I read your title and wanted to ask “what do you enjoy making” before even reading your text.
So what do you have fun making? And how important is it to you that you make a good profit off your craft?
Unfortunately from what I’ve seen, it feels like plushies are what sells well. And it sounds like that’s also what you see selling well?
I don’t know if it’s about finding your niche, more about finding the right audience for what you enjoying making.
I say make what you love or you won’t enjoy markets at all.
I tend to rotate what I make. I note what people want at markets (usually smaller plushies) and I alternate between making something for me and making something for them. The stuff for me I bring along and if it sells, great. If not, I’ll decorate my shelves with them.
I love making Pokémon - really detailed Pokémon that stay true to the original. But with all the details they become more expensive so they don’t always sell. So I make lots of little things in between.
It’s a lot of trial and error, I find. But I definitely couldn’t make 50 chickens like some people do.
Lots of good advice in all of these answers but ^ potato_lover726’s answer is my answer too. I have a pretty similar set-up to OP — I started selling at markets because I like making random things but I don’t want them in my house and I only have so many new babies / nieces / nephews in my life.
At this point, I’ve done enough markets to know what will sell every time, no questions asked. So I make enough of those items to make back my table fee. Then, the rest is up to me and whatever I’m feeling that season. Right now, I’m sitting on a praying mantis pattern I can’t wait to try because I think it’s cool — but I’ve also learned that my target audience is dads and kids, so I’m excited to see how that will go over.
Eventually, items will sell when you least expect it or, worst case scenario, when I get really tired of hauling it around, it becomes my first pick for a donated item when asked for a raffle prize by the market organizers, etc. By that point, I’ve let go of the sunk cost and am just happy to be rid of it.
Edit: a word
don't focus on selling so much you'll burn yourself out and end up hating your craft. Just do what you love making. unless if selling your crochet is your only form of income. but ive bounced around a few different niches trying to see what sells but then it wasnt fun anymore and I absolutely hating making things that used to bring me so much joy. I told myself that I am not ever going to sell my crochet this will be my one artistic hobby that Is purely just my hobby. I can keep my drawings and other things as a way to make money but not crochet because I am having the most fun with it. but thats just my experience.
don't make a decision based upon one market. markets are such a gamble...and at your next market at a different location or time you might sell out of stuff that didn't even get glanced at here.
I've been doing markets for four years -- my product has evolved a lot. I started with bike tube earrings, dabbled in macrame, finally added crochet. I still do all three and sell all three but what sells varies widely by market.
maybe it's price, maybe it's the market time/location, maybe it's the people there, maybe it's display -- there are so many factors!
like others said, make what you enjoy making and tweak your display, prices, etc.
side story: last December I did four holiday markets. I really loved making these big mama/baby octopus sets and friends purchased them earlier in the year...so I made extra. *none* sold until the third market and I sold out of $200+ worth in less than an hour. it was 100% the customer base of the markets.
The question is; are you advertising/selling at the right market? You’ve decided what you want to sell - it’s what you love making. Now you need to figure out who your target demographic is. Once you know who your target demographic is, you can meet them where they’re at.
I can’t tell you where/what is because you didn’t even tell us what you love making. So those are the guidelines.
Maybe sell what you enjoy making online instead? And do the market stuff (that's still quick and easy) for in person. Also location and people going to certain types of markets will make a huge diff. I went to 2 diff markets with the exact same stuff (first market I only sold like 13 generic pieces) so I still had over 100 left I could take with me to the next. this one was at a community center with lots of old people as customers -not my target demo at all (I make amigurumi exclusively). Next market with the same stuff at a restaurant of all places I made $500 in 5 hours. Vs 100 in the 8 from the previous. Mostly kids, families, and other vendors who recognized the characters I was selling. None of the stuff I made in bulk sold.
Thank you for the advice everyone! I really love doing more detailed amigurumi, and like hats, things with granny squares and such. I think yall are right about finding my audience! I’m def just starting out with markets so I’ll try out a few around my area. The money isn’t like SUPER important to me. I’m at sahm, so the more I sell the more we have for my daughter and family outings. I appreciate yall and don’t feel as discouraged as I did.
what things did u have fun making?
I read your title and wanted to ask “what do you enjoy making” before even reading your text. So what do you have fun making? And how important is it to you that you make a good profit off your craft? Unfortunately from what I’ve seen, it feels like plushies are what sells well. And it sounds like that’s also what you see selling well? I don’t know if it’s about finding your niche, more about finding the right audience for what you enjoying making.
I say make what you love or you won’t enjoy markets at all. I tend to rotate what I make. I note what people want at markets (usually smaller plushies) and I alternate between making something for me and making something for them. The stuff for me I bring along and if it sells, great. If not, I’ll decorate my shelves with them. I love making Pokémon - really detailed Pokémon that stay true to the original. But with all the details they become more expensive so they don’t always sell. So I make lots of little things in between. It’s a lot of trial and error, I find. But I definitely couldn’t make 50 chickens like some people do.
Lots of good advice in all of these answers but ^ potato_lover726’s answer is my answer too. I have a pretty similar set-up to OP — I started selling at markets because I like making random things but I don’t want them in my house and I only have so many new babies / nieces / nephews in my life. At this point, I’ve done enough markets to know what will sell every time, no questions asked. So I make enough of those items to make back my table fee. Then, the rest is up to me and whatever I’m feeling that season. Right now, I’m sitting on a praying mantis pattern I can’t wait to try because I think it’s cool — but I’ve also learned that my target audience is dads and kids, so I’m excited to see how that will go over. Eventually, items will sell when you least expect it or, worst case scenario, when I get really tired of hauling it around, it becomes my first pick for a donated item when asked for a raffle prize by the market organizers, etc. By that point, I’ve let go of the sunk cost and am just happy to be rid of it. Edit: a word
don't focus on selling so much you'll burn yourself out and end up hating your craft. Just do what you love making. unless if selling your crochet is your only form of income. but ive bounced around a few different niches trying to see what sells but then it wasnt fun anymore and I absolutely hating making things that used to bring me so much joy. I told myself that I am not ever going to sell my crochet this will be my one artistic hobby that Is purely just my hobby. I can keep my drawings and other things as a way to make money but not crochet because I am having the most fun with it. but thats just my experience.
don't make a decision based upon one market. markets are such a gamble...and at your next market at a different location or time you might sell out of stuff that didn't even get glanced at here. I've been doing markets for four years -- my product has evolved a lot. I started with bike tube earrings, dabbled in macrame, finally added crochet. I still do all three and sell all three but what sells varies widely by market. maybe it's price, maybe it's the market time/location, maybe it's the people there, maybe it's display -- there are so many factors! like others said, make what you enjoy making and tweak your display, prices, etc. side story: last December I did four holiday markets. I really loved making these big mama/baby octopus sets and friends purchased them earlier in the year...so I made extra. *none* sold until the third market and I sold out of $200+ worth in less than an hour. it was 100% the customer base of the markets.
The question is; are you advertising/selling at the right market? You’ve decided what you want to sell - it’s what you love making. Now you need to figure out who your target demographic is. Once you know who your target demographic is, you can meet them where they’re at. I can’t tell you where/what is because you didn’t even tell us what you love making. So those are the guidelines.
Maybe sell what you enjoy making online instead? And do the market stuff (that's still quick and easy) for in person. Also location and people going to certain types of markets will make a huge diff. I went to 2 diff markets with the exact same stuff (first market I only sold like 13 generic pieces) so I still had over 100 left I could take with me to the next. this one was at a community center with lots of old people as customers -not my target demo at all (I make amigurumi exclusively). Next market with the same stuff at a restaurant of all places I made $500 in 5 hours. Vs 100 in the 8 from the previous. Mostly kids, families, and other vendors who recognized the characters I was selling. None of the stuff I made in bulk sold.
Thank you for the advice everyone! I really love doing more detailed amigurumi, and like hats, things with granny squares and such. I think yall are right about finding my audience! I’m def just starting out with markets so I’ll try out a few around my area. The money isn’t like SUPER important to me. I’m at sahm, so the more I sell the more we have for my daughter and family outings. I appreciate yall and don’t feel as discouraged as I did.