Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Feeling Lousy

For the last few days it has been a struggle to get anything done. I have been feeling lousy, to say the least. I have no new pictures to show, even though I did remake the earrings and made another bookmark. It's nothing you haven't seen already. And with impending canning, I need to feel better! I have 3 bushels of peaches sitting in my basement and sweet cherries in the mail...

So instead of griping, since that really helps no one, I thought I would share a few more pictures from the archives.

Three months ago I thought to try a local craft shop to sell my tatting and crochet. They charge monthly rent... and I ended each month paying them instead of getting a check for the things I sold. Maybe needless to say, I won't be continuing that trend. But that leaves me with a conundrum. The current employment I have at home is only through August. I either need to find a normal job which would limit my tatting time (heaven forbid!) or I need to actually start making money on the things I do. I tried Etsy a year ago for some crochet and had no luck selling anything. I think I'm going to give everything a go again, but it's very frightening and disheartening to spend so much time on all of these things and have people think I'm asking outrageous prices. (Which, for the record, I ask pretty much nothing for my materials and only about $3.00/hour for my time. I think that's outrageously cheap.)




 Interestingly enough, this is the only tatting from my shop that has gone home with someone. Sadly, they shoplifted it.
 These necklaces are just like the more recent one I posted with labradorite stones. I think they are just so pretty.

 ...and I designed some earrings to match...
...and several of the standby bookmarks.

Here are a few of the things I have in my shop until the end of July. Then I will be rethinking my life of crafts (again) and trying to figure out how to make a living on them...

Any suggestions would be appreciated! I really want to make this work since it's what I love to do... Advice?

...just keep tatting :)
Posted by youngtatter at 5:26 AM

3 comments:

  1. MichelleJuly 26, 2011 at 5:36 AM

    Your tatting is gorgeous! Unfortunately, I think it's very hard to sell tatting especially doilies. They take so much time (fun, well-spent time) that to figure a per hour price is impossible. Especially since if I go to a flea market, I can pick up "old" doilies for a quarter or .50. Not necessarily tatted ones but if I'm not a tatter, then I can't tell the difference between them and crocheted ones.
    I think your necklaces are gorgeous (that's Fuschia, right?) and those would sell on etsy. Maybe the trick is to sell what others don't?
    Of course I, myself, have almost no experience with this so what do I know?

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  2. Lace-lovin' Librarian ~ DianeJuly 26, 2011 at 6:12 AM

    I completely agree with Michelle. Your tatting is beautiful. I wish you luck in finding a good venue for your sales!

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  3. Marilee RockleyJuly 26, 2011 at 8:32 AM

    So sorry to hear that one of your tatted pieces was stolen! Well, at least you know that someone lusted after it enough to steal it. Maybe that is a sign to make more like that one!

    In my limited experience, tatted jewelry does sell at an art/craft fair if you can get into an upscale venue (where things are pricey, artsy, and attract people with money). See if you can get your things into a local museum gift shop.

    Definitely stay away from trying to sell doilies - nobody buys doilies! (Experience speaking here - been there, tried that.) People do buy jewelry.

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