Chapin - The handmade marketplace: how to sell your crafts locally, globally, and online

I love dedications in books. I always read them first (ha, ha). I dedicated the first edition of The Handmade Marketplace to my husband, and for the second edition, Im doing the same.

Thank you so much, Eric. For every little thing and all of the big things, too.

I want to thank the following people for helping me to do this work. They have all supported me, guided me, and inspired me in the most generous and brilliant ways. First, my family: My husband, Eric Nixon. My mother, Janis McWayne. The Chapin family: Ron, Robyn, and Euretta. My mother-in-law, Sharon Jandrow. I would also like to thank my grandmother, Ethel McWayne, who has supported me in so many ways the past few years.

I am lucky to have such a strong circle of friends and I am filled with gratitude for Karie McGahan, Amanda Struse, Karloyn Tregembo, and Sheila Broderick. I am also thankful for my strong community in Portland, where I am surrounded by the most thoughtful and creative people, who keep me motivated and inspired. Thank you, People of Portland!

I feel so fortunate to have the support of Storey Publishing and their talented, fun, loving employees who work with me. Heartfelt thanks to Deborah Balmuth, Pam Thompson, Alee Moncy, Alethea Morrison, and Jessica Armstrong. Id also like to thank my agent, Holly Bemiss, for her support.

I would like to gift a bouquet of stars and space shuttles made out of Legos to Rachel Hobson, who embroidered the cover of this book. Its beautiful and amazing, Rachel. Thank you.

Thank you to the members of Karis Creative Community you make my job so much fun and I love our relationship and the community weve built together. Interacting with you is one of my favorite things ever.

Last, and most important, I want to express how important you are to me. Thank you to every reader who sends me email, posts photos of my books on their social media, or writes a blog post or a review. I love reading your stories about your successes. Youre the best. Im glad were friends.

S ince The Handmade Marketplace was first published in 2010, I have been lucky enough to travel and meet readers all over the United States. Ive been to craft shows big and small, conferences full of creative folks just like you, colleges, and intimate gatherings of guilds, crafting circles, and stitch-and-bitches. Ive met readers at bookstores, galleries, and boutiques. I have answered hundreds, maybe even thousands of emails from readers just like you. Ive taught online classes, given speeches, contributed to other books, and written guest posts. I have spread the word about the work we all do via magazines, radio programs, and television. I have loved every minute of it, too.

Back in 2009, I began writing the first version of this book because I had information to share that wasnt widely available. There werent a lot of resources for hand-makers, and I decided to fill this gap in the market. Now we are all lucky enough to have so many wonderful, different places to find information when we need it.

With a quick search on your computer, you can find just about anything you want. Things change so fast. Even in the last couple of years, weve seen a boom in social media, with sites like Instagram and Pinterest joining older siblings Twitter and Facebook. And the cameras that come with our smart phones are better than the expensive digital cameras that we once invested in.

But as a writer, I believe that nothing can take the place of a good book. I feel the same way about handmade products. So just as I asked readers in the beginning of The Handmade Marketplace last time, Im going to ask you now: Why do you craft? I imagine your answers are similar to the ones I have about why I write. Because it feels good. Because you enjoy it. Because you cant imagine not doing it.

Whatever your reason, I think its awesome. But now I want to ask you another question: Why do you want to sell your crafts? That answer is most likely very different.

As for me, I have been crafting for pleasure for as long as I can remember. It makes me feel useful and whole. An activity as simple as sewing a button back onto my husbands winter coat brings me much more personal satisfaction than a lot of the things I have to do during a normal day. How about you?

Many years ago I discovered the concept of fulling (a.k.a. felting) wool sweaters and crafting things out of the transformed wool especially mittens. Actually, I became kind of obsessed with making mittens. It wasnt really the end result that drove me to keep making them, especially since I was living in the Deep South at the time. I simply couldnt stop. It was as if my hands were compelled to cut the wool and sew on embellishments. I was officially smitten with mittens.

I made so many mittens that I ran out of people to give them to. Soon I had no idea what to do with the dozens of mittens I was cranking out, so I began to leave them in public places with notes attached to them, hoping they would find good homes.

Back then there were no online marketplaces for me to build a store, and though I had a blog, I had no idea what a powerful marketing tool it could have been for me.

If only Id had then the resources that are available today. Though this was just a few years ago, the craft community wasnt at all what it is nowadays. I didnt know of any craft bloggers, and the books at the library werent the fresh, modern ones now available.

Today, of course, the craft community is thriving, with room for everyone, no matter what your handmade forte. You can easily find kindred spirits to mentor you, inspire you, and offer kind words when you make something wonderful. Our community is so creative, so alive, and so welcoming. The benefits of reaching out to others and making yourself available in turn are almost endless. Just as in any other area in your life, making friends and building community around your passion is invaluable.

Whatever your personal reason for handcrafting, making things can be not only good for your soul, it can (lets face it) also be good for your bottom line. Selling your crafts is empowering, and collecting money for what you make feels good. These days the demand for handmade goods is high. So many different ways are available to sell your crafts that no matter what your life is like, you can find something that works for you. If youre a people person, craft fairs might be the way to go. If you have the time to manage an online store, you can have a shop that is open 24/7 and you dont even have to get out of your pajamas!

I hope this book will be an encouraging force for you, that you will garner new ideas and new strategies and discover all the places being a crafter and having your own business can take you.

We all need a little help from our friends, and Ive rounded up some of the best of the best to help you on your creative journey. The response to the Creative Collectives I assembled in the first edition of The Handmade Marketplace and Grow Your Handmade Business was wonderful.

I gather these amazing people just for you. I ask them questions that I know you think about, and I ask them for their stories, advice, and tips and tricks. These artisans, collaborators, organizers, shop owners, teachers, and general crafts-business experts are here to help you. I am so grateful for their guidance and willingness to be so open about their own experiences.