Bringing stuff to work to sell

[BluesForCP]

There's a part of me that feels bad about selling my wares at work.

But I sold about $600 worth of crochet and jewelry to my coworkers. Evidently, teachers like to shop at work.

Woo-hoo!!!

[dogymom]

Well you go girlfriend!!!!!:yay Your work must be excellent, and everyone wants it! What a great compliment for you.

[Kiki]

My mom was a teacher and she always sold a ton there! Especially cable knit sweaters!! Congrats on the sales!

[crochet smartcat]

Personally, as long as you kept it low-key, no pressure, I can't see anything wrong with taking things to work with you to sell, especially if people have requested you to bring stuff to show them. The only problem I can see, is if your company has a specific policy prohibiting it, or if someone is a meanie and complains.

[CraftyShannon]

I think if you don't bring stuff in all the time and your workplace doesn't have a rule against selling, it's fine. Obviously, youv'e got a market for it. I think women in general will buy, and obviously in a school, you're there with a lot of other women. I wouldn't bring stuff in a lot unless you are asked, but I think every few months would be acceptable.

Officially, my dad's workplace has a rule not to sell outside stuff. He said it got to be a real problem with people bringing in stuff from their kids' school fundraisers and Girl Scout cookie things that they had to stop letting people sell because certain people focused too much on selling their wares instead of working. However, it still goes on now and then. In fact, he's taken stuff in to his work for me, and he's *supposed* to be doing it tomorrow too. I've been working for days on some new projects and he knew I was expecting him to take stuff. Then tonight, he grumbled that he "didn't know" and "he wasn't supposed to do this". Um, why not say something before you let me crochet for days? He finally said he might take a small bag.

Well, my mom packed a large box tonight while I was doing my projects. He doesn't know about this, so it will be interesting in the morning what he has to say about this!

[yarncat]

WooHoo!!

[TepperWear]

That's so awesome. I don't think you need to feel bad. I've done it, and my friend who quilts does it. You're helping people out. They're getting to buy special hand made gifts. Good for you. I'm curious and would love to hear about what sold. I see you're a nyc'er. Me too. Not too many of us on here.

[brenmichelle20]

Hi, just sitting for my 2 x's a week allergy shots, I get orders from sitting there working on stuff that I have samples at a shop in my small town and get orders out of that...But I got an order for 2 hats (beanie) for a customer's son who is in a band...

I don't see anything wrong in bringing your work to work and selling it, because you can get different offers of work out of it when they see how well you work...

[styledbykristin]

Congratulations. Good for you.

Kristin

[CraftyShannon]

Update on me: My dad did take the box to work, yet assumed no one would buy. There are only 8 women who work in the office, but several women did buy more than one thing, and bless her heart, one woman PREPAID for two items she didn't even see. Another woman called her daughter to come see my stuff too. I wouldn't have done this, but my dad allowed this woman to take two fun fur scarves home to see which one she wanted to buy. This is a very small rural town where everyone trusts everyone, so he assured me she'll either pay or bring it back tomorrow. He thought she just didn't have the money to buy it today. All the ladies were buying stuff for gifts.

So far, I made $85 with possibly more to come. Not bad for only 8 lookers and most of the things that sold were under $10. Most of what I sold was kids' stuff too. I probably could have gotten higher prices closer to the city where I live, but the income in that smaller town doesn't warrant an overly high price, so I purposely kept things on the low side. Next year I will plan to have a better selection, especially in girl's sizes. Live and learn I guess.

Oh, and the man who didn't want to "beg" at work.....he told me to fill the box back up and he'd sell for me tomorrow as well.....and maybe during their Christmas party on Thursday. :lol All I told him was to let the woman who prepaid to get first dibs because she should have first pick before others went through the stuff again.

[BluesForCP]

That's so awesome. I don't think you need to feel bad. I've done it, and my friend who quilts does it. You're helping people out. They're getting to buy special hand made gifts. Good for you. I'm curious and would love to hear about what sold. I see you're a nyc'er. Me too. Not too many of us on here.

They all want the strawberry hat from "Too Cute Crochet." I am also making little keyhole scarves to match.
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7020/1115/320/Strawberry%20hat%202.jpg (http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7020/1115/1600/Strawberry%20hat%202.jpg)
I am really sick of making these strawberries!! Same thing, over, and over, and over...













And I also have been selling a number of these and hats to match...http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7020/1115/320/Trellis%20scarf.jpg (http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7020/1115/1600/Trellis%20scarf.jpg)

[dogymom]

They all want the strawberry hat from "Too Cute Crochet." I am also making little keyhole scarves to match.
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7020/1115/320/Strawberry%20hat%202.jpg (http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7020/1115/1600/Strawberry%20hat%202.jpg)
I am really sick of making these strawberries!! Same thing, over, and over, and over...













And I also have been selling a number of these and hats to match...http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7020/1115/320/Trellis%20scarf.jpg (http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7020/1115/1600/Trellis%20scarf.jpg)

Gorgeous! Is that a scarf? Did you use a pattern?

[CraftyShannon]

Blues- I can't see your pictures, but I have that book. Everything in that book is adorable so I can see why your hats are in great demand! I have yet to make anything from the book yet. Are the patterns easy to follow?

Day two at dad selling at work brought in another $65 and a note from the woman who took stuff home saying she'd bring a check for the two scarves and another one, saying she'd bring a check for the total today. Thankfully, she picked a scarf I'd already finshed. My hands are so sore from the crochet marathon I did over the weekend that I really don't think I could have made another for her just yet. Almost everything I sold was all bright colors, like the Caron Simply Soft Brights. I'm sick of purple and hot pink right now.

[BluesForCP]

It is a scarf... I used a pattern from "Simply creative crochet." It was a pattern for a wrap... I basically just did half of it and added tassels.

I used Wool Ease thick and Quick. Very soft and warm.

[CLLinda]

Hi,

Your company is an excellant way to sell your wares. I crochet all the time and I have been asked to make items for different people. My last request was for two little doll dresses for a co-workers' daughter for Christmas. I made them in less than a week. She loved them and even paid more than I had asked.

People who crochet or knit are likely to have other people admire something they can't do themselves. So they appreciate your hard work and talents.

I see no problem selling things at work, as long as you check company policies.

Enjoy your special talents and it is a way to serve others. I always try to donate items as well as sell them. I think it makes the world a better place.:cheer Good Luck,

Linda in Freezing, snowing Chicagoland area:wbrr :wbrr :wbrr :sman :sman :sman :snow :snow :snow :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :(

[mamaoso]

My Hubbie brought my book of " Things I made" to work. Made over $500. It was men who put the orders in for their wives for Christmas..

His boss ( He worked for him years ago) asked to see the book.. Then he showed it around...

[umber]

Oh, and the man who didn't want to "beg" at work.....he told me to fill the box back up and he'd sell for me tomorrow as well.....and maybe during their Christmas party on Thursday. :lol All I told him was to let the woman who prepaid to get first dibs because she should have first pick before others went through the stuff again.

I've never sold crochet or other crafty projects, but I did grow up with a father who could sell just about anything, and I think that this is absolutely perfect. You're letting her (and others) know that you value a person who values your time and work. I hope he doesn't make a big fuss about it, but does let her know that she got "dibs", even if it's just by saying, "Hey, I brought in somemore of my daughter's stuff, and I thought you might like to see it first, since you liked it so much last time."

Granted, I don't know that I'm the salesperson my dad is, but I think I've picked up a thing here and there.

[mbcabbie]

I have sold a few items out of my cab to either co-workers who watch me crochet or customers who see works in progress laying in my console. I've never really pushed it, but maybe I should!

[CraftyShannon]

I've never sold crochet or other crafty projects, but I did grow up with a father who could sell just about anything, and I think that this is absolutely perfect. You're letting her (and others) know that you value a person who values your time and work. I hope he doesn't make a big fuss about it, but does let her know that she got "dibs", even if it's just by saying, "Hey, I brought in somemore of my daughter's stuff, and I thought you might like to see it first, since you liked it so much last time."

Granted, I don't know that I'm the salesperson my dad is, but I think I've picked up a thing here and there.

I wanted that woman to pick first so she could get the first choice of the items she paid for. I only make one or two of each thing, so I wanted her to get the first choice of colors since she'd already paid for hers.

My dad says he doesn't actually do any selling. He just takes the box in, hands it to the reception and the women pass the box around. He says the products seem to sell themselves in terms of being handmade and being of good quality.

He just likes the thrill of selling, always calling us at home whenever something else has sold. He's already making plans of when he'll take the box next Christmas time, telling me to get the stuff done earlier so he can take it right after Thanksgiving. Like I said, this is the man I had to force to bring the box this year, and yet he's already excited about next year.....

It's my mom who can sell anything. If I make something that really isn't noticed, she can usually pick it up and start yapping away about it. Where people could use it, what a nice gift it would make, etc. Somehow the person almost always buys it. I'm good at making stuff, but I can't sell it the way she can.

[umber]

It's really exciting that your dad is so gung-ho about this. I hope next year's even better than this one for you.

[BluesForCP]

I am DONE!!!

I just finished my last strawberry hat to sell.

I feel a little bad... I was also requested to make 4 matching strawberry scarves in the same pattern, but the pattern is sc and I personally hate crocheted scarves that don't have an open pattern. I tried three different versions (different gauge) and I really thought they were awful. I'd rather not do them at all.

Now I've just got a couple of gifts to bang out, but they're quick.

Maybe I'll get my life back!

Total take: About $1100, including jewelry sold, too. Don't know how much of that is profit. Whatever it is, it paid off all the projects I've made for gifts, I think. Breaking even is nice.

[Ambersafghans]

Wow! that's a pretty nice chunk of money! I wonder if I could get Dad to take some of my things to work next year. hm, someone had mentioned putting an advertisment up on a board before......

Way to go!
Amber

[CLLinda]

Wow! That is a fabulous amount of money to make. :cheer You must be extremely talented. But a little burned out on the strawberry hats.

One year I made 13 snowmen for gifts. By the time the last one was done, I couldn't stand it anymore. I haven't made this pattern since.

This year I made 15 scarves for gifts but I used 4 different patterns. That kept it interesting enough that I am not sick of making scarves.

Try a new hat pattern. Try an open weave scarve pattern. There are so many different patterns, that I am sure you will find another great one to do.

Try something new. Make a few and see how far you can go. Keep up the great work and let us know how you do. :cheer You can always get encouragement from this sight to keep you on track.

Great Job!

from Linda near chicago:wgrin :wlol :wgrin :wgrin :wlol :wgrin :wlol :wgrin