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My 4th Craft Fair: A Cozy Day at Les & Jim’s Lincoln Lanes in Merrill

My fourth craft fair is officially complete, and even though this event was much smaller and slower than my previous ones, it still turned into a wonderful, memorable day. Every craft fair teaches me something new about my crochet business, and this one was no different — from freezing weather to mini cat sellouts, new vendor friends, and even my first crochet hook sale!



A New Venue: Les & Jim’s Lincoln Lanes

This was my first time vending at Les & Jim’s Lincoln Lanes in Merrill. The venue provided each vendor with a 6-foot table and a chair, and I lucked out with a spot in the back-left corner against the wall. Honestly, that’s my favorite setup — I always feel more comfortable being along a wall instead of in the middle of busy traffic.



A Freezing Start to the Morning

It was 10 degrees outside, which made unloading and setup a chilly challenge. Setup started at 6:45 AM, and the event ran from 9 AM to 2 PM. As usual, we grabbed coffee and breakfast sandwiches beforehand. We ended up going to Biggby Coffee since all the local shops were closed — I do prefer supporting local when I can.

My significant other helped me set up, but had to leave to watch our very energetic 3-year-old. Luckily, my daughter stayed with me all day and helped at the booth. She even handled a couple of sales while I took a bathroom break! Plus, she was thrilled that they had WiFi so she could play on her tablet between customers.



A Smaller Crowd — Possibly Due to Weather

Compared to my last few craft fairs, this one definitely had fewer shoppers. I’m pretty sure the freezing temps and the fact that three craft fairs were happening within a two-mile radius played a big part. On the positive side, shoppers could make a fun craft-fair day out of visiting all three.

Even though the crowd was smaller, I still had a steady trickle of visitors at my booth, and I spent part of the day crocheting a new reindeer and two mini cats right at my table.



Connecting With Other Crafters

One of my favorite parts of this event was checking out all the other talented makers. There were a few other crochet vendors there, too — and even though we all sold crochet items, our styles were completely different. It’s always inspiring to see fellow fiber artists express their creativity in unique ways.

I even bought a hilarious “Penis Cozy” from one vendor because it made me laugh so hard. I wish I had grabbed her business card!





What Sold — Mini Cats Win Again!

Even with the lighter traffic, I still managed to sell 12 items, including something extra special…

Mini Cats – SOLD OUT

These continue to be one of my top sellers. I sold out and ended up crocheting two more on the spot, which also drew attention from shoppers.

The Fuzzy Spider

This was the most talked-about item of the day. Almost every other person stopped to touch it or comment on how fuzzy and cute it was. I priced him at $25, which reflects the 4 hours it took to make — I first crocheted the base with worsted weight yarn, then hand-stitched fuzzy yarn over the top to outline all the details.I’m debating whether to lower the price or leave it as-is. (Let me know what you think!)

My First Ever Crochet Hook Sale!

This was probably the highlight of my day — someone bought one of my custom crochet hooks for the first time ever! It was a pink sloth hook, and she bought it as a gift for her friend who crochets. My daughter helped me with the sale, which made the moment even more special.



Special Requests & New Ideas

A few shoppers asked if I could make Green Bay Packers-themed items — which makes sense since it’s Packer season! I’ve made mini footballs in the past, so for next year I definitely want to create some fun team-inspired pieces.



Exciting Invitations to Future Events

Even though sales were slow, something amazing happened —I got invited to three more craft fairs!

  • Two from the same coordinator hosting this event

  • And one from a different coordinator for a big outdoor event in May at the fairgrounds

I’ve never done an outdoor event before, so I’ll need to look into tents and setup requirements. This one sounds huge since it’s paired with a massive food truck festival.



Final Thoughts: Not the Best Sales Day, But Still Worth It

This was my slowest craft fair so far, but I still made some sales, made new connections, spent the day with my daughter, laughed with fellow crafters, and left with new opportunities for next year. Not every craft fair is going to be a hit — and that’s okay.

Every event teaches me something, motivates me in new ways, and helps me grow my crochet business one step at a time.

And as always… I’m excited for the next one!





 
 
 

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