My Third Craft Fair: A Huge Success for My Crochet Plushie Business

Brittani Kasper
Nov 25
5 min read

My third craft fair is officially in the books — and wow, what an unforgettable day! This event was a huge milestone for my crochet plushie business, and I wanted to share the full behind-the-scenes story, from the early morning setup to the sold-out plushies, surprises, lessons learned, and everything in between.

A New Venue, Bigger Crowd, Bigger Nerves

This was my first time selling at the community center, which was a brand-new venue for me. My previous two craft fairs were held at our local fire department, and those had about 50 booths.This event? 100 booths — double the size!

I was excited but definitely nervous. On top of that, there were three other craft fairs happening in the area on the same day, so I wasn’t sure what the foot traffic would look like.

But I had nothing to worry about — it was absolutely packed. At several points the aisles were so full that people could barely move. I even had five different moments where a huge crowd gathered around my booth. Some people couldn’t even reach the table because it was so busy!

Early Morning Setup in 19-Degree Weather

Setup started at 6 AM, and let me just say… 19 degrees is not the ideal temperature for unloading a van. I was so thankful we packed everything the night before and that we had two rolling carts, so we only needed one trip inside.

The event was local — only a 15-minute drive — and yes, I absolutely needed my coffee and breakfast sandwich on the way. (Though I didn’t actually get to eat the sandwich until much later!)

This craft fair gave us a generous three-hour window to set up, which ended up saving me because I hadn’t had time to price anything the week before. Between work, kids, and long hours (including multiple 13-hour shifts), I just ran out of time. So I priced everything on-site while setting up tables, tablecloths, stands, and plushies.

And then… the clock hit 9 AM.

The Flood Gates Opened — Nonstop Sales

At exactly 9 AM, it was like someone unleashed a river of shoppers.

Before the event even officially started, another vendor purchased my jumbo turtle plushie — my first jumbo turtle! She bought it for $50, and even though I was excited, it was a little sad to see him go. (Crochet people understand the emotional attachment!)

Once shoppers entered, sales began every 1–3 minutes. I tracked every sale — the item, the price, and even the time — so I can analyze what sells best. Except for a 30-minute lull around lunch, it was nonstop.

I sold 79 plushies total!

And my booth location? Surprisingly great. I was against the back-left wall — not the typical “prime spot” — but people flowed right into my space. Honestly, I prefer being against a wall rather than stuck in the middle.

Family Support, Kids, Adults — Everyone Loved the Plushies

I had all ages at my booth throughout the day. Lots of kids, lots of adults, and even a surprise visit from my dad and stepmom! They came out to support me, and my dad even requested a Christmas gnome (which I’m now working on).

What Sold Out — And What Surprised Me

This craft fair had some big surprises in terms of top sellers. Here’s what sold out completely:

Small cats
Mini chickens
Mini dinos (!!!)
Halloween cauldron creatures
Stingrays
Coffee cup plushies

The mini dinos were the biggest shock. I wasn’t even going to bring them because the last two craft fairs showed zero interest. But my significant other insisted I put them out anyway — and thank goodness I did. They sold out.

The coffee cups were another surprise hit. Just like the dinos, I had stopped making them because they weren’t selling before. This time? Gone!

My $5 items in general were huge sellers. People love cute, affordable, hand-made items they can grab without thinking twice.

I also sold two mini dragons after lowering the price from $25 to $20.

Lessons Learned — Ways to Improve My Crochet

Booth Setup

Even though the day was amazing, I’m always learning. Here’s what I’m adjusting next time:

1. Request two tables instead of one

This event required vendors to use their tables, and the one I got was 10 feet long — much larger than my usual 6-foot tables. My tablecloths didn’t fit, so I had to improvise with extras.

Next time: I want two tables to space items out and create a separate checkout area.

2. Separate the checkout from the viewing area

I placed checkout in the middle of the booth, which clogged traffic. Next time, I’m pushing checkout to the side.

3. Bring large bags

A huge learning moment…I actually lost a $55 sale of an extra-jumbo pickle plush because I didn’t have a bag big enough for it. The customer didn’t want her friend to see it, so she had to pass.

Lesson learned — I ordered large bags that night!

4. Bring more $1 bills

I ran out of $1 bills twice and almost a third time. I usually bring $40 in ones, but all the $20s and $10s being used wiped me out. I lost about three sales because of this.

5. Bring more seasonal items

My last-minute Thanksgiving and Christmas plushies were popular. Next time, I’ll prep early.

6. Consider teaching crochet classes

Two people asked if I teach classes — and it got the wheels turning. Maybe a simple class (like mini chickens!) at a local coffee shop could work.

The Hard Work Behind the Booth

With Thanksgiving coming and coworkers out sick or on vacation, I’ve been doing a lot of overtime at my day job — including multiple 13-hour shifts. Add that to raising kids (youngest is 3!), and you can imagine how tough it is to prep for these events.

I definitely need to space craft fairs out more so I don’t feel overwhelmed.

Even so, seeing people excited about my plushies and knowing they appreciate my work makes all the hours worth it.

Don’t Forget: Handmade Takes Time

I heard a few comments about prices, but honestly, most people don’t realize how long these plushies take. My jumbo turtles and Thanksgiving turkeys take 4 hours each to make. Selling one for $40 is paying myself $10 — which is not much.

But I price my items based on what’s fair and realistic for customers and for my time. And as long as people are buying, I know I’m reaching the right audience.

A Successful, Rewarding Day — And What’s Next

Overall, this craft fair was a huge success and such a rewarding experience. I definitely want to return to this event next year — and maybe with an even bigger setup!

My next craft fair is in just two weeks on December 6th, and time is moving fast. I’m already working on crochet gnomes and holiday plushies.

I can’t wait to see how the next one goes!