Pattern Suites: Market Go-Tos
UPDATE: THIS PATTERN SUITE IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE. SIGN UP FOR MY NEWSLETTER TO BE NOTIFIED WHEN PATTERN SUITES BECOME AVAILABLE AGAIN.
I’m so thrilled with the response I got from my first ever pattern suites last month, and it’s made me even more excited to release this month’s bundles. With knitwear season and holidays approaching faster than ever, this month’s theme is:
Market Go-Tos!
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A chill is finally in the air and knitwear season is upon us! Fall craft shows are in full swing and will be until the holidays, so this month I’ve bundled up my top five knitting and crochet patterns for markets. These projects are my top sellers from all of the shows I’ve done over the years and are sure to be big sellers again and again. They’re also great for holiday promos on your website or in your Etsy shop. Chunky and super bulky weight yarns, quick and easy patterns, and one-size fits all accessories make these the perfect projects for stocking up your inventory!
The suites of 5 knitting or 5 crochet patterns are available for only $10 - more than 50% off if you were to purchase them individually! This suite will be available until the end of the month, until a new suite is announced for October. So grab it now while you can! Curious as to why I chose the patterns included this month? Scroll down for a little background on each one.
KNITTING PATTERNS:
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Beanies are by far the best seller at any craft fair, and what’s better than a super bulky, quick but elegant cabled version with a pom!? The Chalet Cable Toque is one of my top selling patterns, but it’s THE top selling knit project every time I do a market. It’s always the piece I make the most inventory of (in allllll the colors), and it’s still the first one to sell out. Pro-tip: top some with a fur pom - it’s faster since you don’t have to make the yarn pom, and you can charge more since it’s a “premium” piece, which will increase your profit margin. Win-win!
I’ll let you in on a secret - when I designed the Globe Trotter Headband back in 2013 (!!!) I was pretty “meh” about it. To be honest, I was kind of shocked when it ended up being one of my most successful patterns. I even brought it back for a re-launch along with my 2016 fall/winter collection, and it did even better that time around (definitely due to the improvement of the photos, lol). Since then it’s been a go-to for all of my craft markets and it’s consistently a top seller. You can whip out 2 or 3 of these per skein, they’re super fast, and so cute to style with hair up or down.
Small accessories are usually the best sellers at markets because they’re affordable and easy to gift. But I think it’s equally important to have some real showstopper bigger items in limited quantities for a couple of reasons: first, you never know when a customer willing to drop some major money will stop by your booth, and you want to have something ready for them; and secondly, even if there aren’t any deep-pocketed shoppers, having higher ticket items will make the smaller more affordable pieces that much more desirable. Showcasing a full line of items to really portray the “lifestyle” of your brand will have people wanting to buy into that idea, and they’ll be more likely to purchase something small just to feel like they’re a part of the bigger picture. The Affirmations Scarf makes a huge statement with its elegant lacework oversized silhouette. It makes such a lovely gift for moms, sisters, grandmas, teachers, mentors, etc so it’s a very popular gift option. The best part? It’s an incredibly repetitive, meditative stitch pattern worked up in super bulky weight yarn that will fly off your needles much faster than you think!
Nothing says cozy winter accessory like the Adirondack Toboggan. This one requires a bit more skill than the others in the knitting suite due to the stranded colorwork, but the extra effort makes this hat SO special and customers will be willing to pay more for it. Having mostly solid items at your booth with make this guy stand out even more, and it will be super unique amongst all of the other knits. Originally knit up in Lion Brand Woolspun, which has been discontinued, I would recommend using their Color Made Easy yarn, which is the same gauge and comes in huge skeins so you can knock out tons of beanies from 1 skein of each color.
The general feeling most knitwear makers want to create at markets is “cozy,” amiright? The Thermal Toque just might be the epitomy of that! Slouchy and chunky, thermal stitch texture, and topped with a pom …. all of the elements come together in this comfy beanie to make it the ultimate fall accessory. You’ll want to have these on hand in a variety of colors because they will sell like hot cakes!
CROCHET PATTERNS:
GRAB THE SUITE HERE
The Bobble Crown Headband is hands down the fastest, most fun, and best-selling item at my markets every year. You will be whipping these up in your sleep! Bobbles are not only fun to look at and wear, they’re also fun to make. This headband is just enough “statement making” and just enough cozy to warrant a prime position in your booth, and you’ll be sure to want to make them in several colors. Pro tip: wear one of these babies yourself during the show - trust me, once your customers see it on they will have to have one for themselves! Due to the speed at which you can pump these out, you can make them a little more affordable than other pieces so they’ll also be a great item to market as a gift so shoppers will purchase multiples.
Speaking of giftable pieces, the Rocky Coast Cowl is another go-to. This dense, textured neckwarmer is so easy to plop on and is consistently my best-selling cowl year after year. I once had a customer purchase TEN for all of her female co-workers because their office was chilly and she thought it would be cute for everyone to wear during the day together. This piece can easily be dressed up or down, and because it’s so gift-worthy you’ll want to have these on hand in several colors so customers can shop for their loved ones’ tastes.
Just like I mentioned above in the Affirmations Scarf description (and below in my market tips!), it’s so important to have a variety of price points at your booth. You’ll likely have a variety of shoppers looking for different types of items, and giving them options (but not too many!) will not only get them excited, it often incentivizes them to purchase more than one item. The Louisa Wrap is a showstopper. It’s the kind of piece you have on display at your table if nothing else to draw attention. It can be work like a scarf, shown above, or draped over the shoulders like a shawl. It also looks great as a couch throw IMO, haha. This is a great gift for mom or a special friend, but most of the customers I’ve sold this piece to end up keeping it for themselves. It’s got just enough drama that will make you want to wrap up in it and never take it off!
Since crochet is so much faster than knitting, I’ve included a second “larger scale” crochet piece - the Red Hook Afternoon Shoulder Bag. Talk about statement making! This oversized slouchy tote is one fo my newer patterns, but it’s already achieved a cult status amongst my crochet accessories. It’s so comfortable and roomy, it makes the perfect gift for a mom, fashionista, student, you name it! It’s also great to have an item (or a couple) that are not necessarily “wearables” in case you have shoppers looking for items as gifts and they don’t know the recipients style too well. Customers can even use it to carry home their other purchases :)
Last but not least is the Rochelle Beret. When I designed this back in 2016 I was on a major beret kick (and still am, TBH), and I’ve been overjoyed to see that my customers are too because this is by far my top selling crochet hat. This is probably the fastest project in either suite, and its coziness is only matched by its sophistication. These berets look lovely displayed flat or on a head form, and are a bit unusual for most knitwear booths so they will help you stand out in inevitably large pack of knitwear tables at any craft show.
