Are you running a stall at a craft fair this Christmas? Or, do you sell beadwork to raise money for charity? Well, let’s face it, the jewellery market is pretty crowded. So, Christmas ornaments are a very good alternative. But do you know how to make beaded Christmas ornaments that are easy to sell?
Well, I’ve been selling patterns for Christmas ornaments for a few years now. I also get to know a lot of my customers personally and hear stories about what happens to the things they make from my beading patterns. So, I happen to know that a lot of my Christmas ornaments are sold at craft fairs and charity events each year.
I also happen to know which ornaments sell well. So, I’m going to save you the pain of making ornaments that don’t sell. Keep reading to find options that already have a proven track record…
Trying to find out how to make beaded Christmas ornaments? – browse the projects here>>
The two most important factors
If you’re wondering how to make beaded Christmas ornaments that are easy to sell, you’re probably looking at it the wrong way around…
The accepted marketing advice is ‘make what the customer wants’. And yes, this is stellar advice. But when it comes to craft, there are two even more important things you need to think about.
Let’s see if you already know what they are…
Take a look at the three Christmas ornaments below. Which would you choose as a pattern to make for selling?
So, which project would you pick? Before I tell you which I would choose, let me explain why…
Did you consider time to make?
If you’re thinking about how to make beaded Christmas ornaments to sell, rather than to keep, you need to factor in production time. Even if you’re not going to charge for your time (you should be though…), you don’t want to be making projects that take a week each. If you try that, then you’re going to be spending all year making enough stock for your craft stall!
I know that many people who use their craft as a hobby don’t charge for their time. Now, I could say plenty on this, but I’m not going to digress here. If you want to know why you should be charging for labour (and how to do it), check out this blog>>
Of course you don’t know for sure how long a project will take to make. But you can take an educated guess…
The bells use bigger beads, so they don’t take long to work up. You can see the baubles are Peyote stitch and look like they have a lot of elements. The Angel may be seed bead based, but she really wouldn’t take too long to make, would she…?
Even so, the bells probably just about win on this criteria for me… (you can buy a kit for the bells here>>)
What about materials cost?
OK, so you don’t know for sure what the beads are going to cost until you know exactly what you need. But you can make a bit of a guess just by looking at a photo. You may even find that the information about the pattern tells you what you will need. So, it’s always worth reading through the full product description before you buy!
Just from looking at the options above, you can see the bells need some shaped seed beads. Often these are more expensive than basic seed beads. But in this case, we’re talking mostly Superduos, so that may not be too bad.
Then the baubles are made with Delicas. They’re always a bit pricey. So, how about the angel? Basic seed beads and bugles. Maybe you already have these in your stash.
So what is the answer?
I happen to know that the angel is a great option for a Christmas ornament to sell. How do I know this? Well, she meets my criteria above and I know someone who has been selling lots of her!
She won’t take too long to make. She uses materials that are easy to find and not too expensive. And yes, she looks lovely, so will appeal to your customers.
The most important factor…
If this is your first time considering how to make beaded Christmas ornaments to sell, then you MUST also consider this.
Imagine, you’ve found the perfect pattern, you’ve tried making the ornament and it all works. But have you considered this…? Is the pattern designer happy for you to sell the ornament you’ve just made?
Because yes, copyright on all beading patterns can prevent them from being sold in any form. So, before you get carried away, please remember to check with the designer.
Now, I’m very happy for people to sell finished items that they have made from my patterns. I simply ask them to credit me as the designer. In fact, over the past two days, I’ve had two people asking whether I’m happy for them to sell the finished beadwork at a craft fair and to raise money for charity. Absolutely!
Spotted your perfect bauble? Then, find the pattern here>>
Recap: how to make beaded Christmas ornaments that are EASY to sell
So, let’s just sum this up. When you’re considering how to make beaded Christmas ornaments for your craft fair this year, here’s what you need to consider…
- How long will this take me to make?
- Are the materials going to be expensive?
- Am I allowed to sell the finished beadwork?
- Does it look appealing enough to sell well?
And yes, you should be asking yourself questions 1-3 as well as question 4. It’s all very well finding a stunning project that people will love. But if you’re not allowed to sell it, or if it’s too expensive to make, then it will need to be a project for you and your family to enjoy.
Finally, if you have picked the perfect project, but you’re not sure how to set a price to sell it, I can help. I have a special App that will automatically calculate the best price for you. Click to here to find out more about it.
I hope that has helped with the tricky problem of picking a new offering for your craft fair this year. Good luck with all your sales and with raising money for all worthwhile causes!
