Optimism and bobble hats on a rainy day

I’m feeling most uncharacteristically optimistic today. This comes as a huge surprise as I spent the morning at a craft fair where I failed to sell even one item! Considering the dismal wet weather, it didn’t really come as a shock that customers didn’t arrive in droves to the chilly little WI hall, but despite the lack of sales, I did enjoy myself!

There is something a bit therapeutic for me about laying out all the different things I’ve made on a nice big table. Some of them (I’m looking at you, colourful 4 ply doilies!) were made years ago now, and I hesitate over whether to put them out or not. They are not delicate or lace-like. The colours, mauve, orange, green, pink, aren’t “normal” colours for doilies, but they are the colours I felt like using at the time, and I still find them pleasing. Maybe they will never be sold, but a craft fair gives me the chance to get them put and look at them again!

I try not to put too much pressure on myself to have lots of new stock for each fair (far too depressing when it doesn’t sell!) but I do get a little thrill at having something new on my table for the first time.

Today I had some new hats to display. I had a lot of Drops Eskimo in my stash, so I decided to experiment with hat patterns. I found a simple staggered rib pattern worked wonderfully, especially when top with a pompom. It turns out that Drops Eskimo makes the best pompoms!

I do have to be careful how I set out my stall though. But even with hats on one side and tea cosies on the other, there are always a few comments and confusion as to which is which! For that reason I have a couple of enamel teapots (that I love) and some mildly disturbing polystyrene heads (that I do not) which help make the distinction more obvious!

It just occurred to me that I should probably invest in a mirror to encourage people to try the hats on…

Oh well, I have another craft fair booked for 16th December, so I can have one then. I might just slip a tea-cosy in with the hats, and see if anyone tries it on.

The relative peace and quiet of the fair today did at least give me the opportunity to list some more of my hats in my Folksy shop. Feel free to have a look!

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Beth

😁