For everyone who grumbles that the holidays arrive too early each year, we’ll find you a handful of happy souls who wish it could be Christmas all year. Chances are, they’d be buying or selling gifts or decorations at one of the countless weekend craft shows hosted by churches, schools and clubs throughout Chicago and the southwest suburbs from September through December.
If you haven’t visited these craft fairs in recent years, you could be in for a few surprises. Once upon a time, the typical amateur crafter might be your great-grandmother, who proudly peddled toilet paper covers made from pastel yarn and crowned with the heads of plastic Kewpie dolls. Indeed, oddball items of questionable quality can always be found at certain craft shows-and in the homes of relatives who can’t bear to hurt Aunt Sophie’s feelings.
But as giant craft supply stores like Leewards, Frank’s Nursery and Crafts, and Michael’s have proliferated in shopping malls, men and women of all ages and from all walks of life have jumped onto the craft-making bandwagon. Competition among crafters (and craft shows) has measurably increased.
This is bad news for would-be craft wizards who can’t keep up with their more talented peers. But it’s great news for consumers who enjoy buying unique, handmade items at affordable prices.
And it’s even better news for the organizations that sponsor craft shows, donating proceeds from the rental of crafters’ display spaces and the sales of refreshments and raffle tickets to a worthy cause.
Mother McAuley High School on Chicago’s South Side hosts one of the largest and most lucrative annual shows in the southwest area, usually featuring more than 150 crafters and raising between $12,000 and $15,000 for the school. This year’s show was Nov. 13 and 14.
“The craft show, sponsored by our Mothers’ Club, has been a marvelous experience for us. It’s a social affair that attracts people from all over the community. We try to balance the types of crafts offered to ensure a wide variety, and that’s probably been part of its success,” said McAuley Principal Sister Corinne Raven.
“Each crafter donates one piece of work for our raffle. We sell raffle tickets and give away prizes all through the day. Those profits, along with our kitchen sales, bake sales and the crafters’ fees, go toward improving academic programs. Each year, we try to identify a different department in need. One year we might purchase musical instruments. This year, we’re thinking of upgrading our computer lab,” she explained.
At Sward Elementary School in Oak Lawn, the Oct. 23 craft fair sponsored by the PTA netted about $1,775. That may not seem like much in comparison to McAuley’s haul, but as Principal Lori Gloodt pointed out, “We’ve used funds from craft fairs to purchase art prints for our `Picture Lady’ (art appreciation) program. We’ve bought new sound equipment, such as a wireless microphone for assemblies. And we try to bring in a fine arts program, such as a dance troupe or orchestral group each quarter of the school year. These programs can cost $500 to $800 each, so with $1,700, we can pay for at least a couple.”
Beyond the fundraising aspect, Gloodt considers Sward’s craft show a valuable public relations tool. “It’s great to have parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles of our own students, as well as people from parochial schools who might not have any experience with the public school system, coming into Sward and seeing what we have to offer,” she said.
Palos Park resident Patt Fiala has been the volunteer chairwoman of the Stagg High School Athletic Boosters’ craft show for the past four years (including this year’s show on Nov. 6 and 7). In previous years, she worked on craft shows at Carl Sandburg High School in Orland Park, and her experience has convinced her that “quality definitely beats quantity and you really want to steer away from the commonplace” when planning a show.
“In spring craft shows at Stagg, we’ve had as many as 120 display spaces, renting for $60 for the two-day show or $120 for a double space,” Fiala explained. “Our committee felt that this time, we’d sacrifice some spaces and turn our Commons into a crafter boutique and lunch area, sort of borrowing Marshall Field’s `dining under the tree’ idea.”
Also, said Fiala, “We put 11 of our top crafters around the tree so that diners would have something pretty to look at. Our athletes were waiters and waitresses. Many of the crafters and shoppers are senior citizens or mothers of young children. They appreciate having someone else run for their food while they relax.”
Rib-sticking goodies like sloppy joes, chili and doughnuts are always popular on craft-show menus, but this year, Stagg’s Athletic Boosters and other organizations have served lighter fare such as salads and fruit plates, too. In another effort to stand out from the competition, Stagg added an information booth this year.
“Many of the best crafters have a following, so it helps to direct guests to the specific displays they want to see,” said Fiala.
Judy Scott of Midlothian, who was the volunteer chairwoman of the Oak Forest High School Band Boosters’ Oct. 16 craft show, is a veteran crafter herself, “so I know how things work from both sides,” she said.
At the Oak Forest Band Boosters show (as at most shows sponsored by schools and churches), there was no admission charge for shoppers. “That would probably turn people away,” said Scott. Rental fees for crafters were $25 for a space with a table, $20 without a table.
“Some crafters prefer to bring their own,” Scott explained. “We asked for pictures of the crafts along with the applications and were careful to screen for quality items that were really hand-crafted, not store-bought. And we tried not to put two people selling the same thing right next to each other.”
Attention to such details really matters. As Scott pointed out, “You want to keep the crafters happy. You can’t have a successful craft show without successful crafters. What’s popular (in the way of craft items) goes in cycles and depends on different areas and different clientele. Right now, painted sweatshirts and tote bags are big, and wood crafts are popular, too. Plastic and crocheted items aren’t doing as well.”
In any case, Scott emphasized, “If something isn’t well-made, you’ll have trouble selling it no matter where you are.”
Sylvia Buchanan, owner of Mrs. B. and Co., an upscale craft boutique in Orland Park, believes that consumers will not find remarkable quality or many one-of-a-kind items at the craft shows sponsored by churches and schools.
“I’m very picky about what I’ll accept to sell at my store,” including dolls, limited-edition pictures, floral arrangements and wreaths, said Buchanan.
Although she displays the work of some top-notch local crafters, most of whom do not participate in the fundraiser shows, she also seeks out talent from other regions of the United States by attending hand-crafted gift shows at the Apparel Mart in downtown Chicago. Also, merchandise at Mrs. B. and Co. is grouped by color and style and shown in room settings.
“We do lots of custom things, matched to customers’ wallpaper, for instance. Unfortunately, at these (church and school) craft shows, you see a lot of the same things and they’re not necessarily well-made,” said Buchanan.
So in order to compete with the fine merchandise and expert service offered by such retail shops, amateur crafters must keep their prices low. But that’s not a problem for the majority, who insist that fun, not profit, is what motivates them to make things.
Chester Wandasiewicz, a retired maintenance mechanic from Riverdale, started making wooden toys for his grandchildren about six years ago and now sells them to other parents and grandparents at local craft shows. His products include toy cars, trucks and doll cradles, priced at $7 to $25.
“I use good hardwoods such as oak and hard pine and make sure that all my toys are completely child-safe, with no sharp edges or screws that can fall off and end up in a child’s mouth,” Wandasiewicz said.
“Young people are often surprised when they look at my carousel and can’t find a compartment for batteries. I tell them, `There are no batteries! It’s hand-powered!’ They think that’s just amazing,” he said, laughing.
Diane and Dave Kutz of Chicago make and sell ceramic giftware (including Victorian and Native American statues), engraved gifts and dolls “as a form of therapy,” said Dave. Both have demanding occupations. Diane is an attorney for the Chicago Board of Education and teaches at Loyola University, where she’s also working toward an advanced degree; Dave is a homicide detective with the Chicago Police Department.
“This is a stress reliever and a creative outlet for us,” said Diane. “People often ask, `Where do you find the time?’ Well, I do this instead of watching TV. I’m not into shopping, and sometimes I work on crafts during my lunch break. If you want to do it, you can always find time.”
Speaking of time, she said, “If I priced everything according to the actual time I spent making it, people couldn’t afford it and that would take all the fun out of it. It’s just a wonderful feeling when someone looks at something you’ve made and says, `Wow, this is really beautiful!’ “
“We’re a bit of a soft touch on prices,” Dave agreed. “It’s hard to see a mother who may be on a limited income or her little kid admiring one of your pieces and then charge them $80, even if you know the piece is worth it. It’s better to keep your prices low and see someone walk away with something, smiling and happy, as hokey as that may sound.”
Debi Stevens, a dental hygienist from Oak Forest, often shares craft show display space with her mother, Sally Gleeson, a homemaker from Alsip. “My mom and I have decided that we’re better at buying craft stuff than selling it,” she joked.
Stevens and Gleeson check out craft markets and garage sales all year long to get new ideas and to gather inexpensive materials in anticipation of the holiday season. They’re currently selling Christmas ornaments, jewelry, baby and teacher gifts, gift baskets and cross-stitch items that they started making last summer.
“I look at this like my Christmas savings club,” said Stevens. “I put a lot of time and money into making crafts all year and get a little money back when I sell things at the end of the year. But I mainly do it for the personal satisfaction of making pretty things.”
She estimates that from June through December, she spends 10 to 15 hours each week making crafts to sell at year-end shows, yet charges only $1 to $10 for most of her products.
Other local crafters and would-be crafters don’t participate in craft shows, but attend them for inspiration. Peggy Barber, a former music teacher from Lockport, taught herself to make painted T-shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants and skirts, which she sells for $25 to $40, through word-of-mouth referrals.
“I play a lot of tennis and made some outfits for myself and my friends, who wore them to tournaments in Florida and elsewhere. They were such a big hit that pretty soon, I was getting orders from people in other states!”
Barber has thought about participating in craft shows. However, she noted, “It takes a lot of time to build up a big inventory. It’s easier to make things to order.”
In other words, if you’d like to sell crafts at a 1994 show, there’s no time like the present to start doing your homework. Experienced crafters offered these tips to novices:
“Browse around this year’s shows and read craft magazines (available at craft supply stores and public libraries) to get ideas. Plan to sell something that’s popular, but make it somehow unique at the same time,” suggested Stevens.
“Take your time, have patience and the will to do it. If a project comes out bad, just try again,” said Wandasiewicz.
And if you sign up for classes (offered by many craft supply stores and park districts), “Look for a teacher who is personable and knows what he or she is doing. Learn the right way. Find someone who will offer constructive, rather than destructive, criticism,” said Diane Kutz.
Organizations hoping to sponsor craft shows next fall shouldn’t rest on their laurels either. Hundreds of volunteers may be involved in recruiting crafters and doing publicity, setup and cleanup for a large show.
Yet in Fiala’s mind, putting together the two-day extravaganza at Stagg “far outweighs rounding up volunteers every month for a bunch of small fundraisers.”
She explained, “This is a big one-shot deal, but many hands make light work, and no one gets burned out. The shows have been very well-received by both crafters and the community. And it’s for a good cause. Sports and extracurricular activities are always the first to get cut (from school budgets), so parents are very dedicated and supportive of what we’re doing. They know that it’s all for the kids.”
