Behind the Scenes: Prepping for a Craft Fair

When you see a bustling craft fair stall filled with colourful bags, purses, banners, and handmade treasures, it can be easy to imagine that it all just “comes together.” In reality, there’s a whole lot of behind-the-scenes work that goes into making each fair a success. As a full time carer, I have to be pretty organised in any spare second I have in order to have military precision when setting up my stall.

For me, my craft room is my little tower escape — the place I climb up to when my partner is resting or sleeping. It’s my respite, my creative hideaway, and where all the preparation begins.

Planning Without Overwhelm

I always start with a colourful list (of course!) of what I need to do and what needs making. To keep myself from feeling overwhelmed, I break tasks down day by day. That way, instead of staring at a mountain of work, I can focus on just one manageable hill at a time. Monday is always a full day as Mostyn (mum’s partner) is Scott’s PA on a Monday and I can dedicate my whole day to my passion, which I am extremely grateful for.

Cutting, Stitching, Creating

My latest fairs have leaned heavily on sewing, which means there’s a rhythm of measuring, pattern cutting, ironing seams, and hours at the sewing machine. I don’t often sketch out my designs first — I tend to dive straight in — but one of my goals is to start drawing plans before I cut fabric. I think it will help me refine my ideas and create even more cohesive collections.

Thinking Beyond the Makes

Craft fairs aren’t only about what you make — they’re also about how you present it. At my last fair, I had a whole booth, with walls, which opened up new opportunities for display. I designed branding banners and even 3D-printed hooks to hang stock, making sure my stall felt like “me.”

I also make a point to build good relationships with organisers. Paying for the booth in plenty of time, visiting the site in advance, and chatting with organisers helps me feel more at ease and better prepared.

Practice Makes Perfect

One of my favourite preparation rituals is setting up my table at home. I lay everything out as though I’m already at the fair and take photos so I remember exactly how the stock fits together. Every fair is different — sometimes you have a whole booth, sometimes just a small table — so those photos are my secret weapon for staying calm on the day.

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Leave me a comment if you can

“Do you enjoy visiting craft fairs? What’s the first thing that draws you to a stall — the products themselves, or how they’re displayed?”

Thank you for reading.

Fran

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