It’s pretty obvious isn’t it.  Even to me.  Yes, I am a market groupie.  I started attending craft markets about fifteen years ago, when there weren’t many operating in and around Melbourne.  Now it’s like there is a market somewhere nearby every weekend, often on both days.  I do wonder if we have reached the point of craft market overload.  Nevertheless, I do often find myself at a craft market, and sometimes I even buy something.  Well, I almost always buy something to eat – Cathie from Melbourne Epicure has been at a few of the markets I’ve attended this month and makes divine tarts, cupcakes and biscuits – and Clare is always at me to buy something for her.  But I generally manage to restrain myself – after all, isn’t the crafter’s mantra “but I could make that myself”?  I did recently buy these beautiful brooches from Cam at CurlyPops and received a lovely soap in pouch from Felicity of Flicketysplitts.

I have had numerous compliments on those brooches!  Thanks Cam!  I bought one of Felicity’s Hoots (this one is called Salmon Ella Hoot) for a friend’s 1 year old.

I love that she can play peekaboo with the wings – the 1 year old has a 3 year old sister and I’m sure that there will be plenty of fun between the two with Hoot.

Because I attend so many craft markets, I am definitely starting to see the same things over and over.  That’s not a criticism, more an observation.  Many of the items for sale are beautiful and well made.  Some need improvement.  Some are vastly overpriced for what is involved.  Most are vastly underpriced for what is involved.  Running a craft market stall must be a terribly difficult way to make a living – even to make decent pocketmoney.  I know how long it takes to make many of those items that are for sale!  I know what the materials cost – not just the fabrics, but the interfacings, the fusibles, the hardware, the labels, the business cards. 

People often say to me “why don’t you have a market stall and sell those bags you make/things you crochet/clothes you sew?”  Other than not liking to make things production-style, I simply cannot see how it could be profitable.  It takes me three to five hours to make a bag with a number of pockets, layers of interfacing and wadding, hardware, zips, topstitching etc, including the time spent on cutting out, pressing etc, not just the sewing time.  Add to that the cost of materials and I cannot see how anyone would pay approx $120 or more for a fabric bag made by me.  Because I would definitely want to charge at least the same amount per hour that I receive at my day job – my time is precious to me! 

Many of you do sell what you make – why?  From an entirely selfish perspective I am glad that you do as I enjoy my market jaunts.  But do you think that it is worth it?  What does everyone else think?