14 June, 2014

The First Market

Oops! There is a reason for the recent radio-silence.

The last few weeks of term involved some intense essay writing (and gin drinking!). And, because I must subconsciously love crazy deadlines, every spare moment was spent preparing for my very first market stall!





I set up my little table at the Manning Valley Envirofair - an annual sustainability fair in my hometown. It was lovely to get away from the icy Armidale weather for a weekend. The sun was shining. People were smiling. I even went to the beach!

The response to my knitwear was mind-blowing. I met so many kind people, all of them excited to find something warm to take home for the Winter. Previously, I hadn't been sure whether markets were something I wanted to do. Now I'm already looking forward to the next one!



The greatest part of the day was being able to chat to my customers and really get to know the kinds of people interested in my designs. A cello player found a pair of fingerless gloves, perfect for keeping her hands warm during evening performances. A lovely woman undergoing chemotherapy found a warm pink beanie, soft enough to wear against her delicate skin. It was a wonderful feeling, seeing people walk away with smiles on their faces, and realising that there really is a need and a desire for little businesses like mine to thrive.

While we were setting up, I just had to get a photo of another stall-holder wearing her new knit bow! Doesn't it look great in her awesome hair?




My little loot: An cute pair of handmade earrings, and some Greenpatch Organic Seeds.

Have you ever run your own market stall? I'd love to hear about it!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ooh, lovely items! Scarf looks great, as does the bow in your customer's hair. So pretty :-) congrats on a successful, first market!

Anonymous said...

Oh wow, good for you! I think it's a huge step and it's good to hear that it went so well! It must take long to refill your inventory, doesn't it? (I'm rubbish at knitting, I would imagine it takes months to finish something. :) )

Unknown said...

:) Thank you!

Unknown said...

Definitely, haha! It's not something I'd be able to manage super regularly. My knitting is a lot quicker than it used to be, but big scarves and cowls still take forever! Thankfully, bows, gloves and beanies are a lot more popular :D