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Old 04-01-2014, 05:40 AM
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profannie
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Posts: 459
Default Looking for ideas for an artisan fair

Hi everyone,
After quilting for two years and making 15 quilts for friends and family members, I have now enough confidence in my quilting abilities to show my work at an artisan fair. I have apply for one that will be held on November. The committee wants to meet me and evaluate my work at the end of April. So I have a few weeks in front of me to prepare a small inventory of articles I would like to sell.

I would love to get input from the ones who have some experience on this subject. Here a few informations about the specifics:

-The artisan fair is held annually, at the end of November (so it's for Christmas shopping). It get about 3000-4000 visitors. It`s the only fair of this kind in the year. It`s indoor, and it`s well advertised. The cost for a table is 200$ for three days.

-Quilting is really not a popular hobby in my area. Fabric is hard to find and cost a lot (16-17$/yard).

-Making money is not really the real motivation about going to this fair. Basically, I want my work to be out of my sewing room, seen by other people than my kids or my DH. For somebody who was not even able to sew five years ago, making quilt is quite an accomplishment (I see it more like pride than vanity)

I'm a mom of two kids and I work part time, so my sewing time is precious. I don't want to make tons of articles that I don't care sewing just for making up an inventory. So I was thinking about concentring my production on baby and kids items. Juvenile fabrics is what appeal me the most anyway.

For the evaluation committee, I already have three baby quilts done. I plan to make these article:
-a stroller quilt (20 X 30) with ties
-a taggie quilt (12 X 12)
-a young artist portefolio (for kids to carry their papers and pencil)
-a pencil roll
-a quilted toddler apron
-a quilted bib

What do you think of this inventory? Is there enough variety? Any other idea? For a 3000-5000 visitors 3 days show, how much of each one would you make? (I know it`s a question the committee will ask me, and I have really no idea!)

Any thought would be appreciated!
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