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Moonlight Yarn Madness & Knit & Crochet Movie Night

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Spinrite Yarn Factory Outlet, makers of Bernat, Phentex, Lily Sugar’n Cream, and Patons Yarns is holding another Tent Sale on September 15, 16 and 17th, 2011.

Spinrite's Factory Outlet Store.

Massive Tent & Truck Sale at Spinrite Factory Outet in Listowel Ontario. Come early as the crowd that come create really long lines to get in on the deals.

Spinrite is located in Listowel Ontario Canada. In the last tent sale, people are traveling as far as Cape Bretton, Texas, Vancouver, and much more. They have made the event as part of vacations. As you can see, the level of enthusiasm at the annual event is absolutely out of this world. Meet one of my fans in this video that came to the Tent Sale in August.

This is the first time a 2nd tent sale is going to be done within a year. I will tell you that the stock that is being offered this time around is completely new and wasn’t available for the 1st Tent Sale. Truck loads of these new yarn lines are arriving and they need to clear it out to make room in the warehouse for new yarn lines.

They are calling it a sale but it’s practically a yarn giveaway at the prices that they are offering. For more information about the location of this sale you can go to YarnFactoryOutlet.com.

OH YEAH… the last tent sale was to have a movie and knit out night in our PJ’s. For those who attempted it a few weeks ago, you know it rained so hard it nearly blew us all away. It’s been rescheduled for Friday September 16, 2011. Check out the website or subscribe to their newsletter to have the monthly newsletter sent to you so you can see the juicy details and be first to know what’s happening!

If you would like to get your hands on some great free crochet patterns. Be sure to go to AllFreeCrochet.com.

 

Buying Yarn Online – Questionairre

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Members of The Crochet Crowd were asked on July 12th, 2011.

Do you buy your yarn online, if not, what would get you to buy your yarn online?

Frankly, I am surprised as many people are already buying online. I expected it to come back from everyone saying they would never do it. Retailers!!!! Are you paying attention to this?

Here’s what our audience said:

  • Ashley Ludlow free shipping
  • Karen Archamboult I agree with Ashley, free shipping and reasonable pricing. If you can get it on line for the same you would pay in a store, then on line of course. Otherwise, let’s go shopping. Hope that helps Mikey.
  • Amy Davis I buy sock yarn online. Cheaper shipping would get me to buy on line more often. I usually buy a lot at one time so I get my moneys worth for the shipping.
  • Sandra Ortiz-Hall free shipping, no tax, bigger selection than my local store…
  • Tina Rego I buy most of my yarn online. Free shipping and more colors. I also can watch the sales more.
  • Whittney Renfro I haven’t yet bought any yarn online, but I’d like to mostly for specialty yarn that isn’t sold in any stores in my area. The only reason I haven’t is because I can’t actually see and feel the yarn in person, I have to just trust a picture and a few reviews.
  • Maha Hall I buy my yarn online because there isn’t any here where I live which is Saudi Arabia. I have been buying from Yarn Paradise in Turkey which has some really nice and unique yarns.
  • Lisa Defferding Yes I have but only whenit is free shipping or something I can’t find around where I live. I have found yarn online is more expensive than in the store, so if it isn’t anything I can buy local it will order online.
  • Bj Vermillion I buy yarn online sometimes when I want a color or a yarn that my lys doesnt carry. The selection on line is far greater than what I can buy locally.
  • Rita DCm I’ve bought yarn on line. but only when I’ve wanted an specific yarn or color . And I did it on a spanish website. (I’m from Spain), so , I’m not sure if this could be useful :S
  • Ebony Gee i bought online for the first time a couple of weeks ago from herrschners.com. was extremely pleased with the quality and price. i got eight skeins, and with shipping, the cost was about five bucks less than i would have paid for eight skeins at hobby lobby, michaels or jo-ann’s, including tax. i will purchase again from this company.
  • Rita DCm Ebony, I’ve seen that they ship to Spain . I think that I’ll take it a look later. Thanks ! 🙂
  • Kara Giglietta free shipping is a great motivator…plus I don’t tend to buy fancy yarns online, I like to feel them…but if it’s a brand that I know or type of yarn that I know that offers free shipping or sales I won’t hesitate to order online
  • Sara Monkie cheaper than what i can get in store
  • Dawn Raymond 
    In the UK most yarn retailers are small independents, so I prefer to buy my yarn from a small shop in the next village. However, I’m a slave to online sales, and recently bought a mixed pack of 17 balls – the colours are gorgeous and I’m slowly working my way through them and sharing my products on my blog. The reason I bought online was that it was a reasonable price, and as soon as i saw them I wanted them :). Interesting to see the points of view re “free” shipping. As an online retailer myself, I know that if retailers don’t charge extra for the shipping, they’re building that cost into the price of their goods, so you end up paying, regardless. If not, then the retailer would soon go out of business or make very little profit. And let’s face it, most of us pay out in petrol to go buy the yarn at the store…so what’s the difference?

So what did you think? Comments?

Yard Sales Creativity, Viewer’s Opinions

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Don’t you just love when you felt you ripped off someone at a yard sale knowing you just picked up something for a nickel that was normally twenty bucks or more. You can’t help but think, pay it real quick, run to the car and leave rubber tire marks on the road thinking that the previous owner doesn’t know what just happened.

On The Crochet Crowd Facebook Fan Page, viewers have been revealing that yard sales are one of the most fabulous ideas for implementing creativity, getting inspiration, and picking up incredible products. One viewer revealed she got nearly 30 skeins yarn for five dollars. She scored about one hundred and forty five dollars. The previous owner was over purchasing yarn and got carried away thinking she would use it one day. One day never came and its now on the yard being sold to someone else with lots of ambition.

I’m not a fan of hosting a yard sale. People do slow and judge like prey animals. I have to smile when you see the people in the car and the woman figure has got her hand over her mouth to stop us from reading her lips. I can just hear it. “It’s junk… where’s the next sign!”. With so many people driving by without ever getting out, I look around and say, “Sheesh all my stuff must be junk!”

Yard sales to me are puzzles of creativity. A bit from this sale, combined with another sale can make a complete item. I love decorating clay pots that sit in the garden as part of the décor. Most plants aren’t in bloom all summer, so a freshly painted pot sitting amongst the green between flowering times can add so much beauty. It’s not like figurines where today’s trend is out next year. Pots can be re-painted at any time.

I’ve come to adopt the feeling that the junkier the sale appearance, the more you have to discover. Viewers have chimed in on this topic on The Crochet Crowd on Monday May 23, 2011. See their opinion below.

      • I just like to snoop. I get out of the car if there looks like a good amount of stuff. Love multi family sales. If there is only a little out there I usually skip it.
      • I did a yard sale the other day. I had matching Table Clothes, professional signature and all colour coded… I think that is why no one got out… was too organized.
      • I don’t mind organized–In fact- one of my biggest pet peeves is totally unorganized with no prices!
      • I look to see if it has some organization to it. If it is just out there I don’t stop It may be your Junk but to others it could be a diamond mine. I go looking for craft supplies and things I didn’t know I needed lol
      • I have always made a list througout the year of things I would like to find at yard sales during the summer. I give the lists to family and friends so they can also keep an eye out for me and let me know if they find any of the items Im loo…king for. Right now on my list I have buttons, lace, fabric, yarn, crochet needles, microwave, and the list goes on and on. I refuse to stop at yard sales that only have “one table” full of stuff. I am a drive by shopper or so my husband says. I drive by really slow and try to see if it looks like its worth stopping at.
      • Both! I usually have a mental list of what I want to keep an eye out for and sometimes just find things that I just hae to have! To stop I have to see more than just clothes and a box of books! Yes the junkier the sale the better and usually better prices! I hate going to overpriced yard sales!
      • We are running a garage sale at the moment. We plan on doing it on most nice weekends through out the summer. We have tons of nice things and do not price most items. That way the stickers don’t ruin the item (which has happened to us lots) and if you are interested, ask. Our answer is usually fair or “make me an offer”.
      • Usually we drive by slow and then if I see something I want to check out we get out. Usually we are just looking for clothes for my 4 year old daughter. I like to look for stuff so if it is organized or not I don’t mind. Usually when I have… my own I try to get everything organized to a point. People still have to look through the boxes of clothes, but I put all the clothes in one area LOL.
        My mom on the other hand will get out at all yard sales she sees and really look around. She doesn’t care what it looks like. When she throws a yard sale though I think she over prices her stuff. You aren’t supposed to be trying to make money you are supposed to be getting rid of stuff.
      • I love to snoop and see what treasures I can find! I stop at every one I can find. And if they have toys I have to stop so my daughter can look. Some time it pays off. I have found some great things to use for crafting. Love to find knitted… swetters that are no longer wanted. I Frogg them for the yarn, buttons, zippers… Love to remake old or broken jewlery new. I add it to my crochet, knit, or just make more jewlery with it.
      • When my mom used to take my brothers and I out, we used to hunt for lost treasures, it was definately a case of the junkiest yard sale was the best to go to. I remember finding a vinyle copy of Elton John’s Yellow Brick Road, it was amazing…! Some of my best memories are of getting up on Saturday, walking around the neighborhood with a twenty dollar bill, and going back home with an armful of things, they just don’t do it like that anymore.See Moreabout an hour ago · LikeUnlike
      • A sale has to have lots of stuff!! Not piles and piles of clothes. A table of folded clothes and some on a hanging rack won’t deter me. But I want to see tables of books and tchotchkes. Toys are okay, but piles of stuffed animals…yuck! Furniture yes, tires NO! But lots of stuff visible from the street.
      • Kids selling lemonade or water & sodas are a plus. The organizer wearing a hat and apron mean organized to me.
      • PRICED ITEMS! If items are not priced or priced far to high, organized or not, I will walk away. I know many o fthe things we see in true garage sales are personal treasures and have a history with the seller but the seller has to be hone…st and put good prices (prices that will sell) on their items. I put low prices on my items and sell more than if I had high prices. . . .would much rather see the money in my pocket than the item back in my house! Homemade items that are made for the sale (Like Mikey’s) are a whole other story!
      • I usually go out if I have something I am looking for and enjoy the snooping. Gas prices are to high these days to just go out without a reason.

Working With Craft Festival Organizations

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Having only done a few shows, I’ve been spoiled with the level of organization of some events and the disorganization of others.

I’ve worked with the Creativ Festival in Toronto Ontario. It would be the first show I ever worked with back in October 2010. I couldn’t believe the level of organization it takes to get that show from seed to full blown 1000’s of guests per hour walking through the show. An estimated 30,000 – 40,000 guests tromping on through. Remarkably, they have an 80 page brochure on what courses are available. All this strategical planning is simply mind boggling but they do it and do it extremely well.

Starting off with a show that is super organized, I figured all shows are like this. I’ve already seen dishonesty from show organizers from over stating their attendance and even the value of being with their show.

One show in the USA, I have emailed them 3 times requesting what their expected attendance is and have waiting 6 weeks to get some responses. I have seen where show organizers are contacting me within a week of finally acknowledging my email and still and still expecting me to be available.

How to pick a good one:

  • Google it?
  • What are people saying about this event?
  • Is the location where the event is making sense for the organizer’s claim?
  • Is the dollar value of the booth worth the traffic or what you hope to achieve?
  • When you request info, do they get back to you or leave you hanging?
  • Are they more concerned to sell than educate you about the show?
  • Consumer’s expected at the show, remember that a show of 40,000 guests may be just as good as a 5,000 guests. The 5,000 may be more dedicated to the crafting where the larger show may be a great rainy day event. Your sales could be better with smaller events!
  • I have yet to make money at doing an event as I am doing it to gain exposure. Eventually though, it is the hope that my own popularity and consumer interest will drive my booth costs down and increase my value to be part of the organization.
  • Sometimes you want to take a chance as you could meet consumers that may make a difference in your future.

Essentially, do your homework! Make sure you read critiques from a non bias point of view. Someone selling knitting machines may have sucked really bad but the sew machine vendor totally kicked some serious cash in the same show. Understand the consumer draw for the show.

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