing every spare minute.  But I had little choice with no overhead cover organised.  I tried to track down a decent gazebo to help but hit a dead-end, I have to say I am a wee bit disappointed.

Not all is lost though, I have a day to do a bit more sewing, YAY!! and recently someone ordered a bag with this stunning oilcloth.  So I have something to busy myself with.I do like this print, and can’t wait to see the made up bag.  So pretty.  The rest of the things I made for the fair will hopefully be put in my folksy shop by the end of the day too, so do go over to have a look if you would like.

If a bit of clear sky peeps, I might make my way to Syon Park to have a look at some of my fellow artisans wares.

What ever you are doing enjoy your Sunday.