Raising cash in a hurry #22: Make stuff to sell
Update May 2009: Report after report of tainted toys and food on store shelves has enhanced the appeal of homemade goods. And thanks to the recession, plenty of us now have the free time to make these items by hand.
Every year my best crafting buddy, Larissa and I sign up for our favorite holiday bazaar (the table fees are cheap and it's for a good cause) and set out to make a good bit of our Christmas money through making hats, bags, wallets and wristlets out of recycled sweaters. While some items languish on our artful table, others fly out the door (often worn by the purchaser), and I use this research as a stop-gap measure when I've totally spent all my coffee-and-yarn budget for the month.
When I'm entirely broke, I'll get out the sewing machine. My favorite quick project is little stuffed geese (I call 'em "teething birds" because babies love to chew on their little birdy heads) made out of thrifted fabric, and they sell like crazy on Etsy, an online shop devoted to crafty vendors.
Selling crafts is a fantastic way to make quick money (as long as you don't get too hung up in your hourly wage), especially for an at-home parent or someone with a lot of time gaps in your day.
It's typically not a great way to earn a living -- there's a fine line between enjoying your skill with handicraft and turning your sewing room/pottery wheel/workbench into a sweat shop -- but it's a fine way to fill in the gaps between pay for freelancers or anyone with a money crisis.
From my experience, items that sell quickly are generally low-priced vanity purchases that aren't incredibly useful. When I made gorgeous wallets out of ties, I had lots of admiration but no sales; a wallet is such a daily-use item that people aren't willing to buy one from a crafter. On the other hand, hats, small toys, jewelry, scarves, aprons, magnets and buttons, tote bags and mosaic coasters were huge sellers. The more potentially useless and ornamental something is? The more likely it will be purchased. Online sellers of bead necklaces sell out quickly.
Another category of handmade items that sell especially well is soaps and perfumed or infused oils, although these typically take a little longer to make. Especially talented friends make great money selling their handspun yarn or knitting patterns. A woodworker in my church makes little trucks and cars that are in high demand in the annual All Saints' Bazaar. The potential for turning your favorite craft into quick cash is only limited by your imagination; but remember to test the market for an item first (an easy way is to set up a sidewalk "booth" at a local arts walk) before cranking out dozens or investing anything beyond your "stash" in materials.
Have you made anything crafty to sell? What did you learn?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-17-2008 @ 12:37PM
JMP said...
Sarah what is you Etsy shop called. I really want to see these teething geese!
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6-17-2008 @ 12:50PM
alorinna said...
While I sell quite a few higher end items from galleries, I do find that the $25 and under stuff sells great at etsy.
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6-17-2008 @ 1:39PM
Teresa said...
I would like to know the name of your Etsy shop and see these teething birds. I, for one find this article a bit offensive . You are collectively putting down an entire business,and I'm not even sure you realize it. I happen to work very hard on my Etsy shop and take a great deal of pride in the work that I produce. Next time, you may want to choose your words with a little more discretion.
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6-17-2008 @ 2:11PM
camm said...
I, too, take great offense to this article. I run a full time business (very successful, at that), based on my Etsy shop. Your article makes Etsy out to be a bunch of bored crafters looking to sell something they made last night at 2 am while eating bon bons ...just to make a quick buck.
I am devoted to my business, treat it and run it as a "real business," and am very happy that Etsy provides a platform for REAL ARTISTS to make a living selling their work. And my items, like several other well known and successful Etsy sellers, sell not for "low prices" or pocket change, but for real prices that show the value of my work.
Making bad crafts with the hopes of some quick cash is the perfect way to fail on Etsy. Like any business, an online shop takes hard work, press/media attention, advertising, a business plan, etc etc... not to mention a well-crafted and well- designed product that buyers are willing and wanting to buy.
I wish you had included the name of your Etsy shop so we could see the lovely fast cash items you are making and selling so well...maybe I could add some to my product line next time I am up at 2 am eating bon bons and playing with my craft supply stash.
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6-17-2008 @ 2:26PM
Michelle said...
wow, what a ridiculous article! I cannot believe the stuff you say about us. Not only is this article insulting to many artisans on Etsy, but to people that are hoping to truly make money.
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6-18-2008 @ 7:32AM
Dona said...
Wow, what mixed reviews! I thought " Finally, a place I can maybe sell my work!" Then I read your comment and now I'm thinking maybe this will be too complicated for someone with no business exprience!! What to do, what to do!?!
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6-18-2008 @ 11:11AM
LJ said...
NOT as easy as you would blithely suggest - - I turned out beautiful homemade soaps, lotions, & bath salts, etc.... and had a lot of fun even if it WAS a lot of work... spent 2 years trying to make a go of it before I gave up.... have way too much "stock" left sitting on my shelves because few folks wanted to buy - and this was BEFORE this 'recession' that we are apparently in now.... of course, I will not have to buy any soap or shower gels, etc... for many years now for my own personal use, but I'm really ticked off at the folks like you who say, oh, it's easy, fun & you can make a lot of money!!! NO - for the majority it is merely a very expensive HOBBY!!!!! Look at it that way & you won't be as dissapointed or as deep in debt for supplies that sit on your shelves!!
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6-19-2008 @ 6:02PM
tesy tendero said...
AM NEW ON ETSY
CAN SOME OF YOU TELL ME IF I CAN SALE MY KNITTING ON ETSY ?
I LOVE KNITT BABES STAFF ,SCARFS CAPAS ETC
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7-16-2008 @ 12:31PM
G. Lamb said...
I can understand the concern that seems to 'put-down' real artistians, (ie..eating bon-bon's at 2 a.m. while sewing...) and sucessfulsmall business's on or through Etsy. And I can feel for those that are offended. But if u can't take a little critiqueing and havent learned to put it to good use, then.....
I am a disabled veteran and used to be a sucessful sign and graphics artist, but now have fallen back to a calligrapher, because that is what I am good at and people appreciate it. About all I can do now is sit at my table and create. I am thankful for Etsy, and plan on having samples on the site very soon ranging from everyday/custon cards to commissioned request's for frameable certificates. Thank you Etsy for giving us creative thinkers and tinkerer's a chance.
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6-22-2008 @ 10:48AM
d.j said...
Hats off to all you Etsy sellers, glad to have found this article, and after visiting the website , bookmarked it for future use when I`ll have more time to really check it out.
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6-23-2008 @ 6:24AM
shirleart said...
This article makes selling on Esty sound easy...NOT! I get tickled everytime I read an article promoting Etsy that gives the impression that all you have to do to post your stuff and you make money! Unless you have a very unique product or are a seller of supplies, and have an extremely lot of time to devote to "promoting" your stuff in the "forums", sales are few and far between. The glut within each individual craft venue is unreal.
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7-09-2008 @ 10:01AM
LG said...
I'm currently thinking about posting my hand-made, one-of-a-kind, cloth dolls on Etsy, however, after noting the comments regarding the low prices and quality, perhaps this is not the venue for my high-end dolls. Would appreciate comments.
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