So I am back and starting to get myself together after Stitches West. This was an interesting show for several reasons, a) for the most part we only sold patterns in the booth, b) I had two other designers featured in the booth and c) this was the last time I would be doing a retail booth.
Only selling patterns is WAY easier to prepare for, but you have to sell a lot of $5 patterns to pay for a booth. The flip side is that dropping $5, $10 or $15 dollars is an impulse buy and thus easier to make the sale. I also think it helped that all three designers samples were mixed together. However, we found it interesting that even so, as customers would jump from one piece to the next, they would still be looking at only one designer. This was particularly interesting given that they were not marked in any significant way and although our styles are somewhat different, there is not a drastic or what we would consider obvious difference. Even though the process was interesting and much easier than before, I am still glad I am done with trying to do both a booth and teaching. Teaching is my passion and it is just too hard to try and do both.
I wish I could tell you about some new something or another, but I honestly did not get ANY time to wander the show floor. So we will both have to wait until August for Stitches Midwest. It will be here before we know it. Tomorrow it is off to Tahoe for a ski trip -- need to get in as many days as possible before shoulder surgery later next month!
Only selling patterns is WAY easier to prepare for, but you have to sell a lot of $5 patterns to pay for a booth. The flip side is that dropping $5, $10 or $15 dollars is an impulse buy and thus easier to make the sale. I also think it helped that all three designers samples were mixed together. However, we found it interesting that even so, as customers would jump from one piece to the next, they would still be looking at only one designer. This was particularly interesting given that they were not marked in any significant way and although our styles are somewhat different, there is not a drastic or what we would consider obvious difference. Even though the process was interesting and much easier than before, I am still glad I am done with trying to do both a booth and teaching. Teaching is my passion and it is just too hard to try and do both.
I wish I could tell you about some new something or another, but I honestly did not get ANY time to wander the show floor. So we will both have to wait until August for Stitches Midwest. It will be here before we know it. Tomorrow it is off to Tahoe for a ski trip -- need to get in as many days as possible before shoulder surgery later next month!
