Ode to All the Late Bloomers

I am coming to the end of the cosies I made from my imagination. This is Dotty Dandelion and she is a faerie inspired Snug. I gave her round soft pink cheeks which I think make her look like she is always blushing. The colouring I choose while knitting her is very strong and a little unconventional so I decided to make her a bit magical to go along with the weirdness.

I made her small felt wings and decorated them with flower shaped sequins and beads. I also made her a felt garland for her head which was decorated in a similar fashion. I was going for a woodland nymph feel.

I made Dotty at the same time as the rest of the cosies I have already shown you but for some reason she didn’t sell for ages. Being a self-employed artist can be hard that way sometimes. I have made pieces that I feel are attractive or well put together but they just don’t seem to capture the imagination of the customer. They sit out on the table at a craft market and things sell all around them but they don’t ever seem to get chosen. It can be a little sad packing them away at the end of the evening knowing that for another week they have not gone to a new home.

Then one day, generally when you have given up any hope of selling something, the right person will come to the table and admire it. Then you hear the magic words “I’ll take this one”. I was so happy the day I sold Dotty, her time had arrived. Sometimes it is just about having some patience and waiting for the right person for the right piece.

I have found there are some difficulties living in a small country like Ireland. Craft markets can be few and far between when you do not drive a car and you are living on a budget. Attendance can be poor and tables expensive. Selling one of a kind hand-made item is always a risk. You can make a large investment with your time and resources without any guarantee of a return. You will never be every body’s cup of tea and some days the mood of the crowd is not in your favour. I have had days when I have sold nearly everything on my table and days when I have struggled to make a five euro sale.

I’m still figuring out the best way to go to market (whether that is the local craft fair or a market place in cyber space). It’s one of those “live and learn” situations I think. I feel its one of those things you never really stop learning because the work never stops changing. I have gathered plenty of experience though, some I would keep and some I might give back. I have definitely learned from all of it.